Thursday Came Too Soon

We were vacationing with my niece, Adrienne,  and family in University Heights, Ohio. It was so nice to visit with her and her husband, Chris, and their 3 daughters over the Labor Day weekend. The 8 and 6 year old loved hanging out with Thelma.  They even invited me to play with them in their Barbie room, and I got a lot of baby time with their youngest, born in January.  We took walks with Thelma too, including the Cuyahoga Valley National Park trail, and the Botanical Gardens in Cleveland. Thelma even went with me to Urgent Care when I dislocated my left thumb. She also went with me to see a specialist on Tuesday who put my finger back into place.  Quite an unforgettable experience, which isn’t over yet!  We all loved visiting Ray’s cousins near Detroit, too.

But then Thursday came.  I knew Ray was thinking about how we’d miss Thelma also, even though he didn’t say much.  Wednesday, as we walked around Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan with cousins, Thelma did such a great job walking with me everywhere.

When Kathy and her friend, Mary Kay met us at our hotel on Thursday morning, we shared Thelma tidbits, words she knew, voice inflections, etc.  We walked to lunch together and Thelma was the perfect dog, lying under the table quietly as we ate our lunch. I showed Kathy how she sits in our car, on the passenger side on the floor under the dash board.

When it was time for them to go, we all prayed together and took pictures.  I gave Thelma her favorite toy, and a special bag of treats.  Then I opened the passenger side of Kathy’s car and told Thelma, “hup up, inside”.  She obeyed and curled up on the floor board ready for a long drive.  Off to her new forever home she went, a bond already starting.

It had been a long hard day for Ray and me.  We went back to our hotel room and took a nap.  For supper, we went to a place nearby that served Afghan food.  It was delicious.  The next morning we had breakfast with another of Ray’s cousins whom he had not seen for 20 years. Then we drove to the airport to catch our flight home to St. Louis.

Thelma’s empty harness stowed under my seat.

4 thoughts on “Thursday Came Too Soon

  1. Gail Lawlor says:

    In the balance of things, “Hello’s” are generally happy occasions. ” Good-byes” are generally sad and heart wrenching.
    A devotion for partings:
    Oh, God. All these partings are hard. When I have to say good-bye, help me to cling fast to the faith that you are with us always, and that all of us will one day be reunited again in you. Amen

  2. Kathy and Dave says:

    We are so blessed be the new pet parents and home to Thelma in Columbus, Ohio.
    Such a humbling experience to be trusted with Thelma, Judy and Ray’s sweet puppy!
    We might make a few mistakes but we will do our best!
    God has blessed us to now as we now new St Louis friends, Judy and Ray and our busy and loving sweet Thelma.❤️

  3. Lynda McKinney Lamberthh says:

    This is a beautiful story of how much God loves Thelma and how he made plans for her retirement in such a special way. I felt so sad at the image of the empty harness and its so moving. My prayers with you all today as the new arrangements begin taking place – day by day. God bless you all.

  4. Marie says:

    Hello.

    I don’t know what to say; the story is bitter-sweet.

    I am blessed to see you (Judy) walking, though, and able to travel (with Ray) and make this transition together (after all the cancer trials).

    Knowing God has kept you and Ray with us in this world thus far is another of His merciful blessings; you and your stories are such a blessing in this old evil world strewn with sin.

    I do look forward to “the joy set before you” though; as all this will be passed away and you will be in your forever home with the One who created Thelma and all the other blessings you enjoy/ed while here.

    No more pain, no more sickness … these former things will be passed away and new things will be taking place.

    God continue to bless you as you continue, faithfully, serving HIM.

    ❤️🙏🙏

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