In Memory

Yahoo 8.16.10 - 8.17.10

Yahoo 8/17/10

Our first farm/livestock birth came on August 16th, 2010 – our baby donkey, Yahoo. Mama (Taffy) was already pregnant when we bought her the summer before with her baby from that summer, Twitter. We hadn’t bred her. But early in the spring of 2010 it became apparent that Mama was preggers, with a widening girth. We waited and waited, not knowing exactly when she had been bred. The anticipation was killing us! I so wanted a baby with a white nose.

Little Yahoo came, and he had a white nose. He was so soft. He stole our hearts immediately. But it wasn’t meant to be. The following day, while we were both at work, my mother-in-law stopped in to check on him and found him dead in the pasture. He hadn’t made it 24 hours. It didn’t appear that he had been stomped or crushed by Mama. We aren’t really sure what happened. But we were devastated. I would never have realized that the loss of a soft little boy, whom I had known less than 24 hours, would hurt so much.

Yahoo is buried in a place of honor at my mother-in-law’s house, next to her beloved Caleb the Boxer.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Author unknown