Osa and the Rainbow Bridge
Rule #112 : Dogs are truly a (wo)man’s best friend.
Today marks 1 year since our sweet Osa went to the Rainbow Bridge. I miss my little ball playing, buck-toothed fur ball of joy. Osa was such a special little nugget, so I thought today I’d share some of my favorite Osa-isms.
Okay, two things about this picture:
1) Why in the name of hair and happiness would anyone allow me to cut my hair like this? I can’t even.
2) Osa was the cutest and most troublesome little puppy you’ve ever seen. I got her over Spring Break of my senior year in college. My good friend, Rachel, and I drove all the way down to Alvin, TX from good ole College Station to pick her out.
She was so sweet and precious but a holy terror, too. She got in the kind of trouble that would make you want to scream and lock her in a box (let’s just say I had 8 throw pillows on my couches before Osa came along, and only 2 after…). But no matter how much trouble she got into, she was so dad gum sweet and cute.
See what I mean? How could you ever stay mad at that face?
She also had a very sassy side that she may have inherited from me…
Osa loved to play ball. I mean LOOOOOOVED to play ball. She lived for it. She would play ball no matter how badly she would hurt her feet stopping and running and chasing and fetching. Jon Boy invented The Sock Cast for her after she kept injuring her paws and licking them profusely. Her face says exactly how she felt about The Sock Cast. She was mortified, and she wanted you to know it.
Osa was also a major trooper with all of my holiday outfits. She wore her Christmas Skirt with the best of them. She actually really enjoyed wearing regular t-shirts and would keep them on for days. Penny, on the other hand, will literally eat the shirt she’s wearing off her body.
“Arrgggg, Matey!”
“Mom, seriously? I’m too old for this.”
Osa could also bend her body in ways that just seemed wrong. I think she was most comfortable when she was as distorted as possible.
She fell asleep like this… and I need about 5 pillows in order to fall asleep without getting a crick in my neck…
She also loved to watch TV. Like actually WATCH TV… her favorite shows always involved polar bears though. Food Network was a close second.
Osa was my absolute favorite passenger. I used to have a little two-door convertible, and we’d get some pretty interesting looks from folks when they’d see one blonde driving and the other riding shotgun. She really loved when we’d drive around with the top down.
Osa was famous for her little buck teeth (or lack of teeth really). When she was a puppy, I let her chew on beer bottles because it kept her entertained (and there were usually a few lying around). I admit I wasn’t the wisest dog mom there ever was. Because of her little chewing habit, her poor little teeth were worn down! It gave her some good character, but she always had a special eye on beer bottles after that.
I know so many people say that when you have kids, your dogs become almost background noise. That just wasn’t the case with Osa (or Penny). I feel like Osa was just that special dog who could sense how I was feeling and would instantly make my day better. She and I had been through a lot together, so losing her was like losing my best friend. I absolutely believe dogs are a man’s (and woman’s) best friend.
They love us unconditionally. They bring us endless joy. They make a lasting impression on our lives.
I can’t wait to see Osa again one day on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. You better believe I’ll be throwing that ball until my arms fall off.
Cheers to the dogs (and other pets) who bring us half-eaten pillows and sloppy, crooked-toothed smiles every day!