[Dailydrool] Thanks!!

[Melissa Jokela]

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the kind words and support for 
Alex and I this past week.  I will try to respond to everyone who 
emailed me privately but please know that it has meant a lot to us!

This past week has been very hard on both Alex and I.  We still can't 
believe that it will be a week ago today at 1:20pm CST that we had to 
send Homer to the bridge.  Our house and lives have been changed forever!

The other dogs all seem so different, almost like they were scared and 
not sure what to do most of the time with Homer around.  Old man Sarge 
has gotten out and played every day so far!  Last night he even started 
a basset 500 which had us laughing for the first time in a week.

For Alex and I it has been a huge change in our daily routines!  We now 
longer have to plan everything, watch over everything, be ready to 
redirect Homer, etc.  It is going to take some time to get used to!

Alex ended up surprising me last Thursday by placing an envelope with 
the words "Melissa Open Me" on the banister going downstairs.  I opened 
it to find a signed adoption agreement for Rudy that he had mailed off 
that morning.  We both broke down in tears once again and I know that 
Homer had his paw in this!!!  Alex felt that with all of Rudy's health 
issues that he was best just staying where he was.  Plus we were worried 
that if he would get adopted that Gerdie would be lost and sad without 
someone to play with.  He keeps Gerdie young and that is a good thing 
right now!  The Jokela pack has been at three hounds for many years and 
we felt that three was the perfect number for us.  So please help me in 
officially welcoming Oliver (previously known as Rudy) to the Jokela pack!!

We have the memorial garden and bench all planned out for when we get 
Homer's cremains back.  He will forever be at the cabin in his favorite 
corner of the yard overlooking the lake.

Thanks again to the entire Drool family!

Melissa & Alex
Gerdie, Sarge, Oliver and Homer ATB