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Hi All,
I know I don't post often since we lost our Kona Dec. 22nd, 2010, but I pop in and read postings.
A year has gone by, but I have to admit that if Kona suddenly appeared in the yard or in the house, it would just seem so natural, so right, like she hadn't really left us.
It's been tough to get used to not having our alpha girl here. Our other 2 pups are both deaf/blind in one eye from birth. Though they've adjusted, Kona left a huge hole here. Funny though, exactly at the one year mark, Cotton (our youngest pup, who idolized Kona) well, we've always called him "K2" because he has always tried to emulate Kona's behaviour, but it's been just bizarre that when we hit the one year mark on Dec. 22nd, he has really amped up his game and is doing things that he's NEVER done before..........JUST LIKE KONA !
To say that this is bizarre is an understatement.
Anyway, just had to share.
Best wishes to all for a wonderful New Year !
hugs,
Denise, (Kona Kai's mom)
Kona turned 9yrs on April 16, 2010.
Kona was diagnosed Memorial Weekend 2010 with osteosarcoma.
Right rear leg amputated on June 4th. First chemo June 18th 2010
Second chemo July 9th, 2010 Third and final (yea !!!) chemo July 30th, 2010
ONE TOUGH GIRL this Australian Cattledog !
***Kona's journey/fight ended late in the evening of December 22, 2010***
We Love you so much Kona….always
Bella 9yrs, albino lab/aussie shep/pit?(abandoned in mts as a puppy) deaf & blind (from birth) in one eye limited vision in other.(laid back, ok lazy 73 lbs)
Cotton, 5yrs, albino hound/terrier of somesort/???(abandoned in mts as a puppy) deaf & blind in one eye(from birth), excellent vision in seeing eye. (ball addict…destroyer of Kong balls…yes,etc), high energy 55lbs knots of muscle)
Kona Kai's pup brother and sister as well as her buddy and playmate cat, Shaymous 12yrs (like Seamus), miss her terribly.
kona was an inspiration to us...doesn't seem possible that a year has passed since her passing. the loss is like a wound that heals so slowly, it may always remain, but hopefully becomes less painful with time.
so glad the other pups are doing well, it is definitely a transition for them as well. hope to see you around the forums in 2012, take care of yourselves, hugs to the pups.
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends

I swear, I think that the furkids left behind channel the spirits of the ones who have crossed over. I've had my 2 year old golden mix start doing some really bizarre behavior that was unique to my old golden, Freeman, who crossed over 3 years ago.....hmmmmm.
Regardless, I've always felt that the *firsts* were the worst. First day, month, year....first time you go somewhere without their physical presence. We never get over it, do we? We just learn to smile again, and we try our best to celebrate the days they lived rather than fixate on the day they died.
I lost my beloved little golden girl Frankie in July......it's getting a bit easier to smile thinking about her, but that big lump in my throat is always there.
May Kona have endless days of romping at the Bridge until you're together again..................
Oh Denise, I 'm so sorry, we all know how these anniversaries can be difficult and bittersweet.
She is definitely with you, working her magic in all sorts of ways but like you said, most obviously through Cotton. It's not unusual for spirit dogs to show that they haven't left our sides, we believe it happens all the time. When you're so in tune with the spirit of a loved one, they never leave, they just change form. How neat to see it happening through her little brother.
We hope this year is full of blessings and joy for you and your entire pack. Thank you for being a part of this community, and of course for producing our PAWESOME Tripawds Rule! bandannas, which everyone always loves so much!
Many hugs coming your way on this one year anniversary, now and always.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm sorry Denise. I know you miss Kona so much. She is/was your love bug!!
The one year mark...seems to make it really real they are gone. I don't know how you felt, but it never felt real to me until maybe the last few months which was about month 10.
Now, don't be a stranger! For me ... hanging around tripawds has helped me cope (I'm like mold...they can't get rid of me! ). And you know you don't have to have a tripawd to hang here! Those gosh darned Monkeydogs are looking to take over this site and since you've got two monkeydogs at home....well - that's more recruits!
Hugs to the furbabies!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.

It is interesting how the rest of the pack deals. It has been a year and a half for me since Maggie left. I still have her little sis Tani and my adopted pug boy Obie.
Tani is related to Maggie, but I never thought they looked that much alike (other than both being black pug girls!). But recently Tani has really begun to remind me of Mag- mostly how she looks, but to some extent how she acts. My dad and several of my friends have called her Maggie over the last several months, but I never did. But just last week I called her Maggie several times.
It doesn't matter to her what I call her because she is deaf , but I thought it was strange that all of a sudden I was calling her Maggie. I don't feel bad about it, in fact it brings a little bit of a smile.
Happy New year to you and your pack.
Karen and the pugapalooza
It has been only 5 months for us and I still wait for Sierra to come tearing through the dog door some nights. We miss her terribly but are thankful we still have the old man Kenner around. Glad to hear the rest of your pack is doing so well. I find it incredible that they seem to know how to behave and bring us joy when we might be missing our lost ones. They are truly an inspiration.
Brad and Spirit Sierra
Thank you everyone !
As we all know and have experienced first hand, this is a special place.
I know that our journey would have been so much harder without the support, love and friendship of everyone here.
I will work to post more this year and share the adventures of my two monkeydogs, the amazing duo ...Bella Luna and Cotton !
OH! On that note, today is Bella's 9th Birthday !!!!
For a albino, born deaf/blind in one eye and almost completely blind in her 'good eye' (ok, she can see5"-5+ft) she's one incredible (ahem, yes, spoiled to the max ) girl ! Mommy's lil (77lb) baby girl!
So, TREATS for everyone to celebrate Bella's big day !!!
Hugs and love to all
Denise
Kona turned 9yrs on April 16, 2010.
Kona was diagnosed Memorial Weekend 2010 with osteosarcoma.
Right rear leg amputated on June 4th. First chemo June 18th 2010
Second chemo July 9th, 2010 Third and final (yea !!!) chemo July 30th, 2010
ONE TOUGH GIRL this Australian Cattledog !
***Kona's journey/fight ended late in the evening of December 22, 2010***
We Love you so much Kona….always
Bella 9yrs, albino lab/aussie shep/pit?(abandoned in mts as a puppy) deaf & blind (from birth) in one eye limited vision in other.(laid back, ok lazy 73 lbs)
Cotton, 5yrs, albino hound/terrier of somesort/???(abandoned in mts as a puppy) deaf & blind in one eye(from birth), excellent vision in seeing eye. (ball addict…destroyer of Kong balls…yes,etc), high energy 55lbs knots of muscle)
Kona Kai's pup brother and sister as well as her buddy and playmate cat, Shaymous 12yrs (like Seamus), miss her terribly.
happy birthday bella - we'll celebrate with extra cheese here in ET!!
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
It's my birthday too Bella! Hope you had a great day! The third is a pawesome day to have a birthday! Woo hoo!
Wyatt Ray Dawg . . . The Tripawds Leg-A-Cy Continues!
Read all about my adventures at my Tripawds Blog
Hi Denise,
We weren't too far apart in our dates - I lost Mackenzie Dec 29th. So I'm thinking of you and know that this anniversary is a tough one for us. So glad to hear that your pack is doing well. Happy Birthday to Bella! I do believe that our angels are here with us, watching over us. I see a lot of the same spirit of Mackenzie in our new puppy Scarlett. And that's very comforting.
Here's to a happy new year. May 2012 be full of peace and happiness....
Kami, Angel Mackenzie, Kobe and Scarlett
My sweet golden Mackenzie. She became my angel on Dec 29, 2010 at the age of 8 1/2 although she was always my angel from the time we brought her home. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in Sept 2009 and officially became a tripawd (front leg) on Nov 5, 2009. She will be forever in my heart and now she's running free with all of our other tripawd heroes. I love you Mackenzie!
Thank you all!
Yes, Kami, our dates are so close. Sometimes I feel like it just happened and other times, well, you know, it seems longer since at least with Kona, so much of the 7 months of fighting were a struggle. So, in that sense, she's been gone longer.
And Brad, yeah, only 5 mos. lost for you guys...so much fresher/raw. I know so so much what you mean too about if your pup Sierra came running in, it would seem so right, so natural.
Ok, I admit it, sometimes when I'm in our fenced backyard, waiting for our two pups to do their business, I look all around, half expecting to get a glimpse of Kona. Alright, and even sometimes, I call out to her to 'Check it out!" . She really patrolled her yard (big, rural yard, bordered by woods and wildlife) checking for 'squeazels' (the general name we gave wildlife...hahahaa).
In the first couple months after her passing, a couple times I distinctly heard her collar do these real defitinite jingles (her collar sits atop her ashes container in the livingroom). Ok, it wasn't just me that heard this either, Chris finally heard it one night.
Made us feel really good that even though we knew that Kona was too busy running all around, exploring, patrolling her new dimension, she stopped by to let us know that she was checking in too.
Karen, yes, I know that feeling. It's like Maggie has been whispering tips/tricks/techniques that she did to Tani....I know just what you mean. I swear more and more since Kona's 1yr passing anniversary, Cotton has been doing more and more things that Kona did...JUST like KONA did !!! Even getting the defiant look when it's not such a good thing....he just looks at us like, "Whaaat???"
Too funny and yes, comforting.
Thank you all!
And, thank you all for joining in celebrating both Bella's and Wyatt's birthdays !!!
Denise
Kona turned 9yrs on April 16, 2010.
Kona was diagnosed Memorial Weekend 2010 with osteosarcoma.
Right rear leg amputated on June 4th. First chemo June 18th 2010
Second chemo July 9th, 2010 Third and final (yea !!!) chemo July 30th, 2010
ONE TOUGH GIRL this Australian Cattledog !
***Kona's journey/fight ended late in the evening of December 22, 2010***
We Love you so much Kona….always
Bella 9yrs, albino lab/aussie shep/pit?(abandoned in mts as a puppy) deaf & blind (from birth) in one eye limited vision in other.(laid back, ok lazy 73 lbs)
Cotton, 5yrs, albino hound/terrier of somesort/???(abandoned in mts as a puppy) deaf & blind in one eye(from birth), excellent vision in seeing eye. (ball addict…destroyer of Kong balls…yes,etc), high energy 55lbs knots of muscle)
Kona Kai's pup brother and sister as well as her buddy and playmate cat, Shaymous 12yrs (like Seamus), miss her terribly.
It's so interesting how our lost pups make their memories known to us... I hope all of your Kona-reminders make you smile instead of cry. I hope that her memories inspire you, make you feel like the hero you were to her, help you in your times of sadness. I know that she lives on in your heart, and I'm certain that's all she would ask of you.
Micki and Rio
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~ ~ Rio ~ ~ |
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