We lost our sweet Lexi dog on Monday morning, November 5th.
Lexi was our first baby. At least we thought she was, until we really had our first baby :-) Adopting her in Louisville, KY was like the first big thing we did as a family after we got married. We got her during our first year of marriage. Lexi was an easy puppy, and yet a real stinker. I remember I baked about 2 dozen pumpkin muffins and I had them up on the counter cooling back in our old apartment. I went into the next room and when I came back a few minutes later I was shocked that Patrick had put the muffins away. Hmmm....no he didn't put the muffins away. Our sweet little pup jumped up, ate ALL 24 muffins, wrappers and all, and licked up all the evidence. She never even got sick. That dog. We treated her like GOLD even when she was bad. Then the real babies came, and luckily they loved on her and treated her like gold, because Patrick and I were totally over that :-)
I remember Lexi laid at my feet for several weeks back in 2009, untypical of her, and then I found out I was pregnant with Carson. And I knew that she had known before me. Then when Carson came we let Lexi smell a blanket of Carson's before we brought him home and we were careful introducing them like the experts say to do...which was SO SILLY because Lexi was naturally a mother to all three kids immediately. They could do no wrong. She instantly became their dog. She would sleep next to them as babies, cry at me when they were crying in another room, and lick their faces profusely whenever they'd come into the house like she hadn't seen them in weeks.
Lexi was always the sweetest dog. She'd wag her tail for anyone. She could be trusted around any and all kids. I was 100% sure of it. Carson used to ride on her for goodness sake. When Carson was afraid of thunderstorms several years ago, Lexi started sleeping in his room on the floor whenever thunder struck. She had never slept anywhere but our room before, but as soon as we moved into this house she started keeping Carson company. Then she eventually ended up sleeping on his bed with him. Not every night, but most nights, and definitely during thunderstorms. We don't really know if it was more for comforting herself or for comforting Carson, but either way we were grateful. Carson and Laney always threw a birthday party for Lexi every year on February 14th. She always had to have a special meal or treat and some presents from Grandma and Grandpa!
Lexi also decided after years of never being allowed on our bed, that our bed was her napping spot when we weren't home. We'd walk in the door from being out and hear, "thump thump" as she was jumping down off our bed like she was sneaky or something. She ripped up my comforter enough that we had to buy a brand new one. That dog. But when her arthritis started acting up and she couldn't jump up on our bed anymore, I have to admit I was kinda sad about it.
Lexi would have never hurt anyone, but I always knew I would know if someone had come into the house because Lexi would have alerted me. Any time I've needed a good cry or have fallen apart she's the one I gave all my secrets and worries to. She was always good for that. It was nice to have her around.
She's slowly been showing signs of aging. Recently we moved her chain to the front yard so she didn't have to go down the deck steps anymore. She didn't like that. Even after months of going out the front door she would only cry to go out at the back door. Can't teach an old dog new tricks I guess. Every morning Evie would say, "Lexi medicine" and I'd give her Lexi's arthritis pill and she'd feed it to Lexi. Every day Laney would ask us if we fed Lexi and would feed her if we hadn't. Carson was requesting a large wooden box for Lexi to step up on so she could sleep on his bed again. Lexi gave our kids so much. She taught them how to love, she taught them how to care for an animal, she taught them empathy, she made them feel safe, she made them feel loved, she taught them how to be a friend, and she required nothing in return. Dog's are the most selfless animals...if only we could all be a little more like Lexi in that way.
The day before she passed away, she laid at my feet while I was working in the dining room. There was food on the counters in the kitchen from dinner so it was really strange that she wanted to lay on me. And it was honestly bothering me because I was moving around the table making packets for Sunday School. I can't help but feel like she was trying to tell me. And two nights before she died, she asked to go out in the middle of the night around 3am, which was odd, and when Patrick took her off the leash she slowly just walked away and into the darkness instead of coming inside. She didn't even turn around when he called her name. It was the strangest thing to us. About 15 minutes later Patrick found her just standing under our deck in the backyard. I know her animal instincts were telling her it was time to go.
The morning she died, she struggled to get up and get to our doorway and cry for Patrick. He let her out front like usual and waited for her to come back so he could jump in the shower. After a few minutes he looked outside and she was laying in the grass. She's never done that before. She was going outside to die. Patrick carried her in. She was panting and out of it, she couldn't stand up. Patrick sat with her and pet her for probably 20 minutes, knowing this was it. The kids were waking up at that point and he told them how she was really sick. Right away Laney went and got a blanket and covered her up and pet her head. We didn't want the kids going to school traumatized but we wanted them to know there was a chance Lexi was dying today. Lexi laid in the dining room while we got the kids ready to get to the bus stop. As they were walking out the door I told them to go give Lexi a kiss. They ran into the dining room and started yelling for me to come in. Lexi was using her front paws to turn her face away from the kids. Carson said, "She doesn't want us to kiss her." in a shocked voice. He was totally right. They both kissed her on her back and got out the door with Patrick. I turned around and turned the TV on for Evie to try to distract her, which took maybe 30 seconds. I walked back into the dining room, and Lexi was gone. Just lifeless. She was trying to leave to go die outside. Then we brought her in and I know she was trying to get away form the kids. Trying to save them from what was naturally happening. I'm telling you that dog looked out for her kids even in her very last breath. She held on until they got out of the house. I was so glad they didn't have to see her lifeless.
Our dog, she was naughty, she was annoying, she was extra work for us when we were overworked from our own children...and yet, she was sweet and loving and a part of our family for almost 14 years. She was our first baby when we were learning how to become a family. She has been with our family through it all from the very beginning. Two big moves, lots of new jobs, and three kids. She's been our constant. We couldn't imagine what it would have been like without her. She helped shape who we are. Our hearts are aching. Carson has hung Lexi's collar up above his bed next to a picture of her on the wall so he can look up at her while he's lying in bed. Laney talks about Lexi non stop and what she'd be doing now, often breaking into tears, she's always on her mind. Evie asks, "Where Lexi?" and then points outside when we tell her she's not here. Patrick's heart sinks when he walks in the door from work. We always said we'd get new carpet when we didn't have a dog someday (and we ARE), because I was so sick of all the dog hair. But as I look around now I know it's crazy but I miss that dog hair. I'd rather have 14 years of love from a dog than have spotlessly clean floors. I just never realized it before now. I'll take the dog hair over and over for what we all got from having Lexi in our family. Now when I look at the kitchen floor I just see all the crumbs that she used to clean up for us.
I look for Lexi every time I walk in the door, I look for her in every room as walk around, I check for her lying next to my side of the bed before I put my feet down, I just can't even stand how much I miss that dog. And I can't even stand how fast 14 years went by. We all loved our Lexi and we are forever grateful for the time we had with her. There will never be another quite like her.
Get a dog. Care for a dog. Love a dog. It's worth it.
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