Dear Abbey

IMG_0072Dear Abbey,

We miss you. Since we took you to see Dr. Hey Saturday our days are filled with firsts. Our first meal without hearing you howl at the back door. Going to bed without taking you out to go potty. Having to tell Juan and Maria why you were not here to great them. These moments are hard but we get through them. You did your best to hang in there until Lauren arrived but we couldn’t let you suffer any longer. Thank you for enriching our lives in so many ways. I told the girls I wanted a dog that was highly intelligent and fiercely obedient. One that would be easy to train and listen when you told it to do something. Big mistake.  It turns out you were doing most of the training and we were the ones following  orders. Our lack of self-discipline in conforming to your demands resulted in you receiving a reputation for being a bit of a prima donna. Of course we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Love,
Daddy

IMG_0057IMG_0067      Abbey laying down

For Christmas 2001 Lauren Hickman and Amanda Hickman lobbied Linda Hopkins Hickman and me hard for a pet; something that was “not a fish”. After many discussions they were convinced they were getting a hamster. After going to the pet store Linda came home and said “I would rather have a rat terrier then a rat”. So we wrapped up two books for choosing and caring for puppies. After a few weeks research we went to several breeders. When we visited the breeder for shelties Abbey crawled up on Lauren’s lap and went to sleep.

This sheltie was developed to tend the diminutive sheep of the Shetland Islands, whose rugged, stormy shores have produced other small-statured animals such as the Shetland pony. Because she is a British dog we needed a British name. While listening to the Beatles one of the girls said “we should name her Abbey Road”. Twist my arm.

Here Comes the Sun is the opening track from side two of Abbey Road, the final side of the final Beatles album ever recorded. After Abbey’s battle with cancer – her long, cold, lonely winter – she can finally see the sun, sun, sun, here it comes. We will miss her, but the ice is slowly melting, and it won’t be long before we see the smiles returning to our faces.

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11 Responses to Dear Abbey

  1. Jean Hopkins says:

    Okay brad , that was so sweet. Made me cry. So sorry for your loss.
    Love you all!!!!!!!
    Jean

  2. Brenda says:

    Part of being a loving, responsible pet owner is knowing when enough is enough, for your pet. I’ve had a total of seven dear pets that have crossed the rainbow bridge, some with my assistance, and some without. It is so hard to let them go. I hope you and your family will accept my condolences. Your love was real, and your grief is just as real.

  3. Carmen Gonzales says:

    Such a beautiful and appropriate tribute to a much loved family member. Abbey was a beauty! My deepest condolences….

  4. Mike Tinnon says:

    Hickman’s: I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your sweet Abbey.

    And, I love “Here Comes the Sun”, from The Beatles “Abbey Road” album. It always cheers me up whenI hear it.

  5. Katie says:

    So sorry for your loss! What a sweet blog post

  6. Sylvia says:

    So sorry for the loss of Miss Abby, what a beautiful dog she looked like a miss Abby in the pictures you posted. What a great send off to pet hevean

  7. Karen Angelini says:

    Sweet, sweet Abbey. What a great dog!

  8. kathleen hurren says:

    I’m so sorry for your loss of a beloved family member. Each dog is as memorable as each person, and you keep the good memories forever.

  9. Brad says:

    Thank you for all your support. This blog post was very therapeutic for me.

    • Charlotte Noonan says:

      Such a sweet post about a loved animal. Our animals are so much a part of our family. So very sorry to hear about your loss but it sounds like Abbey brought you much joy. Very nice post about her.

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