Milo

It's been over a month since I've written here. For almost the first three of those weeks there was no reason other than that life was just too wonderful to spend sitting holding a laptop, October too magnificent not to enjoy with my full attention.

Then October 19th came and Milo began shivering. The next day his doctor ran blood work and said his kidney values were high. The plan was for three days of fluids under the skin, meds and a special diet and then to run blood work again. 

On the 24th we carried Milo in for the fourth time knowing that something was very wrong. And it was, his kidney failure was off the charts. And so once again we went through the heartbreaking time of holding a beloved fur baby until the light went out of his eyes. 

RH and I have spent the time since that day remembering our little Milo and consoling his twin brother Otis.

We've thanked God so many times for the gift of these two brothers who were nine years old when we adopted them from a wonderful rescue organization on December 14, 2013, exactly one year to the date from when we'd said goodbye to our 15 year old dachshund Penelope.

Milo and Otis were twins but different. Milo was so much smaller. He got cold easily. He always had to be coaxed to eat. I played many foolish games with Milo to get him to eat. 

He was so attached to his brother.

He would often climb into one of the many nests scattered throughout our house that was already occupied by his twin.

But there were times when he could be a loner, too.

Often when Otis would run back inside, Milo would stay outside and just sit in the sun and watch the birds, chipmunks and squirrels.

Both Milo and Otis handled well our move to Florida last year and back to Tennessee after nine months. 

They even handled an evacuation to the Gulf coast last year during a hurricane. Honestly, they were always fine if their Mama and Daddy were near.

Milo was my talking dachshund, my singing dachshund. He and I would give concerts for the neighbors while Otis was so embarrassed, Really? Must you, Mama?

Milo always loved for me to hold him in my arms and would lay his head on my shoulder.

We did a lot of that.

We all miss Milo so much.

Otis spent the first few days just watching, waiting. And the next few with his head on his front paws, looking sunk in sadness. 

He's just wanted to be in the same room all the time with us, as close as he could get next to us.

We've developed new routines, routines for three, not four.

Three go on walks now, three come home.

And I spend a lot of time looking out my kitchen window over to a small resting place for our Milo in the corner of the butterfly garden. 

"What Monsieur Béliveau needed was to feel bad.

And then he'd feel better."

Louise Penny, from The Cruelest Month

Dear friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I publish this post about Milo because I just turned on the television and learned of the horrific news of another church shooting, this time in Texas. I would not ever want to compare our sadness to those families who will now be going through the worst heartbreak possible.

As RH and his family have had bad news about dear ones this last week, I know others are facing their own challenges. 

I pray we will all be a compassionate and loving community to those who are hurting in ways we can't even imagine.

Sending love to each of you,

Dewena