Sassy's Tripawd Journey

After almost 3 weeks of below zero temps.  I felt the need for Spring and a reminder of our 2017 Tripawd Party of the Century in VA.   I made some great friends and talking on the phone and computer just isn’t the same as being in person.  I miss all of you dearly.  Sure wish we were all some place warm and enjoying ourselves like we did in May.     I had such a great time.

So I worked on this.  I sure wish I could have found the perfect song.  Kid Rock seems ok but just not want I was looking for but I went with it anyway.

xxoxoxo

Michelle

So we went to see Santa Paws on Dec 10,2017.   I took all 3.  You never know with an almost 12 year old Rottie if it will be their last Christmas or not (we hope not) Bosch still acts like a puppy but you just never know.

The first one in was Snickers, then Jazz and last but not least Bosch.

Snickers

Bosch

Merry Christmas.

Sally asked me to post all the pictures on here so everyone could see them all.  So I will for her.  🙂

I waited to post this until we received our Vest and Id.  We finished the last of the 10 IT (in training) visits on October 21, 2017.   I sent the paperwork in on October the 24th and received our vest back November 8 or 9th.  I didn’t post because I wanted to have pictures taken as this was a very important thing to me.  I wanted to Sassy to be a Therapy dog but we never got the chance to do that.  So when I got Snickers that was a goal that I set out for us.  Lots and lots of training and here we are.

My friend from work takes pictures and did an awesome job with these.  Snickers did not want to look at the camera but thanks to a few squirrels and people walking dogs by we got some great pictures.  🙂

So without further ado.  I present Michelle & Snickers certified Therapy dog team

So we didn’t get to have a true party last week.  They did get a cupcake on their birthday but we had the party today because the kids were here to help celebrate.  So here is Jazz & Snicker’s 4th birthday party

Snickers

Birthday cake & cupcakes

Cupcake for the dogs (each one got 1)

Bosch (blury but gone in one bite)

Jazz (savoring hers.  Snickers nose photobomb)

Snickers took hers to the pillow

Snickers with her present

Jazz with her present (first one opened)

Snickers again

And yes Bosch got a present too

Four years ago today my heart broke into a million pieces.  I didn’t know how I would go on.  I sat and cried every day. I carried on here in her honor.  Without our journey we wouldn’t have met some of the greatest friends, “our family”.   This past May I continued the journey and met some of them in Virginia.    I am so glad that we got to meet.

Sassy, I miss you every day.  I know one day we will see each other again.  When we do it will be a joyous reunion.  Thank you for bringing Snickers and Jasmine to help heal my heart.  It doesn’t mean I don’t still have you in it but my heart has healed.  It took time.  I still miss you and love you.

Those of you who don’t know Sassy crossed the Bridge the same day as Karma’s Brendol.  Sassy and Brendol are great friends like Karma and I are.  I know that in my heart.

So I wanted to share a picture.  My friend made me this shirt.  I posted a picture of a shirt I liked and she kind of designed this one from that.

Brendol

Hard to believe 4 years ago today these 2 silly goof balls were born.    They have brought so much laughter and joy to our family in the past few years.   So today to help celebrate their birthdays Snickers went and gave some love.  We had a therapy visit with the assisted living in Omaha.  We even had one lady who doesn’t talk that much singing.   She sang happy birthday to Snickers.  🙂

I will try to post some pictures as I told Snickers she would get ice cream tonight.  I will stop on my way home after going out to eat with a friend.  But here are a few that I will share for now.

Snickers

Jasmine

Bosch, Jasmine & Snickers

Snickers sleeping on bosch’s bed (how can that be comfortable with her head on floor?)

Jasmine

Snickers on bottom

Jasmine

Snickers

xoxoxoxo

Michelle

My dearest sweet Sassy Sugar Bear.  This was the 3rd birthday you spent at the Bridge and going on your 4th Angelversary.  It was a really quiet night.  Took Bosch for his adjustment and just spent time thinking of you.  I hope you welcomed Nitro with open arms the day before and had a great big party.

Love you my girl

xoxoxo

From Sassy 7th Birthday party & her last one

I will preface this by saying this is something that I always wanted to do with Sassy.  She would have made the perfect Therapy dog.  We just never got to do it (I didn’t know how to go about it then she was diagnosed with Osteoscaroma).

So after almost 1 year of classes and passing our test before my vacation to VA to the Tripawds party & beyond 🙂  we started our first in training visit on the 17th of June.  What that consists of is 10 one hour visits with a certified therapy dog team.  We went to an assisted living home.  Our first thing is we met and did a meet & greet with the other teams so the dogs knew each other.  That part went awesome.  Snickers sat and let the other teams walk up to her and then sniffed each other.

We then went inside to the floor we would be working.  There were two IT teams (in training),  Snickers and I and Brix and his dad.   The 2 certified teams were Becky & Flicker (a black lab mix) and Mich & Stevie Nicks (a Golden retriever).  Mich & Stevie were our training buddies.  It went well we split the hall we took one end and the other 2 teams took the other end then we switched.    Snickers only had one hick up and got a little nervous.  One lady had a talking animal of some type and made noises.  It startled her.  We went out into the hall.  I petted Snickers and talked to her in a calming manner and petted her.  Told her how proud I was of her.  She settled down and we went back into the room and finished the visit.

Other than that one small bleep on the visit she did excellent.  Mich commented “excellent visit” and how impressed she was.  We only did 1 hour.  The other 3 teams went to another floor to do visits but I felt it being Snickers first visit that we don’t push it.

I know Sassy was with us.  I felt it and she helped guide Snickers.   We have 9 more visits to go and we will be a certified team.

hugs

Michelle & Angel Sassy & Snickers

Snickers

Wow, Where in the world do I start.   I just have no words it was beyond amazing.  The beginning of the journey to the party of the century.  Friday I left and flew to Atlanta then boarded the plane to Richmond where I was to meet Paula, Linda & Lisa.  Well found out Paula & Linda were delayed.  Got into Richmond and met Lisa we hit it off  and chatted while we drove to the house where we met Sam (Mikey’s mom).  Amazing Lady just like we had known each other forever.

We went and got Paula & Linda and headed back.  Jet lag and being tired from no sleep and up early left me exhausted so I missed the pre-party at Sally’s where there was a huge surprise for all of us.  Jim, Rene & Wyatt Ray showed up.  Yes, after saying they couldn’t make it they sure pulled a fast one on all of us.  But we don’t mind.  We loved every minute of them being with us.  Later that night Alison, Tina, Clare & Karma (and her furbabies Aissa, Addy & Maggie May joined us.)

Saturday morning came and we just lounged around and had breakfast.  The it was time for the party of the century.  It was so amazing.  Very emotional.  Ok, yes I was a basket case and cried a lot the whole weekend.   Just no words for why or not but I guess just feeling the love and missing my girl.  But I got to meet Sally Yes the SALLY the major cheerleader of the forums.  It was epic.   The party was beyond all imaginable.  Both days of it.  The hardest part of the whole weekend was the until we see each other again.  (I never say good bye it’s too final).  I know I will see these great people again.  I met friends for a lifetime even across the world.  Tina & Clare it was a joy to meet both of you.  I wish we all could have spent a lot more time but we will see each other again.

Once the party was over I continued on to Kure Beach with Karma and the girls and then onto her house until Saturday.  Where I once again had to say until we see each other again.  And more tears LOL.  ( I kept saying I was such a sap) .  I know I said the only thing that would have made it better was if Sassy was there but she was.  Just like our other Angels and babies who couldn’t be with us because of traveling so far away.

So I will post a few pictures here as I posted a lot in the forum so please see this forum  http://tripawds.com/forums/tripawd-parties/photos-from-2017-virginia-tripawds-party/     for a lot of pictures by everyone.

Alison, Clare, Linda & Sam

Alison, Sam, Me & Clare

Jim, Rene & Wyatt Ray

The house we stayed at with Aissa on the steps

Tribute Table

Sally & I

Kure Beach, North Carolina  (dog friendly beach)

First time at the Ocean

Sunrise at the beach

Clouds on the way home.  With a rainbow

Clouds

Atlanta

Addy our navigaor

Atlanta aquarium.   This place was awesome

Beluga whales

Had an awesome time party and all.

xoxxoxo