On Sunday, August 18, on a beautiful summer Sunday morning, our sweet Maya
died suddenly while playfully romping around with her family alongside the Mississippi
River, at the Minnehaha Dog Park. She
was just six years young.
We take comfort in the fact that she was in her favorite place, with
her favorite people, and went peacefully in my arms. Yet the impact of that tragic and traumatic
morning has us reeling. Our daily lives
feel emptier without the pitter-patter of her paws, her enormous panting “smile”
and full-body-wagging greetings… and those soft, gentle kisses that she’d quietly
offer right when you needed them (perhaps the thing we need and miss most in a
time like this).
As we celebrate Maya’s life, the things we fondly remember and smile
about the most are:
- Her stealthy, morning “are you up?” kisses
- Her Elaine Benes-esque “get out” shove when
proposing fun, like a “walk” or trip to the “dog park”
- Her wolf-like, whip-her-head back bark/howl when
she’d see “trouble” outside
- Her head-first, dive bomb and roll into a fresh snowfall
(or into the grass after a swim)
- Her playful wrestling bouts with her big
brother, Griff (and, occasionally with E & S)
- Her motherly instincts (she was always the first
to respond to cries from the girls in the middle of the night)
- Her athleticism (she mastered the Frisbee catch,
could snag any short hop, would soccer-dribble her Chuckit ball, and could hop to
our kitchen countertops from a standstill)
- Her love of the belly/chin scratch, and how
she’d guilt you into extending the favor (with those eyes… and a few swipes of
the paw)
- Her ability to curl into smallest ball for naps…
or, to make herself comfortable in the oddest of places (sprawled out on her
back, using the hardwood steps as her ‘pillow’, for example)
- Her admiration of big bro’, Griff, following his
every move (I’m not so sure Maya was ever housebroken, she just went outside
and handled her business when Big G asked to)
- Her fluffy winter “fat suit” that she insisted
we sheer (with pathetic panting) once the temp rose above 50oF each
spring
- Her head popping up over fence at 4709 to greet
visitors, or heckle passersby
- Her favorite things: fetch with G (esp in the
water), Beanie Babies, runs around Harriet with ‘Mom’, sharing a bowl of cereal,
ice cream or watermelon with ‘Dad’, snow, her ‘cousin’ Carter, and midnight
off-leash walks around our SW Mpls block
- And, especially, her ever-growing trust and bond
with Evie & Sawyer (more than anything, we hope those girls remember our
little “MyMy”)
We miss you more than words can tell, Maya. Rest in peace, sweet girl.
