Bonnie Blue Parish–We Will Miss Your Smile

Today we lost a very important member of our family. Bonnie, our sweet and beloved blue healer was taken from this world at 12:22pm in the arms of myself, Chip and Elijah as we hugged her and said good bye. To say we loved her is an understatement. She came into my life in October of 2002 but although she was with me for 11 1/2 half years and with Chip for much less, do not think that this effected him any less as she was his buddy, his football watching pal, and his companion as much if not more than mine in these past couple of years.
I rescued Bonnie in 2002. I was missing having a dog in my life, having just moved to Houston from a broken life of my own on the west coast and as soon as I met Bonnie, I knew she needed to come home with me that night. By ours and the vets calculation she was about 9 or 10  months old. An acquaintance who “owned” her (I don’t like that phrase but this is appropriate for the relationship she obviously had with her) decided she had too many dogs and was going to take Bonnie (then named Chloe) to a no kill shelter. I could get on a soapbox about how wrong I think this is and how irresponsible pet “owners” are but that is not what this is about and this story had a happy ending. She brought Bonnie out of the car for me to meet and I saw this skinny and VERY SCARED and timid dog that desperately needed love and companionship.  She went home with me that night. That fear and insecurity is something that never left Bonnie. It became part of her personality. But along with it was this incredible loyalty and protectiveness that I have yet to see in another dog or person.  Many people came in and out of my life but Bonnie remained the one constant for many years. She lived with my aunt for several of those years when I was living in apartments or other places that didn’t seem suitable for my sweet girl but I would go see her all the time and she would come stay with me for visits.
In early 2008, Chip and I had been together for two years and were upgrading from renting an apartment to renting a house. I finally had a stable home with a yard where I felt Bonnie would be happy so the day we moved in, I picked her up for the last time and she came home to live with us. Bonnie had always been sort of scared of men but with Chip it was a different story. She loved him right away and they immediately became best friends. Bonnie, who we would always think of as our first “child” became sort of a mascot for our little family.  She was protective as I said but she was also a sweet and funny dog. She smiled. No, really. It looked like she was about to rip your head off when she did it but it was a true smile! I can’t help but think about how when those seizures started a few months ago, those smiles went away. But it was her signature and whenever anyone came to our home, they would ask her to smile. Usually she would happily oblige. The smile would come naturally whenever one of us would walk in the door. It was precious, unique and so heartwarming.
In 2010, Chip and I, married for about six months, moved into our first owned home.  We had been trying for a baby with no luck and were sort of at the beginning of a dark period for our family. We decided that with a big yard and all the heartache we were going through, what would help would be to share our home and our hearts with another dog. Cue Wrigley. When we adopted Wrigley, we thought it was important for Bonnie to be a part of that process so she knew Wrigley was part of her family, so when we arranged to pick Wrigley up in Dallas (coming all the way from Tulsa, OK) Bonnie came with us and we all spent the night at the Omni.  The next morning, Bonnie helped us welcome Wrigley to the family.  To say that Bonnie and Wrigley were best friends would not be accurate. I always felt like they somewhat tolerated one another.  They almost seemed similar to that old couple you might know who sort of co-exist and argue (Like Frank and Marie on Everybody Loves Raymond) but when it comes down to it, really love and rely on one another for companionship. They enjoyed scaring the crap out of the neighbors dogs together. They fought over snacks and food…mostly because Bonnie was a fat girl at heart and wanted to hog it all. They relaxed on the couch together. During my miscarriage in the summer of 2011, they both stayed in bed with me for three days. I don’t think Bonnie even left to go potty. She was with me through so many tears. Many joys too but really there for the tears.
In April of 2012, we welcomed Elijah into our family. Bonnie was wary of him. But don’t let that fool you. She loved this little boy and was protective of him like the rest of the family. As he got older and was able to walk, she sort of kept her distance but if she felt anything was a threat to Elijah, she had his back with a bark or a snarl. Other than Mama and Dada, Bo-nneeeee was the first name Elijah could say.  He loves her so much. He would chase her around. She would steal his food. He would pet her gently. Sometimes he would get too close to her butt (she didn’t like that) and would give him a warning snarl but really and truly she did love him. I feel good about Elijah being a part of saying good bye to Bonnie. First, I wanted him to see her, pet her and know that we said good bye and had to leave her.  I don’t know how much he can understand, but I do know that he would notice she was gone and he actually still asked about her throughout the night, as I am sure he will continue to do. Even if he was older, Chip and I agreed that children should not be sheltered from death as it is a part (albeit painful part) of life. We told Elijah (though this I know he does not yet understand) that Bonnie has gone to heaven to be with Jesus.  He gave her several pets, kisses and nuzzled his head against hers. My sweet, sensitive boy is an animal lover like the rest of us, just as I always hoped. When we got home, Wrigley climbed up half on my lap and began to sniff Bonnie’s scent. He sniffed like I have never seen him before and then he buried his head in my chest. He knew.
Our family with forever mourn the loss of this sweet, loving girl.  She was a good girl. She will be missed. We will miss her on Christmas morning when we sit as a family and open gifts. We will miss her at family parties at our home when she was the dog that was actually allowed in the house during these events…not so much because she behaved but because she was not tall enough to cause the trouble her furry brother does. We will miss her protective bark. Ok that was really annoying except I firmly believe that it was HER fierce bark that kept us from getting robbed a couple months ago one afternoon while Elijah and I napped upstairs. Wrigley got the credit because he was the one that ran out the gate that was opened but I know my Bonnie and she probably scared the crap out of the criminals.  I will miss rubbing those soft, soft ears of hers. I will forever miss that sweet smile.
Bonnie, we love you. We ( I )  may not always have been as patient with you in certain situations, but I have loved you from the moment I saw you and will forever. Your sweet paw print is forever marked on our hearts.  We miss you so much and the pain of your absence is so great, I don’t know that it will ever fade. Take care, good girl. We will see you again.  I hope you are in heaven eating as much as you want with no one telling you to stop! We love you. Love, Mama, Daddy, Elijah and Wrigley.  PS. Patrick and Rory would have loved you too.

One last thought before I share some favorite Bonnie photos. Bonnie was a RESCUED dog. There are so many dogs in shelters that are in desperate situations needing their forever homes. I beg you to consider adoption when looking for a pet. No creature on early with love you as unconditionally as a rescued pet. Please don't shop, ADOPT!

A family favorite photo perfectly capturing Chip's relationship with Bonnie and her contagious smile. 

Bonnie was a key player in our engagement photos. 

Bonnie helping me celebrate my 31st birthday. 

I always thought she looked so cute from the back with that one floppy ear. 

I miss my girl. 

This is just moments before we met Wrigley. Her last moments as an "only child". 

Bonnie is the first to welcome Wrigley to the family. 

Now a two fur baby family!

The ride home. I'd like to say they behaved that perfectly the whole way but Wrigley was a little depressed when we first got him and sprawled out in the back seat and Bonnie climbed on my lap in the front for most of the ride home. 

I had been concerned when we first got Wrigley about if our two dogs would get along......

I quickly saw this was a needless concern. 

Another favorite family photo. Silly girl. 

Bonnie was always my Irish lass, named after Scarlett O'hara's daughter in Gone with The Wind

Our family tradition of Frosty Paws (dog ice cream) breakfast for our dogs on Christmas morning. 

Our first family Christmas card. (Elijah's there too!)

Bonnie and Chip....such good buddies. 

Bonnie preparing to be "big sister" to Elijah. 

She loved when we had parties and there were lots of people to love her. This was Elijah's gender reveal. 

My girl was always a good sport when it came to dressing up. 

Bonnie was a constant companion during bedrest. This was our first IVF transfer when we conceived our beloved first (and lost) baby. 

Bonnie was a huge fan of my pregnancy pillow nest.  Every time I would get up at night to go potty, either she or Wrigley would have stolen my spot.....

Sometimes it seemed they were in cahoots!

Our second family Christmas card. It won't be the same this year without her. 

Bonnie enjoying her Christmas bone

A couple weeks before Elijah was born, we did one last photo shoot 

This girl loved sunbathing. 

Elijah and Mama giving Bonnie her bath. She was not a fan, but tolerated it well. 

Bonnie was a hit in her tutu at my "Hot and Spicy" party two nights before our wedding. 

She was the princess of the evening. 

Nan adored Bonnie and could often be found sneaking her table food. 

She was immediately welcomed into the Parish family. 

More snuggles with Chip. 

Cinnamon (my parents' dog) and Bonnie always had so much fun together. They had a game where they would chase each other around the room. Cinnamon would jump on the couch and bark so Bonnie would come after her.


I know I have said this already but there will always be a special spot in my heart (and Chip's) for her. Some of the things I love most about my husband is his love, compassion and loyalty. He still tears up over his beloved Oscar (his family dog growing up) and I know that Bonnie holds a similar place in his heart as well. For me, Bonnie will always be with me and I will never forget or stop missing her. And as Elijah continues to say "Bo-nneeee" we will show him her picture so he doesn't ever forget. We love you Bonnie.