Bear, not a day goes by that we don't miss you, our precious first baby boy.
You were the "bandit of love" as you stole Mommy's heart like no other before you was able to do it.
You were born on Thanksgiving Day 1991. It is so appropriate that you would be born on this day because we would be forever thankful for the gift that God gave us in you!
Your real mom "Lacey" was such a great dog it is no wonder her little pup turned out to be our wonderful boy "Beary".
We first laid eyes on you on Jan 26, 1992. We were invited over to Uncle Jims to watch the Superbowl game. Uncle Jim warned Mommy about the fact that he had beautiful puppies and she should be careful because she would probably want to take one of the puppies home with her. Now Mommy never had a dog before and was not anxious at all to have one either. (I always was!). Mommy told Uncle Jim not to worry that she was not going to want any of the puppies. BUT...she took one look at you and fell in love right that instant. Hence the name "bandit of love" you stole her heart! She has never stopped loving you since. You were about 9 weeks old at the time and were the most beautiful puffball with the sweetest face we had ever seen. It was truly love at first sight for both of us. We wanted you to be part of our family and we have never regretted it -- not for an instant. You gave us more joy than you will ever know.
For the first 3 years of your life it was just you, me and Mommy. We were like the three musketeers. Our love for you grew every day and we loved you so very much. We have so many great memories. We took you everywhere we could. You would ride with us in the car "shotgun" we would call it! Mommy and I in the front seat and you in the middle with your front paws on the front console and your back paws on the back seat. You would almost always look straight ahead as if you were concentrating on the road, driving the car yourself. We made many, many trips, the three of us together. I remember one time in particular when just you and I took a ride to meet Mommy in the Catskills. You rode on my lap all the way up and fell asleep on my lap standing up! A driver pulled up next to me and was laughing at the sight of you! I will never forget that! -- the many trips, such as these are some of our best memories Bear!
Another memory that is especially precious to us is the winter day we spent on the ice at Caroga Lake when you were just a puppy. While we were on the ice you were "meandering" around and found your way to an ice fishing hole and you fell in. I ran over and grabbed you out of the icy water -- Mommy and I were so scared! Mammy opened her coat and put you inside to warm you up on the ride back to the country house. Once we got to the house I lit a fire and you slept next to it under a nice warm towel until you dried off and were toast warm.
Another time the three of us went to Auriesville for the day. We were always so
proud to show you off - "our beautiful boy". People would stop and tell us how cute
and beautiful you were. There was a big hill there and Mommy was at the top of the
hill and I was at the bottom. We would each call you to come to us saying "come on
Beary, run very fast".You raced up and down the hill countless times just to please
us- I think you were having fun too! What fun we had that day -- We'll never forget
it..Thanks for the memory Beary!
For the first three years it was just the thereof us but Mommy and me felt badly
leaving you when we went to work You would get so upset. They called it
"separation anxiety".
So..we decided to get you a pet. This decision did not come quickly or easily. How
Could we find any more love in our hearts than we had for you? We decided to try
anyway and presented you with your own puppy "Ranger". Ranger was a bit (OK
alot) of a "goofball" while you were more the reserved and serious type. You showed
great patience with him and only when necessary used force to set him straight. You
were a great teacher. You taught Ranger not to leave the property line (after he ran
away a few times). You taught him not to go in the street and you taught
him to be gentle and loving, even though he was still a goofball and never really as
bright and smart as you. You and Ranger became great friends although we often
wondered if you would have preferred to be our only child.
So now it became the four "Enna's" We would call you "Bear Enna". The four of us would do just about everything together. We took trips to the country house, Pennsylvania, Uncle Alan's and your favorite place -- Lake George. (our favorite place too!)
It became our "Enna" family tradition many years ago to celebrate your birthday in Lake George. Seeing as how you were born on Thanksgiving day it seemed very appropriate that we should celebrate your birthday in a special way. Mammy broke with tradition and no longer made Thanksgiving dinner for our families. ( this was a big sacrifice since you know it was one of the few meals Mommy cooked all year!). So. early Thanksgiving morning off we went to spend the long weekend in Lake George. You were such a good boy at the hotel, never made a mess and rarely barked. For your special birthday dinner Mommy and I would go to the Log Jam Restaurant. (we would have taken you in with us if they would have allowed us). I would order the biggest and best steak on the menu.
I would save the best and biggest part of the steak for "my birthday boy". We would all go back to the hotel and you would feast like a king on your birthday steak. You deserved at least that and much more given all of the joy you gave Mommy and me every day of the year. This Thanksgiving trip became a family tradition and it will be difficult without you this year. Our hearts are broken without you but we will keep the tradition going as a way of honoring your life.
You will never know how much you enriched us and taught us by your beautiful spirit Bear! You really had what Mommy called "the wisdom of the ages". A very basic understanding of the world and we could see in your eyes you understood many things that we could not.
Up until the time you were three or four you were always very healthy. One day, while playing with Ranger in the front yard you fell to the ground and starting shaking. We would find out later that you were prone to seizures. Because of that you needed to take medication every morning and evening. Mommy and I would give you your pill wrapped in cheese (or something else you liked). You were always very good about taking your pill. Sometimes we would pick you up (airlift) and sit you in our laps just so we could give you kisses -- you had the perfect kissing spot right on the side of your nose. It was a perfect spot for kissing you over and over again as we often did. Sometimes we could see you were bored with the kisses but you put up with us anyway. You were "aloof" but you did not fool us -- we knew you loved it and loved us!
Just about every morning of your life Mommy would sing you your special song. You would stand on the top step and Mommy would kneel on a step a few steps lower so she could look you in the eye and kiss you. She would sing the "Beary My Love" song to you. "Beary My Love, Beary My Boy, You are My Joy" were only the first three lines but sums up what the rest of the song said and how she felt (feels) about you. It was the way she started her day and could think if no better way than to sing your special song to you. She really misses doing that every morning and misses you terribly.
The four "Enna's" would also have our middle of the night "Family runs". Mommy or I would wake up in the middle of the night and ask if anyone wanted to go for a "family run". We would all get out of bed and go to the kitchen for a snack. I know this may have seemed trivial to you, maybe even inconvenient at times, on cold winter nights when you wanted to stay in bed. Mommy and I always loved our family runs with our boys!
During the summer we would occasionally go to Hoyer's for ice cream. Sometimes we would get you your own baby cone and sometimes I would share my cone with you. You really love vanilla ice cream! When I would share my cone with you, you always took very gentle licks unlike your brother Ranger who would take huge bites. I was always happy to share my ice cream with you. I never felt you had "dog germs" as Mommy would call it. I think Mommy used this as an excuse -- you know she does not like to share her food.
I always shared every piece of food I had with you. Whatever I had you always had part of it. You ate off of a fork better than many humans I know. You ate everything I did -- even SPAM -- I think that was one of you favorites. (our favorites).
As the years went by we saw you turning 11 and Ranger turning 8. Mommy and I thought it would be good for Ranger to have a pet of his own. Along came Murphy and we know right away that you were not happy about it. The day we picked him up, on the ride home in the car you stayed as far away from him as you could. In your own way you "put the word out" to Ranger that Murphy was not going to be easily accepted. You let us know that having a puppy in the house after so many years was a disruption to your now complacent lifestyle. Although you ignored and rejected Murphy for a short while your big heart and gentle spirit could not be mean to him for long. You were once again the "older and wiser" brother and became a teacher to Murphy too! Murphy became an "Enna" and the five of us were one big happy family. Mommy, me, Ranger and Murphy loved you so!
Rangie got sick about 10 months after we got Murphy and he died two months later. You seemed very strong but we knew you were mourning the loss of your best buddy. Although you were mourning you stepped up once again to befriend Murphy who was devastated over losing Rangie! Murphy was very lucky to have you to look after him.
So...now we were back to the "Enna" foursome. Once again we considered your age -- now 12 -- and felt that it would be a good idea to get a pet for the next in line -- Murphy.
Your typical good disposition was tested over and over again by our newest family member "Cody". Considering your age you were pretty tolerant of Cody and his aggressive behavior. He was never nasty to you but always seemed to somehow be challenging your position of "top dog". In your own way you let Cody know his place, LAST ! Mommy and I always suspected that you probably would have preferred that we never got Cody. We are sorry for the frustration he caused you and hope that you understood somehow why we had to get him for Murphy's sake.
The years rolled by and you remained pretty healthy for a "very mature" puppy! One morning (July 6, 2007) a few months before your 16th birthday we noticed that you not taking your pill even though we wrapped it in liverwurst and you seemed to be constantly at your water dish when we watched you that day. By that evening you seemed very very tired and were looking sick. -- Mommy and Daddy went out that night.. Mommy knew in her heart how sick you were - "I know my boy" she would say. - we are so sorry we left you that night, please forgive us. By the time we got home you were very very sick, we called the vet and made an appointment for the next morning. The Vet said to try to keep you comfortable that night, Mommy took you to bed and fell asleep with you. In the middle of the night you started to breathe very shallow and Mommy held you ,petted you and kissed you waiting for the end. She prayed you would just go peacefully in her arms but your little heart was just too strong and would not give out on its own. It was not to be. In the very early morning hours it appeared to us that you might be suffering or in pain. We took you to the vet right away knowing that this would be our last few minutes together. We loved you so much we did not want to let you go. Our hearts were breaking but we could never let you suffer.
On July 7, 2007 at approx 5:00 am you left us peacefully. I was holding you and kissing you and telling you it was Ok to go. Your beautiful spirit left his earth and was now greeting your oldest and best buddy Ranger in heaven.

Bear, you will never know how much we miss you! You will always live on in our hearts. You have helped Mommy and I to be better and kinder human beings, You were and always will be our precious baby Bear -- "Beary My Love".
We thank God every day for the blessing he gave us in having you as part of our family for over 15 years.

With all of our love forever..We know that you are in God's arms now!

Daddy, Mommy, Murphy and Cody.
HI BEARIE, IM SORRY I HAVENT BEEN HERE SOONER, ITS JUST SO HARD GETTING USED TO YOU NOT BEING HERE WITH US. WE MISS YOU SO MUCH.I REALLY THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE AROUND FOREVER.IT WAS ESPECIALLY HARD AT CHRISTMAS WHEN YOU WERENT HERE.I HOPE YOU AND RANGIE ARE TOGETHER AS YOU WERE ALWAYS WERE HERE WITH US. I CANT TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE ALL MISS YOU. THERE'S NOT A DAY GOES BY WE DONT THINK OF YOU, ESPECIALLY WHEN I COME HOME AT NIGHT AND COME UP THE STAIRS AND YOU ARE NOT THERE WAITING FOR ME.YOUR BROTHERS ALL MISS YOU AS DO MOMMY AND I. WE'LL LOVE YOU ALWAYS BEARIE.
MOMMY,DADDY,MURPHY AND CODY.
HI BEARIE
IT WAS JUST 8 MONTHS AGO TODAY THAT YOU LEFT US TO GO BE WITH RANGIE. NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DONT THINK OF YOU AND YOUR BROTHER. WE MISS YOU BOTH SO MUCH.ITS WINTER HERE NOW AND I CAN STILL SEE YOU STANDING OUTSIDE WITH YOUR NOSE IN THE WIND AND CHASING THRU THE SNOW WITH FRAIN.YOUR BROTHERS MURPH AND COBY MISS YOU SO MUCH AS DO MOMMY AND I. WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH. LOVE DADDY

DEAR BEARIE
TODAY MARKS THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAY YOU WENT TO BE WITH RANGIE. I KNOW YOU TWO ARE TOGETHER AS YOU WERE ALWAYS TOGETHER IN LIFE. MOM AND I MISS BOTH OUR BABIES SO MUCH.THERE IS ALWAYS A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS FOR YOU AND RANGIE. MUPH AND CODY MISS YOU ALSO ALTHOUGH I DOUBT YOU MISS CODY. GOD BLESS YOU BEARIE AND RANGIE, DADDY LOVES YOU WITH ALL HIS HEART

DEAREST BEARIE
TODAY IS THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAY YOU LEFT US TO BE WITH RANGIE. I HOPE MY BOYS ARE OK IN HEAVEN AS MOMMIE AND I AND YOUR BROTHERS MISS YOU HERE ON EARTH.BEARIE YOU AND RANGIE HAVE A NEW BROTHER, HIS NAME IS BLUE, HE WAS A RESCUE WHO HAD A HORRENDOUS LIFE. MOM AND I DECIDED TO BRING HIM HERE WITH ALL OF US. HE IS A VERY DISTURBED BOY. MOM AND I WISH YOU AND RANGIE WERE HERE WITH US TO HELP BRING HIM AROUND TO OUR HOME AND HEARTS.BEARIE THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT MOM AND I DONT THINK OF YOU AND FRAIN. WE LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH AND YOU/ BOTH WILL BE IN HEARTS FOREVER.

LOVE YOU
DADDY

DEAREST BEARIE

TODAY IS JULY 7TH ITS ANOTHER YEAR SINCE LEFT US TO BE WITH RANGIE. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU AND FRAIN ARE MORE IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS THAN EVER BEFORE MOM AND I AND YOUR BROYHERS MISS YOU SOMETHING AWFUL.TAKE CARE OF YOUR BABY BROTHER

WITH ALL MY LOVE FOR MY LITTLE MOUSE

DADDY

Please also visit MURPHY and RANGER.