This past Christmas (yeah, that’s right – CHRISTMAS – not holiday season!) I was exchanging gifts with the love of my life. She laid out the gifts that she bought for me and told me to take the one that I wanted to take first. Well, I am a simple man so; I took the smallest one first. As I tore the paper open, tears began to fill in my eyes. It is so hard to explain this but, I will do my best. My gift was “Rescuing Sprite.” I knew that this body of work about Mark, his family, Pepsi and Sprite was something that he had put his heart and soul into. I knew that there was a lot of emotion wrapped between those covers and it touched me and I knew already of the ending. Now, I was going to share with Mark and his family, the “Joy and Anguish” of the life of Sprite.
I finished unwrapping the rest of my gifts but I never let go of my new book. I could not wait to read this and share the emotion with him. It was a beautiful story of giving and receiving unconditional love. Mark – Thank you for your book.
Since I read this book, I must say that my life in reference to my dogs has changed significantly. I always give Lou and Paddy my attention but it is different now. I see them through a different set of eyes and circumstances; especially with my Paddy O’Malley.
She is a rescue dog that I adopted from a Japanese shelter when I was stationed abroad. She has been with me for 13 1/2 years now and I know the end is coming just in the way that she acts. She cannot see nor hear very well and she does not get around so well. Even with the medicine, I know that she is coming to the end of her journey.
I travel every week and my weekends with her are short. When I come home, I lay beside her as she is always sleeping when I get there and talk to her and love on her. She always responds so positively.
I know that I will have to give her up some day and probably sooner rather than later. I just hope that she knows how happy she has made me being a part of my life. I know I tell her all the time and I think she knows. She has traveled around with the world with me and she is something that I will always have in my heart.
Thank you Paddy Girl…

Dan from IN