This is a very hard blog for me to post. I wad debating whether or not to even post this but I felt as though it might be therapeutic for me to write. I have been trying for a while now to put off even having to say this out loud but I feel as though I can't really ignore the reality of what my family and I have been going through. Before I get into any of the details.. let me take you back 17 years ago this October.
I was 5 years years old, and we had just welcomed my baby brother into the world. Life was pretty perfect for my parents and I.. a year prior, I had prayed to God that my mom would have a little baby.. and unlike most, I prayed for a baby brother. Well, I got my wish.. November 3rd 1993, my baby brother, Scott was born. We had the little family you dream about having when you're a little girl growing up in your mothers shadow; watching her put on her makeup, watching my dad put on his suit.. it wasn't before long, however, that my parents decided to truly make our family complete! It was a surprise right before Halloween. I remember it so clearly, as if it were yesterday.. My parents decided to surprise my brother and I with a trip to the Toronto Humane Society! We were thrilled.. finally a puppy of our own! I remember walking through the halls, looking at all of the animals without a home. I recall feeling so sad that we couldn't take all of them with us.. How could we ever pick just ONE! I distinctly remember asking my mom, how will we know which one is ours? What if we make a mistake?
That was of course, until I saw my beautiful Chelsea.. Her name at the time, was Rita. I recall thinking to myself, "I can't wait until we bring her home so we can change her name!!" She was a beautiful mix; part beagle, part german sheppard. She was wagging her tail so hard, as if it were going out of style! It was love at first sight for us.. and love at first sniff for her (LOL) sorry, i had to! The entire family decided that she was the one for us; she was my new baby sister. At 6 months old, she was energetic, and loveable, and could not stop kissing us! The excitement of the day finally ran dry when we learned we couldn't take her home right away.. of course as kids, you always want everything when YOU want it! After some shed tears, and broken hearts.. we left her. It was on our way home that we learned what a huge impact we were about to make on her life. My parents were always honest with us about how rough she had it before she found us. Personally, I would like to think that those first 6 months of life, she doesn't even recall anymore. Apparently, the humane society found her wandering inbetween the alley ways in downtown Toronto, god knows where she had come from. All i knew, was that she was NOT going to live like that ANYMORE!! Scott and I were told that we would have to wait a week to pick up our new baby sister.. and of course, we could not count the days fast enough; it was better than christmas morning! Finally, one day after school.. my friend's mom picked us up at the bus and said that my mom had to work late so she would be watching me (this was not uncommon, I frequently went to their house after school anyways.. After hours of waiting, and asking when my mommy would come and get me; the doorbell rang! I didn't know it than... but my life would be changed, forever.. and I would not take back one bit! Standing at the bottom of the stairs, was my beautiful sister!! I screamed at the top of my lungs, and started jumping up and down.. it had not been a week, it had only been about 2 days!
I was given the opportunity to name her.. don't ask me where I came up with it because I have no idea! It just, fit. From that day on, i found the sister I never had; Chelsea.
That little girl was my childhood.. i cannot remember my life before her; she's always been here.. we went through teething on our tv remotes, to ripping up our couches in our first house. She was a rambunctious little girl, and as my brother and I grew.. so did she. We all grew up together; playing in the sandbox with her.. her doing all of the digging (LOL) my mom said it well tonight; our household would have been a very boring place if it wasn't for her! The years of camping we did; her splashing through the lake trying to beat us at swimming.. How about the way she used to lick your face off, regardless of how long she knew you. Us kids would always get yelled at for feeding her food at the table. I remember my dad used to say.. "if you feed her at the table, she will keep coming back for more, for as long as she lives! Well, he wasn't wrong with that statement.. HOWEVER, over the years.. it stopped being about the fuss of feeding her our food at the table, it became her taking part in our meal.. Every night at dinner, you would hear the pitter patter of her little footsies (or paws, shall is say) lol..
It seems as though, 7 years ago.. I lost what I thought was the piece to my childhood.. but in reality, I always had a part of it still with me.. Now, at almost 17 years old.. I will be losing my precious sister. She has slowly been declining over the last few months, and it seems as though we may have hit a road block. She has been having accidents in the house, not to mention she has lost control of her hind legs.. We are taking her to the vet tomorrow to see what he says, however we're preparing ourselves for the worst... I don't want to see her suffer; i just don't want to lose the only sister I have ever had..
To all of you animal lovers out there.. cherish every moment with your babies! Life is so damn short, so yeah.. feed them at the table!
I love you so much Chels <3
Until next time...
xo
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