mickey

I hope he knows that before the age of 12 I prayed for him on every birthday, Christmas, star and lucky penny. I prayed for a family dog that was kind, gentle, and could handle the chaos of a four kid household. Mickey was everything we could have dreamed of and more. When I tell you he found us for a reason, I really mean it.

My siblings and I wanted white fluffy dogs named Snowball or a brown dog to name Brownie, but those were all ideas.

One Christmas I really thought we were getting a dog. My mom was making comments asking us what type of dog we would want and what we would name him. Sam always said "I want a dog named Mickey" - and we all kind of loved that.

This one Christmas a huge box was downstairs with a red bow. When we finally ripped into it, I was prepared for a little dog to jump out. Except, it was a surprise trip to Disney and Mickey Mouse stuffies and merchandise filled the inside of the box. Everyone was thrilled, but I was a little disappointed. I mean I guess I got a Mickey in some way, but not the way I wanted.

Nonetheless, months later we started hounding my mom for a dog again. We finally got her to apply for a rescue we found online. He was one of a 4 boy - one girl litter of black labs looking to be adopted all the way from their foster home in Arkansas. They were named after the Monkees Band - Davy, Micky, Peter, and Michael. Mickey (how both us and the foster parents spelled it) was the cutest dog we have ever seen.

Is there anything more made to be than this?!

I prayed and prayed that he would come home to us after my mom caved and submit the application. She was honest on the application and told us to not have expectations, since we all were so destined that Mickey was meant for us. No, we don't have a fenced yard, none of us have ever owned a dog, but yes, we have four kids ages 12, 10, 7 and 4.

People must have also seen how perfect Mickey and his litter was because they were so popular that they were taken off the website. I refreshed the home computer every day for an update and stalked my moms email for any glimpse of Mickey.

One day I read in my moms email that we were the first choice out of hundreds of other families to adopt Mickey. I was so excited and did not want to spoil further so I turned the computer off and ran upstairs and prayed that my parents would still want us to have Mickey come home.

Then on September 20, 2015 my parents surprised us with Mickey. From that day on, for ten beautiful years, he protected the house, chased us through the yard, in the snow, and around our kitchen island in a classic game of Tricky Mickey.

He was patient, gentle, and loved us with everything he had. He taught us more than we could ever repay him for. He was there for every bad day, every after school TV time, every family movie night, dinner, major surgery recovery, and every day in between. He was a constant source of love for all six of us.

He loved sitting underneath our kitchen table during dinner because we would all pass him a little something. He was a begger, but I let him be. He knew all our friends and family members that would come over - everyone loved Mickey.

We almost lost him five years ago on Super Bowl Sunday in 2021 - he was five years old had a crazy stomach intestine twist and my parents faced a decision to have him fight or be laid to rest. We knew Mickey could fight and that's what they decided on.

He survived surgery with 10% odds and gave us everything he had for the next 5 years we had with him. All he knew was love, and all we knew was his love.

When we got Millie, he protected her and started to age backwards. Mickey was a dog that was supposed to live forever, because we needed him to.

He was everyone's first dog and it felt like there was no life before Mickey, and pains me to have to live in a world without him. We hit the jackpot with him.

We may not deserve dogs, especially childhood dogs. Mickey knew me, he knew my family, he knew what it was like to live in my house. He was there when my Nana died, he was there when I was an insecure middle schooler, he was there for every tear and every celebration. He roamed the houses on holidays and parties, and was there to hold on the rare horrible days.

Dogs keep your secrets and don't care what you have, what you do, or anything else that feels superficial. They love you for you, they live for you, and they depend on you.

At times I think I depended on Mickey.

In a house with two dogs, there are never supposed to be favorites. However, I always favored Mickey and knew how special he was. He was made for us. He was made for me. A piece of my heart will forever be gone. As I grieve and cry a river full of tears, I know that our relationship, his story, and his love will live on.

The unconditional love that comes from a dog is one every person should be blessed to experience. Mickey was the first person I saw most mornings, he would wag his tail, give a big stretch then press his back into you for some good pats. He loved the backyard at my house and he especially loved the beach house as much as I did.

He wore that Georgia collar and leash with pride and pranced the neighborhood sniffing every plant, sign, garden, and bush he found. I missed him greatly while I was at college, and always prayed he would never leave me unless I was with him. The one slightly positive outlook I can think of is how I got to hold him and love on him one last summer before my adulthood began.

It is almost like he knew. I know he would have stayed forever if he could, my ushk was a fighter.

When his time with us ended due to a rapid, sinister, and unknown disease that took over his ability to walk and sniff, eat, and play with us like he loved to do, we had to let him rest.

As Georgia Bulldogs would say, Mickey was a damn good dog. It seriously does not get better than my little Ushk. Forever my puppy, and always in my heart. My true one and only soul dog.

While there are no words for the pain I felt seeing him suffer, I now carry that hurt so he doesn't have to. I don't believe anyone or anything was perfect - but Mickey was the closest thing to perfection and heaven on Earth. From the day we brought him home to the day he left us, he never stopped showing us the power of his love and the special connection we all had with him.

The house feels empty, and I miss you more than I thought was humanly possible - we all do. Your hair on the floor and favorite blankets, beds and treats will continue to grace us with the reminder of your love.

If you have a dog please hug them tight, and if you lost yours I just know that Mickey is protecting your angel in heaven, like he always did for us down here.

Until we meet again I will look for you in every black lab, pond sunset, walk with Millie, and I will miss your love, your bark, your sassy paws, and your sweet little face forever. I am so glad I got to hold you at the end. Rest easy, we love you sweet boy.

Thank you, Mickey.