It's been a tough week. A really tough week. Two days ago, April 25th, Robert and I had to take Jojo to the vet to be put to sleep. I am still heart broken about it and I wanted to write about him while he was fresh in my mind so I could describe the kind of dog that he was and what he meant to us.
He was a best friend. He was a family member. And to Robert and I, he was our first child. He was the first thing that the two of us were responsible for and needed to take care of. We got Jojo at the very beginning of our relationship so he is a reminder of everything that Robert and I have experienced in the last 15 years. But he was also much more than that. He was something indescribable that I guess most dog owners feel. It's like he gave you a sense of comfort when you didn't realize you needed it. This dog loved us so unconditionally that sometimes I felt unworthy of how lucky we were to have him in our lives. He would go anywhere with us, until the last few years of his life, but even then, he would always greet you with excitement and enthusiasm. He knew when we were sad and would stay close, and he knew when you were happy because he would wag his tail uncontrollably and try to angle for someone to give him a bone...which he would always get!
We got Jojo as a puppy and he moved to seven different houses with us and 3 different states. He was happy wherever we went as long as he was with us. And I think his favorite locations were in the snow in Colorado and at the beach in St. Simons, Georgia. Man, that boy loved the beach and the second he got wind that you were going, he was at the door ready to go. He would spend hours, all day if you let him, chasing birds up and down the beach while jumping in waves or rolling in sand. That is what I imagine he is doing right now in heaven. I could go on and on about this dog and all his greatness but I'll keep some of it for the conversations between Robert and I and all our wonderful memories of our sweet Jojo Bird.
But I can't wrap this up without mentioning how much he loved the kids. And they loved him back. Actually, anyone who met Jojo could see just how great of a dog he was. But from the second we brought both Harrison and Brooks back from the hospital, he was at their side watching and waiting to see what they would do next. He wanted to be a part of everything we did as a family and we did our best to make that happen. He went to the beach with us..of course, bike rides, parks, and countless road trips to Athens or Jacksonville. He was such a huge part of our family that we are all struggling to figure out what to do with this gigantic, missing piece. He was so loved and he loved us right back even more. I don't know how we got so lucky to have this amazing dog for 15 years but we did. And I am so thankful. He truly was the Best Dog Ever!
