Dear Arfie boy,

I never imagined how many things I would miss about you. I miss the way your beady eyes twinkled at me. I miss kissing your velvety snout. I miss you following me to the fridge and dancing for a tiny morsel. For the last week, I have especially missed you keeping my legs warm at night.

Remember the times we spent at the Cove? You shocked me when you just jumped in the water after the mangrove pods and tried to bring them all back up on the beach to me. Then you took off after that flock of pelicans and I thought you were going to run forever!!! But you came right back to me, very pleased with yourself. I think that was your first time off your leash!

It was all downhill after that, huh? You learned to leave farm animals alone and come along on chores with me. You sniffed out armadillos and lizards, and prepared for your last years running the ranch with me. Oh you were such a young'un then, I wish we had spent more time in the mountains together when you could have *really* enjoyed it.

Everyone misses you Toad. You spread so much joy in not just my life, but also your doggie friends and any two leggeds you met. How many times did you make children laugh at you by throwing your toys around the room and inviting them to play? How many dogs and cats have been your best friends? How many humans have you completely WON OVER to the small dog side? Not just that, but how many anti-dog people did you totally convince that dogs really could be *good*?

I am so thankful you chose me as your special human. No matter how many times in 13 years you spread the trash all over the floor, or how much I spent on your health care, or how much it hurts to miss you right now, I am so glad to have shared over a decade of love with you. You will always always be in my heart, and I never want to forget the love you showed me every day of your life.

I hope you are enjoying your time as an angel, but do you think maybe you could send me another sweet boy soon to help me through the next couple decades?

Love,

Mommy