Chip’s Presence is Strong as I Celebrate Our Birthdays
Chip is celebrating his 18th birthday, March 12, 2010. He is eating his birthday scrambled eggs, a favourite meal.
My precious dog has been gone for 6 weeks now. We were supposed to celebrate our birthdays together. He would have been 20 and I am 54 today.
His presence in my life is sorely missed. The other night while worshipping: praying, and singing, all of a sudden I felt so sad, lonely, and pained that Chip is no longer with me. The tears wouldn’t stop.
I hate those sudden waves of pain and yet . . . And yet I know the pain points to how much I loved him. And how much I miss him.
And I do miss you my brave Chiplings, my Chip Buff-Dog Symington-Wright.
Isn’t it funny how many nicknames our fur-people can have?
Over the weekend I cleaned underneath my sink. The left side had a container filled
with Chip’s stuff:
- rags and pet carpet cleaner
- diapers (which he refused to wear)
- Greenies
- medicine
- leashes
- toe nail clippers and scissors
- 3 sweaters (usually he had one on)
- and a container of food
When we went somewhere overnight, I grabbed this to put in the car. Very handy.
Time to replace this container. Time to give away the still useful items. Time to trash the rest. I saved 2 sweaters and my favourite leash. I don’t know what I’ll do with them, 
but for now I will keep them on my dresser.
I replaced Chip’s container with a container of beauty and cleaning supplies.
And while I am slowly replacing his physical presence in my home, I will never replace his presence in my heart.
Your Turn . . .
- How do you deal with the stuff a pet leaves behind? Get rid of it as quickly as possible? Save it forever? Move it out of the house as the healing progresses?
- What would you do with a sweater and/or leash? I am thinking about making ornaments out of the sweaters.
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Fruitful Words 
1.
orples | . at .
Happy, happy birthday to you! May this be the first of many more to come.
In regards to Chip, console yourself with the fact that he was a fortunate pup while he was on this Earth. So many animals face nothing but abuse and neglect, and the fact that Chip lived so long can also be counted as a blessing. My heart goes out to you for your loss, but none of us lives forever. Your sweet little pup was blessed to have had you. So chin up. Maybe you could find another critter in need of a home to help ease the pain of Chip’s passing. I hope so. Have a lovely day, a lovely week. 🙂
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2.
reflectionsinapuddle | . at .
Happy birthday, Susan! Chip was a very special and lucky dog. He looks so sweet on the photo. It’s always hard to lose a loved one, and we get so attached to our pets. They become a part of the family and a part of ourselves. I am awefully sorry about your loss. But as Orples said maybe there is another dog or cat that will find a place in your heart…Have a great day!
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3.
Margo (Bible Games Factory) | . at .
Happy birthday to you! I’m so sorry about your loss—I can only imagine how difficult it is to lose such a beloved pet. I’ve never had to deal with the loss of a pet, and just thinking about it brings me to tears. I have to admit that I wouldn’t be able to get rid of everything—I’m fairly certain that I would keep my dogs’ collars and favorite toys.
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4.
claudiawjohnson | . at .
Happy Birthday, dear! Have a cup of coffee on me!
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5.
Grateful 43 – Holidays | Fruitful Words | . at .
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