Maddie Macias October 31 2001 – September 21, 2009

It was a good life. He was the best dog.

For years, my two young sons begged and pleaded for us to get a dog. Never having had a pet, I was seriously concerned about the endless responsibilities a new addition to the family would bring. I didn’t know if I even liked dogs! I pondered having to “fake it” for the duration of a dog’s life in our lives. Would I have to pretend to welcome a pet as not to appear too bitchy to the kids…pretend to enjoy a stinky, furry animal in my VERY clean home…pretend to have warm, fuzzy feelings for a pet that my sons would for sure love? I wasn’t sure if I could pull off such a front in order to appease my children. I mean, I do want to be a cool mom…I want my kids to worship me. But yet, it took some time to even warm up to the idea.

Of course, for those of you who know me, know that I succumbed…and it WAS love at first sight…yes, I’m saying it…despite the ridiculous cliché…it is the absolute truth. He had me at “woof woof.” Those sweet brown eyes. That dashing tail. All my fears of having a canine in my home quickly vanished. I giddily welcomed Maddie with the same kind of silly love and attention that sometimes only children know how to give.

And yes, despite the chewing of my prized stilettos, the 5am wake up calls to let him out, the destruction of my carpet…and his fur EVERYWHERE, he brought countless smiles to our lives, so we easily overlooked it all. Hell, our kids were actually more destructive…permanent marker on silk lampshades, dry erase markers on the walls, oatmeal in the VCR (yes, we’re old).

A friend of mine once said, “If Maddie were a person, he would be the captain of the football team.” And I really like that analogy. Everybody loves the handsome, popular football hero. And Maddie would be the kind to make sure that all students were treated equally, despite their athletic talent. He would stand up for the nerds and be polite to the girls. He would walk the old ladies across the street and get a scholarship to Harvard. Yes, he was THAT dog. The envy of all others…but sincerely loved because of his humility and kind heart.

He was an instant member of our family and truly served as a loyal, kind, and loving soul. He protected our home and my children. He loved us unconditionally. He loved long walks, babies, eating, eating, eating, oh and playing in the water. The water was his happy place. The five years he was with us seemed to have gone too quickly, but we learned some pretty amazing lessons from our time with him. Dogs are divine creatures. Dogs are better than people. Dogs bring out the best in us.

Sweet Maddie, we wish you godspeed to endless fields of soft green grass, swimming holes, an all you can eat buffet that is open 24 hours, and a closet full of the finest leather Italian shoes for you to guiltlessly chew.

You have set the bar high, my friend. You have filled a place in my heart that wasn’t there until you came into my life.

Everybody who knew you loved you. We will miss you tremendously. My son asked me today, “How are we supposed to live without Maddie?” We won’t sweetness…he’s in our hearts baby, in our hearts…forever.

Thank you, Maddie. You were the BEST dog.