Mike's Welcoming Committee

 I'm so sorry that your BF's struggle with liver disease has had to come to this point.  I'd hoped that he would be able to find a transplant and recover, from your previous posts.  Although his time as come, I'm so glad to hear that he believes in all the animal friends who will be there to greet him on the other side. 

Tell Dancer to watch for Sadi, a beautiful sable/white collie with stand-up ears and a sweet expression.  Sadi was the best at greeting, and making you feel like you were the only person in the world who mattered.  I'm sure she will give your BF a wonderful reception.  

My thoughts are with you and your BF.  I hope the rest of his time with you is full of peace and love.   

I can assure you that Sandee, a red tri Aussie, will be there waiting to meet Mike. She'll most likely be smiling, & it can be a little un-nerving, but she really is a sweet girl.  Thunder, the big bay gelding should be waiting to meet him as well.  Our cats, Yak, Winston, & Tuity will be there as well.  If a squirrel comes running up to him, tell him to say hi to Turbo for me.

Ann, both you & Mike are in my thoughts and prayers.

Neither were my personal dogs, but when I worked at DDC two old ladies went to the Bridge. The first is Sophie K. - she taught me so many lessons, and in the very beginning of my college days when I was sad and alone (before I had Pirate!) I'd cry into her fur and she'd just soak it up. She had very bad shepherd hips, and at work we'd have to carry her up and down the stairs. If Dancer could point out my dear Sophie K., she'd be more than happy to welcome him. She was a good welcomer at day care - by the time all the *other* dogs welcomed me and left, Sophie was just getting up :) I'm sure she doesn't have that problem now!

The other is a beagley mix named Kirby. Kirby had heart failure and a number of other 'things' wrong with her. Towards the end she had an eye problem and she couldn't be in the daylight, so when I worked nights I'd bring her up in the 'bedroom' at work and turn the dimmest lamp on and we'd work on homework or read together. She was super-sweet and loved those garlic breath biscuits. I bet there is lots of sunshine at the Bridge for her, so Dancer will need to check the sunniest spots to find her!

BF's childhood rat terrier, Speedy, should be there. Speedy wasn't neutered and got hit by a car, lookin' for love in all the wrong places I suppose.

Also have Dancer take him to the 'River of Life' - apparently that's where all of my pet fish are! Zippy and Spike and Blubby...

Anne, my uncle & his wife just recently lost their yellow lab, Pheobe and the whole family has been grieving this loss.  She was a great girl, you couldn't ask for a nicer dog, and I know she will be there in line, tell Mike to look out for the tail though, it hurts if it makes contact! 

And, flying over head a beautiful white parakeet who I had for nine years and lost around this time last year.  His name is Snow Bird. 

Willow and I are thinking of you, Anne.

anne, i'm so sorry, it had to come to this! your boyfriend will will have the warmest welcome at the bridge though! tell dancer to look somewhere in the back there will be 4 guinea pigs, waiting out the crazy doggy welcome. they are fritzl, ginny, ginny (yes we did one name double, it just stuck!) and poopsy, who just passed recently this year of unknown illness. there are also various bunnies, quirrels and birds that we took in when they were sick and injured when i was a kid. they never managed to stay with us long enough to be named but i know they are also hanging around there to give a warm welcome from afar (they are most likely too shy to come very close).

i will also keep you in my thoughts and hope you can manage to stay strong in these hard times! i am sure you have plenty of friends and family to stand by you, but if you do still need someone to talk, you can always pm me!

Ann - I'm so very sorry to hear this news. I had so hoped that Mike would beat the odds. I can't imagine what the two of you must be feeling but I know how strong and supportive you are, so for that he is truly blessed. My thoughts and prayers will be with both of you.

My heart dog was a collie mix I got from the shelter as a puppy. Truly the smartest, most loving dog I've had the pleasure of knowing. Her name was "Boo" from the song "Me and You and a dog named Boo" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfNwJMjhm1o  Inspite of knowing nothing about the training or health needs of a dog, she flourished. She will be thrilled to spend some time with Mike and I am thrilled at the thought of her having a new friend.

Anne, I am so sorry.

My first black Lab, Pepper, will be wiggling her bum all over to meet Mike. And like Lori said, watch out for the Lab tail! She might jump up on him (even at 13yrs and losing the cancer battle she still jumped on everyone)! She's a big girl, but a friendly one. We miss her still every day. She was truely one of those once-in-a-lifetime dogs.

How very kind of you both! Would your Dear One mind looking up some very Special Fur Babies for me?? It would truly make my family and I  feel wonderful to know they will have an extra ear rub and hugs. They are ever in our hearts and thoughts.... These are our Bwana Babies and a few hints about what they would most love to do with a new Dear Friend...

As true royalty , our the begining of our love affair will happily meet and greet, need help setting up a great spot to watch everything? Just ask our Bwana and Kahlua....The Throwback and his Princess.

Ace will happily go to any water activity he would like and is awesome on a Jetski ( Bwana's Red Baron)

Orion, ( Bwana;s Starlit Archer ) will know the very best places to grab a snack !

Tigger is an Agility Fool and would have been the first RR to go MACH.. want to Play? ( Bwana's He's a Classy Tigger AX AJX)

Wicked Beth just loves a great snuggle and if youwant to hang out around cherubs I am sure she will happily oblige. (She has a tickle spot under her right ear so watch out!)

Chance may have a ton of attitude, but take him running or hunting star bunnies and he will never fail you.(CH Ridgewood's Bwana's Bon JC)

Should you need some one to lean on, to simply be your pal and listen. you can never go wrong with the Bo Man, ( Ch Calluna Kwanzaa Bwana Imani CGC TT TDI JC) One Heck of a Healer ...

but His Mate, my Soul Puppy is the one that may need the longest hug and a Friend to assure her That her mom adores her still... My Jasmine, ( Ch Windridge HeatWave Bwana CGC TT TDI  and BFF) It has only been 117 days since she joined the Special Pack across the Bridge.

Kiss them for us and tell them how they changed our lives Forever... and for the Better. We know with out question, we will one day be with them again.

With our Deepest Thanks,

Bonita of Bwana and her Family both 2 and 4 legged.

Anne, I'm so very sorry to hear that Mike may not get an earthly miracle, but as you said, he's certainly deserving of a miracle in his next phase of existence.  He's truly blessed to have someone like you by his side -- so many people face similar situations alone or with people who aren't as supportive and strong as you.  As heartbreaking as it is for you, may you feel some comfort knowing how important you've been to him during this battle.

I would love for Mike to look for my beloved boy, Tonka.  He's a slobbery love-bug Bullmastiff.  We never quite succeeded in teaching him to greet his friends calmly (except when he knew he was "on the job" during our pet-therapy visits at the hospital).  If Mike braces himself when he sees Tonka bounding at him (with slobber flying), he'll be able to have a buddy willing to share a huge, huge bear hug.  And if he gives Tonka's neck and upper chest some vigorous rubs, Tonka will make happy groaning noises!

Tonka has quite a harem of ladies who would be happy to greet Mike, too.  They're our friends dogs, and include his two best girls, LuLu (black lab mix) and Zoie (a sweet Basset who died way too young).  Other gals are Kona (an exuberant boxer), Ariel (a blonde cocker who's a bit ornery, but sweet), and Greta (an elderly pug who had a rough life until rescued a few months before her death).  He may also be followed by a few kitties, and a very cool Crimson Rosella named Darwin, a gorgeous bird with red and periwinkle feathers.  He'll make kissing noises for Mike, and if Mike waves his hands high in the air and makes silly, high-pitched sounds, like "Yay! Yippee!", then Darwin will sing and dance and bob for him!

I hope these greetings are a long way away yet for Mike, but it makes me smile to think of the happy critters who will make his acquaintance.  I'll keep you and Mike in my thoughts and prayers.  Take care.

 I think it will make Mike smile knowing that Dancer and I and the peeps from idog are lining up the committee.  The thread about whether we all believe in the Rainbow Bridge made me think of doing this, because not only do I think there really is one, and Mike believes it, too, but I know that part of the Bridge is right here with all of us.  I'm so happy to be "meeting" all of your furkids who will be meeting him, and I'm glad to have the chance to provide the place for their stories to be told, and to have all who come to this thread understand the true meaning of the Bridge.  It's really all about caring, remembering, continuity, appreciation, love.  Yes, Virginia, there is a Rainbow Bridge!  As long as we keep telling their stories, no man and no dog really ever dies.

 You both are in my prayers...hugs being sent also. 

Dancer and Mike, look for Winnie and her helicopter tail waiting to share her silky long ears with you for ear scritches.  Her Daddy won't mind...

And Bear, my big white shepherd mix...he's big, but a total mush.  Toss him some popcorn for me!  Patches (calico cat) and Tigger (tiger cat) like nice, warm laps.  

My heart hurts for you, but I hope you find some peace knowing your love for each other is never ending, just changed for now. 

 Teenie Weenie will be there. If he can give a good belly and ear rub, she'll be his best buddy. My first dog, Grace, the Chocolate Golden, will be there, too. She's just a puppy, so she might be a little wild.

 I'm so sorry to read this!! I just don't know what to say. Words can never be enough. I hope you and your BF feel all of the love and support that we can give you through our thoughts and prayers.

I'm sure that Dakota will give your BF a wooooo wooooo  and a wag of her tail when he arrives.

Anne, I'm so sorry about your BF.

Mollie will be there to greet him. She was a gift to my sister from her then-BF when we were teens. When we grew up and moved out, she stayed with my dad because it was her home. I took her with me to visit a few times when I was in college, but she was too stressed out. I don't have a photo on my computer, but she's little peke/springer mix, black and white, and loves to have her belly rubbed. She also likes to go for car rides, so if he ever feels like going for a Sunday drive he'll have company.

Shelby will also be there. She was my MIL's black lab that passed a few years back from cancer. She was Rupert's bestest buddy. She's very mellow and would love to sit with him on the couch, as long as he pets her. If he stops, she'll wrap her paw around his arm and pullllll it towards her.