Elaina with Frankie’s likeness at Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan, WI
As many of you know my dear Frankie’s memory lives on in a wonderful children’s garden called Bookworm Gardens.
Today I received this photo from my sister, Paula. She is living her dream being a nanny to two sweet little girls. This is Elaina. While recently visiting Frankie at the gardens Elaina bent down and lovingly said to Frankie, “Feel better.”
Well goodness… I have tears in my eyes just writing this! I couldn’t have been more touched.
One thing I enjoyed doing when I visited schools and libraries with Frankie and sharing her message and books I wrote about her was helping kids to understand empathy.
If children can grasp empathy oh, what a beautiful future we have! And dear Elaina is leading the way with her compassion and kindness extended to Frankie’s likeness that continues to spread that message even though she will be gone for five years as of June 21st.
What a gift this photo is as I’ve been giving so much thought lately to the anniversary of Frankie’s passing. And that our loved ones, human or pet, continue to be with us in the most special and magical ways.
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Last year I visited Fair Park Elementary school and talked with the students about empathy, compassion, writing and reading. The students were so enthusiastic to have me there, and the teachers were wonderful and supportive.
Renee, one of the teachers who I worked with last year planning the visit, contacted me last week asking if I’d do a short video for their students – to remind them about how important reading is, to encourage them to visit their library, and how important empathy and compassion is.
Of course, I was more than happy to do this for the school and I hope my thoughts will encourage the kids once again. And this time I enlisted the help of Miss Gidget who appears on the video with me which I hope the kids will get a kick out of. I think they will as Gidget looked pretty spiffy (don’t you just love that word spiffy? I sure do!) in her pink sparking hat, and was giving me lots of kisses while I tried to record the video. 🙂
I took this photo of Gidget also with copies of my children’s books as a visual reminder for the kids the importance of reading. It really is a wonderful thing when schools find creative ways in which to continue to encourage kids to read and write – and I was tickled to help in this small way and it sure was a great way to kick off my week.
Hope the start of your week is a good one too!
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Today marks the 4 year anniversary of my dear dachshund Frankie’s passing. While I never thought my heart would heal from the loss of her, time has, for me, replaced sadness with so many beautiful memories that often bring a smile to my face and a flood of joy to my heart.
And I just have to tell you how amazed I am at how Frankie’s spirit continues to dance around me. It especially seems so this time of year.
It’s as if she is barking from the other side reminding me that we are still connected. And she’s been sending messengers in the form of people reaching out to me talking about her, recalling stories of her, or a time when they met her.
One such case that really moved me deeply was an email I received from Danielle last week. She emailed me once before sharing with me how much my children’s book Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Doghelped her children to deal with, and understand, their own dachshund Dixie’s paralysis.
Dixie has seen passed away and this time Danielle wrote:
I wanted to contact you, this time to share with you how much my kids (my 5-year-old twins) have been enjoying your “Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog Coloring and Activity” book. They love the paper-dog Frankie! For them, it was especially important that Frankie was in her cart, so we had to get the cart cut out right away. 🙂 Since they each had a book, they each pretended to be a “Frankie” and talk to the other “Frankie”. 🙂
My daughter loved putting as much on Frankie as she could possibly fit! My son loved having Frankie more plain so he could still recognize her. They could not get enough of cutting, trying on, and role playing!
The whole activity also helped them reconnect with Dixie’s spirit and life and remember her in a fun way since her passing.
Danielle’s five year old twins dressing Frankie paper dog cut out
I can’t even begin to find the right words to tell you how much this means to me! But there I was, sitting at my computer, tears of joy rolling down my face. And a few tears wishing I could hold Frankie… just. one. more. time.
But it was just another reminder that as my mom said to me last weekend that “love never dies.” And she is right. It just takes a different form, but it is always there. Always. Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.
