Lost Spice!

Our family has lost a little bit of spice. My in-laws lost their fifteen year old black Labrador yesterday. Her name was Pepper and she was always a joy, such a sweet dog.

Pepper was the last born of our dog Sandy. Sandy delivered her second litter of puppies (most of them under our bed!!) in May, 1994. My in laws had requested a puppy from the litter, but wanted a black female. As the day ended, we counted all the puppies and not one black female was in the bunch. Black males and yellow females were all that were in the basket. We made the call to my in-laws and tried to get them thinking in another direction. In the morning, we awoke to find a black female. The runt of the litter, obviously born during the night!

She was ordered up and created for my in-laws, no doubt about that!

They were leaving for a trip around the time that the puppy would be ready to go home, so we agreed to keep her for a few extra weeks. During that time, I came up with her name...Pepper just seemed to fit - she was feisty, tiny and spicy and black as night. Many nights after work, I would take her with me and ride to Dairy Queen, she loved eating the blizzards and licking it straight from the cup!

Soon she went to live in her new home and we would gladly visit with her often. She always knew our car, barked loudly and even grinned at us. She continued to be little, at least for Labradors, and always a bit on the hyper side, I ca, even now, see her little front feet just jumping up and down with energy and excitement.

Pepper hated rain and thunderstorms, she was known for disappearing for days if one happened.. often taking refuge in neighbor's garages.

Pepper was the half sister to our beloved Jake, she was the last puppy of their mother, our first dog, Sandy. She was an extraordinary playmate to all the young kids she encountered through the last fifteen years, but no more so than our Hannah. Hannah loved to play with her, chase her, throw her sticks and run from her as Pepper tried to shake water on Hannah.

Last night as we sadly told Hannah that Pepper would not be at Grandma and Poppy's next time she went to visit, she asked if she was in heaven? We of course, said yes, that she was with Jake and Sawyer and our hamster Charlie. Then Hannah said "I bet Uncle Nate is there throwing sticks for all of them to catch, don't you think?" It was the sweetest thought, all our loved ones, and all those sweet companions, playing and waiting on us all in heaven. I am so glad that our little one has already caught the concept of Heaven and the peace that awaits us all one day.

We will miss Pepper. It won't hardly seem the same without her grin on this earth!