The Tale of Mindy

Today, we have a surprise visitor on my quest to introduce the four-legged friends to you. She is really the reason why I am writing about my canine pals at all. I mean, pets are wonderful but not everybody wants to hear about my dogs. This has a purpose, though. I believe our pets are evidence of God’s abundance.

When I was riding away from our vet’s office last December, I looked at my husband and said, “I am just so grateful”. God does not just give us pets for kids to pick on, or for us to remember to clean out litter boxes. He gives them to us for companionship. So as we rode away, leaving Mindy’s body at the vet, it struck me how grateful I was for all of my dogs with whom I share this earthly journey.

God does not just want us to get through this life. He does not want for us to get by each day with the basics checked off. Our pets show us that He is generous and kind. He gives us someone who dotes on us and makes us laugh. This brand of stewardship is really of His goodness to us.

Mindy was one of our four little evidences of God’s abundance. We don’t know when she was born, but Dwight adopted her when she was two and when we were married we added her to Maggie and Sam. We were a blended family.

She was diagnosed with cancer in November of last year. She was coughing, and we made a quick appointment for her. They gave us all the best and worst case scenarios, but we could see it in her face through the next few weeks. We were losing her.

I know that this is sad, but sometimes sadness is good. We mark lives with sadness, which is really just gratitude in an extreme form. We were touched by someone. They made a dent on our heart that is shaped just like them.

I have to do this, so pull out the tissues when you read it. Click here to see my husband’s post on the day that she passed. I just think that it is so sweet and tender.

But to live in this house, you have to be a bit quirky, so let’s get to it…

Two of the funniest things about Mindy:

When Mindy got excited, her whole body got excited. She panted and howled, and then she did this thing we called, “pop a wheelie”. She would pop up on her hind feet over and over. It was kind of her signature move.

Mindy’s favorite place was under the bed. You could find her in one of two places, under the bed (on Dwight’s side) or at Dwight’s feet while he was working. She was easy to find! She came out more after we got Tess (next week’s star), but when Tess got too strong for her, Mindy started avoiding her tackles.

I think of her every time I vacuum under that side of the bed.

What to say about Mindy? I am enlisting the help of some personality test questions to introduce you to my friends. I will use the same questions of each of dog, for comparison sake.

1. What three words best describe your personality?

happy…happy…where’s daddy?...happy

2. What three words would others probably use to describe you?

I have heard my mom say words like quirky, “you never let me cry alone”, and sweet.

3. Where did you live, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

Mom and Dad, Sam, Maggie and Tess.

It had a bed to get under, a desk to get under, and a bowl just for me.

4. Do you have any ailments or physical weaknesses?

Not any more.

5. If you were any other creature what would you be?

I would be anything but Sam. That girl drives me crazy.

6. What are your pet peeves?

The separation of dog food and people food, can’t we all just get along?

7. What is your greatest fear?

Thunder…let’s not even talk about it.

8. Do you care what others think of you?

Doesn’t everybody like hugs?

9. What is your favorite food?

Canned, or Taco Bell (Dwight introduced her to tacos long before we were married)

10. How do you deal with stress?

There is a bed…I just crawl under it and wait for mom and dad.

Can you think of a gift that has made you grateful in the midst of tears?

God, thank you for Mindy. Thank you for introducing me to a friend with the heart of a warrior who would still take the time to lick every tear away. I am most grateful that she was the woman in Dwight’s life until I got there. Through her, you showed us what gratitude was in the midst of tears.

P.S. My friend Christy over at Critty Joy used this personality test on Bella and Sami. It is well worth the trip to see those two little ones!