Good bye Banjo

Banjo, an older Sheltie that was a beloved member of our family was put to sleep 07/24/2011.  Our hearts are so sad, it is amazing how quickly our animals worm their way into our hearts.  Banjo and his mother Maggie were older when they came to live with us.  Banjo was 9 and loved to jump on my bed and completely mess it up, the further my pillow was from the head of the bed, the happier he was.  It was so fun to watch him bounce happily down the Luce Line as we took our walks.  He was always in competition with our Cocker Spaniel Betsy to catch up to Barkley ( our Black Lab/Basset cross).  His loyalty to me was amazing, he always came when he was called, and didn't stray off our property.  Last fall, we lost Banjo for several hours.  I let them out before I went to work, and Banjo disappeared, I called and called for him but he didn't appear, I jumped in the car and drove up and down the highway looking for him ( thinking he got scared and ran down the road), no sign of him.  So I called the sheriff's office, the neighbors, the radio station,and the police station with his description and when and where he disappeared.  At noon that day I headed home to look for him again, and there he was sitting on the top steps, shaking like a leaf ( he was very frightened) waiting for someone to let him into the house.  I don't know what happened to him or where he disappeared to, but I do know he found his way back home and waited for someone he loved to rescue him.( Personally I think he got under our house and couldn't find his way out).  His incredibly cute button eyes could charm even the most hardened soul.  He loved going for rides in the car even if it ment going to the groomers ( which he never was particularly fond of).  All I ever had to do was ask, "Wanna go for a ride?" and the noise that accompanied that question was decibel breaking...  He loved the other critters we share a life with, including the chickens and ducks, he never attempted to hurt any of them even when he first arrived here with his mamma.  He enjoyed tormenting his mamma sometimes, trying to take away her lazer light or getting ahead of her when running down the trail.  He and Betsy would chase each other in circles when they were feeling frisky.  They were so funny to watch!
  Banjo developed a bladder tumor that was diagnosed in Feb of this year,  the vet offered to try to surgically resect the tumor, but given Banjo's age ( 11) and the size of the thing, I declined the surgery, the vet wasn't sure he could even resect it and thought if he couldn't he just wouldn't wake Banjo up.  This was unacceptable to me, and I promised Banjo he would live peacefully until the time came when he was in pain.  That day arrived this weekend, he stopped eating and drinking ( he had been getting pickier with his food over the past couple of weeks), he spent his time sleeping in my bedroom or on the floor in the living room.  Banjo always loved to snuggle with us on the couch and on my bed.  I gave him a death with dignity and Matthew and I buried him on our farm near my garden. It is close to the creek he loved to run to in order to get a drink from a clear bubbling spring.
  Our hearts are broken, we have both shed so many tears this weekend, it is a very incredibly hard way to end a sad weekend fraught with disappointment and heartbreak.  I just want to take this time to jot down my memories of Banjo and how loved he was among our little family.  Banjo will be greatly missed,  we will see him again someday in Heaven, this I truly believe and the little comfort it gives me now is something I am trying to console my brokenhearted 13 yr old son with also.  Thanks for listening( reading).