I have had Pepper since she was weeks old. We grew up together...and now I am in highschool. I met Pepper when she was weeks old, but she belonged to my grandmother. At the age of 4, Pepper was given to me. She traveled all the way from southern Texas, to nothern Indiana with my g-ma's friend who drove a semi. Even though she had not seen me in quite awhile, she jumped out of the truck and ran up the stairs (she had never been in the house either) turned, went into my room, and jumped on the bed with me...with no hesitation. From that day on, Pepper slept with me every night.
Years went by, and we moved to FL. It wasn't too hard of a move for me..I was still young. But either way, Pepper was there. My dad took over a church and became senior pastor in Central Florida. 8 years later, we moved from FL, to TN, to help a friend start a church in Nashville. That was a major move for me...and harder than I ever imagined. I had to leave my friends, my family, my church, my horses....my life. All I remembered was FL.
But even as Pepper had grown older (13) she was there to lick my tears and with us on the long drive up to TN. Months went by, the church was started and off to a good start. And an opening in AL made it's way into my dad's heart...a church to pastor. Even as we are here now...Pepper made that move yet again with us. Still there and happy as can be to just be with her family that she loved.
Pepper began to age, and was turning towards 15 as we noticed a rapid downfall in her health. She was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, as all of you know, a fatal condition. We did anything and everything to make her feel loved and as comfortable as possible...but it came to the day when she couldn't even lift her head. As I said my final goodbyes, I saw that soft look in her eyes...the ones that had greeted me since I was just a baby. Nothing has ever been as hard as losing her. I couldn't force myself to go with to put her down...but my Mom said she went so so peacefully...she just drifted to sleep. She was my best friend.
R.I.P. Pepper...I love and miss you.
