About a month ago, I shared about losing Jack, our sweet little Silky Terrier. I still miss him every day, especially when I’m in my office. There are moments, even now, when I’m deep into writing that I’ll hear him breathing, and I look over to the ottoman to see him and realize—all over again—that he’s not here anymore.

To say he was well loved is an understatement.
And to say he loved us well is, too.

Before saying goodbye to Jack, I never realized what emptiness a pet’s passing could leave you with. Yet I wouldn’t have missed the last 10+ years of loving that sweet little guy just to forego the pain now. He’s worth every tear.

Still…

About a week ago when Joe mentioned, “I think we need to get another dog,” my initial reaction was not exactly one of joy. Or excitement. I still see Jack everywhere. And for complete transparency—I still cry every day! How could I even think about getting another dog? But knowing my husband—and knowing how he knows me (that man!)—I said I’d go with him to look if he wanted to.

After some research, he found a breeder in Chattanooga and called. She “just happened” to have two male puppies born February 3rd that were coming available two days from then. So, Joe and I made the trip down to Chattanooga and met the breeder. She’s been doing this for nearly thirty years and really knows her stuff. We met the puppies. They’re adorable. But, come on, what puppies aren’t adorable?

Still… I came home a tad unconvinced.

But we filled out the puppy questionnaire the breeder asked us to complete. Actually, Joe filled out the majority of it and then I went back to “add color,” as he puts it.

One of the questions on the form asks you to describe your last pet, how long you had it, the history, etc… So I described my sweet Jack and then searched for one of my favorite pics of him to include.

I sent this one…

 

But while looking for this picture, I ran across some others. Ones I’d forgotten I’d even taken.

Four years ago while on a trip, Joe and I stopped at a rest area and saw some dogs that looked so much like Jack. Not knowing what breed they were, we went to inquire about them and discovered they were Australian Terriers. And—as you may already know—Silkies are half Yorkie and half Australian Terrier. Hence, why they reminded us of Jack.

I asked the owner of the dogs if I could snap a quick picture of them, and she graciously agreed. Here are those photos from 2012…

The “rest area” Australian Terriers

So back to completing the puppy questionnaire…

When we came to the question “How did you hear about this breed?”, I included that quick story and those pics, then sent the questionnaire to the breeder. And as it turns out…

That picture taken four years ago in a rest area in Tennessee was of the breeder in Chattanooga and her dogs—one of the dogs which was the father of the litter that was born February 3. And part of that litter?

A cute little male we’ve named Murphy…

Meet Murphy, our 15-week old Aussie

You should have seen the moment when we all put “two and two” together and realized we’d met four years ago in that rest area. I was reminded again of how God cares about the details in our lives. His tender oversight to what oftentimes seems like such trivial details about our lives never ceases to amaze me. Because nothing ever escapes his attention. Thank you, Jesus.

We’ve had Murphy for a few days now and while I’m still adjusting, bless him, to the idea of having another dog—much less a puppy (who is currently being housebroken!)—I’ve already grown to love him. He’s precious. And while some of his breed traits remind us of Jack, plenty of others don’t. And that’s just fine.

Because even as I hold Murphy, I still miss my sweet Jack. And while I know that ache will diminish with time, I think I’ll always miss him—until, prayerfully, I see him again on the New Earth.

After all, pets don’t replace each other in our lives any more than “people friends” do. We just make more room in our hearts for the new ones. And aren’t we grateful God has given us the capacity to love like that?

Grateful for puppy kisses, both the present and those in the treasured past.

Tammy

P.S. Yes, that’s Murphy sleeping in a playpen and don’t you dare judge me! LOL. I’m on major deadline and that’s the only way I can keep him corralled enough to go to sleep so I can write! : )