1. Tim

2. He was born June 30,
2009.
He weighed
just under 6 ounces.

3. His brothers and sisters all
weighed over 14 ounces.

5. The odds (and the vet)
said that he shouldn’t
have taken a first
breath.

6. But he did.

7. My head
(and some experts)
said to let him go.

8. My heart said that if he tried,
if he wanted to make it,
I would help.

9. He did.
And so I did.

10. Tube feeding: 2 weeks
Bottle: 2 more weeks
Survive?

11. Yes.

12. Sure, there were
problems…
Eyes opened two weeks late.
Open fontanel until 6 weeks.

13. Prognosis?
Severe disabilities.

14. I wondered, and watched.
And doubted.

15. He didn’t doubt.

16. He didn’t know
That he was special.
Or fragile.
Or at risk.

17. He knew that he was safe.
He knew that he was loved.

18. He
thrived.

19. Nothing can really be said
about the joy of a
Labrador that has not
already been said many
times.
He was all of those things.

20. Tim brought
something more to the
table that was -- well -humbling.

21. He
brought trust
He brought
perseverance.
He brought the need
for patience.

22. He reminded me, every
day, that what matters
in the dogs that we
adore is not their
ribbons or their titles.
Tim had none of those.

23. Open
mouthed grins,
ecstatic love for me no
matter how I behaved,
full body wags.
Those were his gifts.

24. He could never jump
up on the bed. He
couldn’t keep up with
the others as they ran
through the desert. So
he just grinned.

25. I was humbled daily by
his courage.

26. Four and a half years of
struggles and doubts
and arguing with the
experts.
Four and a half years of
believing.

27. When we make a
heartfelt choice,
does it matter
that we don’t know
the ultimate outcome?
Does it?

28. Should we listen to
those
who doubt?
Or to our hearts?

29. To me
the answer is clear.

30. With gratitude to Tim
for gracing my life with
yours.
For sharing a life
well loved.

31. Beyond
expectations.

32. You helped me believe.

33. May your spirit soar,
sweet Tim, and may
your memory be with
me always.
6/30/09 – 1/30/14