My Dearest Bailey,

I was looking at a big scrapbook I made for you and began crying the other day. This picture takes up one whole page. Do you remember it? It was taken by Photographer Rich Cancio at the Angels for Animals Doggy Days Reunion in 2009 when you were healthy and well, about one year after we adopted you from there.

I am not a huge fan of “portraits,” but I love this one because I look so happy holding you and you look so regal like you always did. Rich had donated his servces that day, which made me immediately like him. I love how you won’t look at the camera but posed like a pretty girl…. You were my photographic muse and I have at least a 1000 pictures of you if I have one! I know your den in Hyfryd is covered in pictures too.

Recently, Rich contacted me on Facebook about a benefit dance he was involved with to help with the needs of breast cancer patients, something that his wife, unfortunately had to deal with. So I was thinking about cancer and how I felt when they told me about your bladder. No one wants to hear that and we all deal with news like that differently.  We are always happy to support causes we believe in, so we bought tickets immediately. October is breast cancer awareness month. Pink things are everywhere – you know that is my color!

I remember when Cheetah was near the end of her wonderfully long life, I used to say she was my soul, Tarzan, my heart and Freedom my spirit. I always thought you were a lot like Cheetah because you loved everyone and you had a true love of life. I can understand why you chose Joy for us. She embodies all those characteristics that I love and don’t you find it so ironic that her name was Joy? I mean, you really went all out to make sure that we got our Joy back – literally and we are so grateful to you for that.

I miss you each and every day but you are always there in so many things that happen. Your Red Maple has grown so large in just a year and as the Fall slowly sets in, the tips of the leaves have recently started to turn red – your color!

But you knew that already. You are red and I am pink and pink is clearly a derivative of red. Of course that makes so much sense. We are of each other, mind and spirit -no matter where we are physically we will never be without each other. We love you, Bailey.

Write me Soon….xoxooxox, mommy