One Hightower Less...

There is no doubt that this week has been a roller coaster ride of emotions.  Allen and I returned from Iowa this week and witnessed God moving in amazing ways.    But this joy was quickly joined with sorrow as we had to say goodbye to a precious member of the Hightower family.   She went by several nicknames:  buffygirl, boo, buppa (Caroline called her that as a baby), waggy-tailed girl, buff buff, alpha dog...

After 6 years of fighting cancer, Buffy lost her battle yesterday.

For those who don't know:  Allen and I found and rescued Buffy from the "Cocker Spaniel Rescue" that is based in the Houston area.  It was October 2001--just a month after we had lost our first child, Ross.  There is no doubt we needed someone to pour our love into, and to love us back.   We were sitting in a Barnes and Noble talking about what kind of dog to get, and a man sitting next to us heard our conversation and told us about how his sister was the owner of the Cocker Spaniel rescue.  He told us that they were having an adoption day in Spring that Saturday.  As I look back, I see that God orchestrated the whole thing and led us straight to Buffy.

She had been abandoned and was not in good health when we found her.  Once we brought her home, we realized that she had most likely been abused.  It took a few months, but Buffy eventually began to trust humans again and became a permanent part of the family.  She went from sleeping on her own bed on the floor to sleeping right in the middle of us on our bed. 

Throughout her life we have commented many times that she has to be the sweetest dog on the planet.  Buffy would never hurt a fly.  Allen and I often remarked that if ever a dog should go to heaven, it would be her.  We jokingly called her our "good Christian dog."  She never barked at anyone.  The only time she showed any sign of aggression is when we brought a lively little puppy home (our McCoy) who just would not stop nipping at her ears.  She finally got tired of it and barked at him!  Needless to say, he stopped nipping.

Another thing about Buffy--she would wag her tail constantly.  Even during her final days, she would still wag that tail when we pet her.  She had a certain resilience and survival instinct--except during thunderstorms.    We always knew when a storm was coming because Buffy would shake from head to toe and would not be consoled.

No matter where we were, she could always find a soft place to lay down to sleep.  If there was a stray towel on the floor, Buffy would end up laying on it.  She was also fond of extra pillows, blankets, and even newspaper piles!  One time, she walked into one of Allen's pile of audition sheets for the SHSU Chorale and plopped her self down right in the middle.   She was ready for a nap!

I could go on and on about her little ways, but you get the idea.  We loved her and she loved us.

We knew this day was coming.  But I wasn't ready.

We are going to miss our waggy-tailed girl.