1/9/05--sad news

I got a phone call today with some sad news.  It wasn't a call from who I thought it would be from.  But I got the news.
My Misty girl...my beloved "daughter" for some 6 years is gone.  My ex-wife, the beloved former Mrs Me # 2 faced what I'm sure was a horrible decision and put her down.  I'm told that Misty, now aged 14 yrs, had gotten to the point where she couldn't walk anymore--a fact that made the decision somewhat easier for the ex, who lives in a 2nd floor condo.
Misty first came into my life in 1991, about 6 mos before we got married.  A friend of my future wife's came over to the house holding a little puppy who had been left at the end of a country road with some a few of her brothers and sisters.  Deserted.
The friend managed to get ahold of Misty before she ran away with her siblings, and took her to my ex, who was an easy mark for animals in need.  I remember when she called me to tell me that it looked like we would have our first addition to the family--before we got married (somewhat scandalous I know).  I went over to her house, and took a look at the dog that would play such an intergral part of my life over the next 6 years.
"Big paws," I said.  "This is going to be a big dog."
She was an Australian Shepherd--a breed that I really didn't know that much about.
But what a breed.  What a dog.  Through the next 6 years, with many ups & downs in my personal life...Misty was the one constant in my life.  I could have arguements with my wife...with her family....have a bad day at work....and yet, when I got home, Misty was always there.  I blew off a lot of steam in those days walking Misty around the block.  So Misty was my sounding board for a marriage that was beginning to have some problems.  She heard my concerns, my worries, my frustration....and never once complained about listening to my gripes.  And when I was gone....I'm sure my ex would give her a hug and air her complaints about me to Misty.  And she never complained....and always listened.
My marriage to the former Mrs Me # 2 had its problems.  Maybe we were "never meant to be".  Maybe we should've never gotten together.  But during our 6 years as a couple...we had one shining jewel. 
Our gift to the world for those years was our girl...our daughter...our Misty.

Misty  1991-2005