Athena Kerby
Valerie with Athena, Binky and Sampson

Why did God make pets?

For those of you who have never had the joy of a close relationship to a pet, you might as well not read on....for this takes having "been there" in order to understand.

I have always had a dog - at least since I was about 5 years old....Flip, Samantha, Snookey, Andy (Andrew Johnson), Ben, Spider, Piccolo, Murphy Brown, Binky, & Sandy, and my "grand dogs" Sampson and Athena. Every single one has a special place in my memories and in my heart.

Some lived only a short time (Piccolo was only 4)....some can't seem to "quit" (Murphy is just about 19 now!).... Some were unmanageable (Spider (a terrier mutt) went back to the pound because she kept snipping at the kids .... Ben (a lab)was just TOO big around our babies....he kept knocking over everything!) - so he got to go live a wonderful life with Uncle Phillip.

I remember cuddling with Andy when I was going thru a painful divorce. Those beautiful Cocker eyes would look so deep inside of me and just make my heart melt.

Piccolo - was so special - a little furball of energy....who suddenly one day just up and had heart failure....she was gone so fast!

9 days ago we had to put down Binky - the scruffy little rescue dog that Valerie and I went to a farm in far Western Loudoun to pick out of a muddy pen....she had lost her mother at birth, and had been exposed to distemper....our vet said she'd probably have seizures at some time in her life. It was Valerie's 10th birthday...and she carried that dog around with her like a stuffed animal - they were totally inseparable! Even going to college together in Texas! We liked to call Binky our "Down syndrome" dog....she was not very bright....but she was the most JOYFUL dog I've ever known! Nothing deterred her from giving 100% love and affection....she was obedient, quiet, and devoted.....she ended up living to the ripe age of 15 - and only after kidney failure took her strength and muscle away, did we turn her loose to run over that "rainbow" bridge. It was so amazing to me to see how relaxed and peaceful her face was when she went....with her "mommy" Valerie, Uncle Matt, Ian, Tisa and PaPa and Grandma at her side....

So imagine our incredible horror at just now - 9 days later - finding out that our grandog "Athena", who so recently came into Valerie and Binky's life is suffering from lymphoma!

Athena is another "rescued" dog....When Val was looking for a dog last year to act as her "protector" when she moved into her own condo....we thought we had the answer in this HUGE German Shepherd....Athena is one of the most beautiful examples of a canine I've ever seen.....sleek, muscular, graceful, and totally devoted to Valerie.

But guard dog???? Not so much....you see, it seems that Athena was abused (we surmise) by her previous owners - and was terrified of men, in particular. It took all the patience and love of the Kerby men to bring her into the family....which she finally did....but she still cowers behind Valerie when others walk by!

Athena loves to come visit PaPa and Grandma....especially if her cousin Sampson is here - romping in our back yard together like two puppies has been wonderful for both of them.

So, we are now faced once again with the agonizing decision of how to make Athena's last weeks the best. For what we now know is that Athena did not come into our lives to serve us....but rather, I choose to believe that God put her in our family so we could give her a year of love and affection and safety....something she did not have before. And so, we embark on this last part of her journey and will try everything in our power to make it wonderful and fun for her.

It hurts....it's not "fair"! ....but I thank God that we can give back a little of that unconditional love that His pets often give to us.....