July 2017

Well this is over due. I know you all have heard about our dog Cyotee and his passing. So this might be more for me than you. I have tried to post at home and it would not let me, I like to think of it as Gods way to give me more time to think. You be the judge.

Cyotee came upon us in the fall of 2001 I think or the spring of 02. He found the boys and tailed them everywhere up and down the road. Dad would feed him down at the farm. He was a dog who found his way into our neighborhood and hung around. We were all ok with that, seeing we already had Lady bee. One day the SPCA stopped in front of the house because Cyotee happened to be laying in the middle of the road. "Is that your dog?" I said no because he really wasn't, they said they had reports of him chasing vehicles and would have to take him in if no one claimed him. Then "could you get him out of the road?" Was this a test to see if I really new the dog? Well I had never approached the dog before and was a little leary, they gave me a leash and I careful put it around his neck. I just about dragged him off the road so they could get by. After that and discussion with Kyle we agreed he could stay out back as an "outdoor" pet. We built him a nice pen and I would sit out there while he ate. He wouldnot eat alone. Then we would walk. Here he remained for years. He kept Aunt Pattie company by the shed, The boys kept him in the shed in the winter, He loved us. All the time I kept trying to find him a home where he could live right. Trying to get him in the house with us. "No he is an outdoor dog."After we got back from Arizona one Jan. We found out the boys let him in the house while we were away and he did fine. So that was the end of the shed. (Come to find out Cyotee dug holes by the shed because he was affraid of thunder storms). We had two dogs and a cat in the house and we all lived in harmony. Cyotee had found his way in and he was the most loving dog. He guarded us, loved us, sat with us. He followed me where ever I was in the house. He loved his walks with us, being outside with us, riding with us, playing in the snow, the rain, the sun and of lately we talked about taking him camping. We never did, we were to late.

I know the choice was right. I know he was suffering hard in a very short period of time. I know we could have spent may $$$ to try to fix him and I believe with my heart it would not have worked....for long. So now we look at each other with a huge void, there is no one to greet you at the door, no one to pet (he would sit beside you and want you to pet his head -all the time), one less dog to walk, (who gets to walk Lady?), on the weekend he would eat eggs with us, sleep by our bed, take naps with us, wear his sunglasses and look cool,( the glasses even look lonely), there is now just one lone bark when someone approaches, one tail wagging, one dog to feed, to walk, to talk to. We all lay in bed and think of you Cyotee ever night, you are in our prayers. Through the years we believed Cyotee was dropped of or ran away. We believe he was abused at some point in time, he guarded us from all and chose carefully who he could trust. I believe he would have jumped in front of anything that tried to harm any of us. The vet told us to let Lady sniff him when we got home. It was pouring out, IDA was on top of Delmarva and stalling. Aron and I dug the grave and Lady came out. Lady misses him a great deal, she walks to his grave all the time. She wanders where every Cyotee's last steps were and around the house sniffing. We all look sad and pitiful. But we have Lady still and we are blessed with the biggest laziest lab ever!! We will live on with her, walking, feeding, dressing, hugging, petting and loving. All the while keeping Cyotee in our hearts.

When we were at the vets I think he knew, He had been there three times in a week, he looked into my soul, he read my mind and the difficulty I was having in my heart. I held him as he passed, to a better place, back to see who first fed him -God and then dad:) Now he is running free with all our past dogs and I hoping telling all he had a wonderful life here on Deep Branch RD.

Love you and miss you Cyotee,

The Serman's , Macklins, Bell's

PS......later we fond out in the same week that Kyle's mom Joyce had to put down her and Ed's dog, Kyle's brother came home and found one of his dogs had passed, Katie and Patties cats have passed. We have each other on earth and the pets have each other in heaven. Life goes on, live, laugh, love with all your heart.