Scarlett.... my friend... "better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all"!

Her name will be Scarlett, because she was the most beautiful snow white German Shepherd Dog I'd ever seen. (except of course her cohort, Chrissy)
We found her in Burleson, and brought her home at Thanksgiving almost 12 years ago.
Injury couldn't keep her from being one of the "smartest search and rescue dogs"
our trainer had ever trained.
We had decided to have both our dogs trained simply to be sure they would respond quickly as we had our first grandchild coming. Scarlett was 2 and the trainer was so impressed she wanted her to train for SAR.
It was always amazing to me...
I would try to pull her to another location as we practiced, but then lo and behold...
there behind a wall, or a tree, or a torn down building would be her "find".
When it was a child, it was immediate.
She never missed.
We had the full gear for helicopter lifts... but thankfully we never had to use it!
She was on call for 9/11... and even though Troy said I could not go, we'd already decided that should she be needed, we would let her go and another could team with her.
I was thankful that again, she wasn't called.
Yesterday, 2/25/10, the morning broke with fire in the sky.
I think I knew it would be a significant day... and God was telling me that HE was God,
and the world was in order just as HE planned.
The cancer had finally begun to take it's toll on my girl.
She'd beat the odds for 3 years this month.
The doctors had said, "6 months to a year"... but Scarlett was not bound by
the rules of the world. God had given her to me for purposes that the cancer could
not take. He left her here for 3 years more.
Scarlett held my secrets...
she would hear my shouts and she would hear my prayers...
all were safe with her heart.
She was such a safe place for me.
I was never afraid, even when Troy was on the road... I was safe!
Nothing got past those big ole ears... (Troy often called her Bugs... as in Bugs Bunny:)
or... erasure nose... teasing about that soft pink nose that would nudge us awake each morning.
She joked that Scarlett left herself everywhere she went.
Our vacuum bag would be full even if we vacuumed each day. That's the nature of the beautiful white coat that my girl wore.
She felt my heart.... and knew my thoughts,
she licked my tears, and danced when I danced!
Scarlett was the most altruistic selfless friend I could ever have had, and
I will miss her terribly.
I thank the LORD for this precious one HE allowed in my life for the past 11 years.
Her place will ever be hers alone.... and even if my tears continue to fall on occasion...
I will know...
Someday... I'll see this lady again, and she will run to me with that loping gate
to welcome me into eternity with the rest of the crew
that is being kept tenderly cared for in my Heavenly home.
I wonder.... could a white dog run alongside a white horse????
She was my friend!