Joie’s license plate arrived this week. It’s official… she can drive! Though this is not the plate I thought I had ordered. I thought I ordered the one with a red heart in each corner of the plate. Oh well, the bunny and owl is cute… more friends along for the ride, I say!
If her wheels look dirty it’s because she has been doing lots of off-road crusin’ lately on the path behind our house. She and Kylie love the path because it is packed with lots of critter smells. Their noses are in heaven!
There are people who you meet and you know the moment you meet them you will never, ever be the same again. This is how I feel about Libby.
When I heard she passed away on Wednesday I cried. But I also smiled, for the amazing, beautiful spirit she was. And as her grand-daughter, Tina said in an email to friends of Libby, “At 106 years old we cannot mourn her passing, but rather celebrate the spirit she brought to us all.”
I feel privileged to have met Libby through my volunteer work when Frankie was a therapy dog. When I first began visiting Libby’s House, Libby herself was not there, but came to live there at 103 years old. Maybe this sounds odd, but I felt like I was as close as I could possibly be in the presence of God when I was with Libby. It’s not every day you meet someone 103 years old!
Libby was sharp as a tack and when Frankie visited she loved seeing her. Now the odd thing about this is, according to her grand-daughter, Tina, was that Libby didn’t care for animals most of her life. But Frankie wiggled her way right into her heart. As someone who loves animals deeply, to see this connection happen was such a gift to me.
One of the memories I’ll always carry with me is one day when visiting Libby, she put her hand on Frankie’s back, looked into my eyes and said, “Frankie is love.” I also 
remember visiting Libby a few weeks after Frankie passed in June. Libby asked how I was doing and I said how much I was missing Frankie. She held my hands in hers and patted them as she said, “I know, dear. It’s hard.” It was so comforting to me that she understood.
It was such an honor to have been in Libby’s presence. To see that life over 100 can be so beautiful. And you, my dear Libby were love. How lucky heaven is to now have you.
It’s another beautiful day here at Joyful Paws with another announcement of a recipient of the Frankie Wheelchair Fund. This is Caseanna and she lives at Out to Pasture Farm and Rescue in Newington, CT. Out to Pasture gives animals which are elderly, abused, terminally ill and/or physically challenged a home where they can live out their natural lives with the physical and emotional support they deserve.
Caseanna came to Out to Pasture in September 2011. She has serious neurological issues which cause seizures and they are working on keeping them under control. She is currently seeing a top doctor from Tufts and the medication she is on is helping her get around with the other animals.
Carrie Haggart, Founder of Out to Pasture sent me a lovely packet of postcards and their 2013 Friendship calendar as a thank you. She also sent a certificate of a one year sponsorship in my name for Caseanna which is very touching. But this certificate also belongs to all those who have contributed to the fund because I couldn’t do this without you…. so thank you so much.
I’m sure you will all join me in wishing Caseanna the very best as she learns to live a full, happy, quality life in her Eddie’s Wheels wheelchair.
If you are interested in helping with our efforts to help dogs in need of wheelchairs (those in rescue or families in financial stress) please visit National Walk ‘N Roll Dog website where we have an on going Chip In set up. This fund is also a wonderful way in which to honor or memorialize your pet or a pet you may know. Feel free to also join us on Facebook where we recently hit over 1,000 followers!
Be sure to stop by and like Out to Pasture Farm and Animal Rescue on Facebook too!