Until We Meet Again

MayzieMom here. Back in 2013, I moved Mayzie’s blog to her own domain so it’s been 8 years since anything has been published here. I lost access to the other blog through a series of unfortunate events but somehow it feels right to come full circle back in the same place it all started.

Speaking of starting, where do I begin?

Last year was incredibly difficult for so many, and my little family was no exception. Entering 2021, we were fortunate that our fur family – Mayzie, Ranger, Abby, Smudge, and a new addition, Polly – were still with us.

But there is both a blessing and a curse to having pets reach old age, especially at the same time. We were lucky to have them all for so long but it also meant that they all grew old at the same time.

We lost our darling Ranger in March at the age of 17 (he would’ve been 18 in May). He remained our same dignified gentleman until the very end. He was always the leader of our little pack and his loss left a deep hole in our hearts and our lives. Ranger was the perfect “first dog” for us and the best big brother to Mayzie. With his love and guidance, she blossomed so much. Such a remarkable little fellow he was.

In August, we said goodbye to Queen Abby Cat at the venerable age of 21. I truly thought she would outlive us all. But time and kidney disease had other plans. She came to live with us six months after we bought our home so really, we have really never known our house without her in it. A quiet little presence in life, her absence feels huge.

Then, in December, our Most Beautiful Brindle Dog told us she was ready to join Brudder Ranger, Queen Abby, and the Dread Pirate Ripley Cat across the Bridge. Her loss alone would have been difficult enough but coming on the heels of the other two, it was almost unfathomable. I still haven’t grasped a world without her. She chose me to be her person, wiggled and wagged her way into my heart and soul, and literally changed my entire life.

It’s hard to put into words how much that girl taught me. So much of who I am today is because she came into my life. She made me a better dog mom and human. Forced me to examine my own biases and prejudices. Led me to become an advocate for bully breed dogs. Steered me down a new career path. Taught me the importance of a daily walkie, to trust others, to laugh often, and to approach each day with the attitude of “This is going to be the very best day of my entire life!” I sometimes forget the latter. She never did.

And of course, she inspired me to write this blog. What a joy and a privilege it was to channel her sweet, positive, loving spirit – and to be able to give voice to Ranger, Abby, Ripley, and Smudge. What started as a creative outlet and a way for me to track Mayzie’s progress from her early fearful days turned into so much more. Because of this blog, I discovered the wild, wacky, and wonderful world of pet blogging. I connected with people all over the world through our love of the furry beings at our feet. Over the years, I became real friends with many of them and have even met some in person.

Through “Blogville,” we created virtual adventures for our pets, threw parties, entered competitions, had weddings, fulfilled bucket lists, raised awareness and money for worthy causes, supported other bloggers in need, welcomed new furry family members, laughed daily, and shed very real tears when one of our bloggie family left for the Rainbow Bridge.

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  Happy Howl-oween, everybuddy, from Fairy Princess Mayzie!

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  Par-tay!

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  Thank you, thank you, BuildASign peoples!

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  If ye want this card, ye’ll have to go through me and me sister first! First Mate Abby – keep yer eye on the brindle lass!

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  It’s kind of amazing how good FB can keep up – being two-dimension and laminated and all.

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To those on the outside, this may seem a little, well, cuckoo. But for me, those years were not just fluff and frivolity. It was a daily reminder to live more like our dogs, and to spread joy, love, and compassion wherever and whenever possible. We could do with a little more of all of that these days.

So many of our Blogville residents have now made their journey across the Bridge and I know they were there to greet each of my babies. (See Mayzie’s Facebook post for what it must have been like.) I truly believe they all immediately knew each other because of the deep connection shared by their human assistants.

To my fellow pet bloggers, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for giving me some wonderful memories and for loving my girl – and the rest of our pack – so much. I hope you know how much I have loved yours.

And to my beautiful Mayzie – thank you for coming into my life and changing my whole world. Your dad, Polly, Smudge, and I miss you, Ranger, Abby, Molly, and Ripley so much but how very lucky we were to be your family. How lucky we were to have loved you and been loved by all of you. We will try to follow your example and love well, laugh often, find joy in the ordinary, be brave, extend grace and forgiveness, and approach each day as the best day of our entire lives.

Run free, my little loves. Until we meet again.