Our Beloved Snupe...

Snupe Elacio (1994-2012)

After over 17 years of having my lil brother, Snupe in our life, it was time to let him rest. It's been a challenging week but one full of reminders of life's impermanence and also new life lessons for Miles.

Snupe has been Nanay's baby since I was 14. I pretty much grew up with him. He was pretty choosey of who he would let carry him and I feel pretty lucky that he always let me hold him. When Nanay use to work graveyard shifts at a care home, she would take him along. He would look forward to going to work with her, helping her make her rounds, checking up on all the seniors and barking at Nanay to let her know when a senior was up out of bed and needed assistance.

Going to work with her gave him some kind of purpose. He also loved the car ride. On the way home from a ride, he would get up and look out the window once we'd pass the curve along Meadows Drive. He knew he'd be closer to home.

His favorite food was a hamburger from Mcdonald's. Nanay insisted on feeding him that for years. Maybe that's what preserved him for so long?! But his last years, he got healthier, eating a lean diet of home cooked meats and rice. 

Snupe was also annoying at times--such a little brother. His breath was so bad but that didn't stop us from loving the boy. He also was not very welcoming to N9na when he came into our family. When I moved back home for awhile, he would scratch on my door once Nanay went to work, wanting to sleep on my bed with me. Sometimes, I'd get so annoyed with his scratching that I would say, "Snupe! Go to mom's room." And then I'd hear his little feet prancing away, following directions. But when I'd let him in, which was most mornings, he would come in, stretch out, and smile his toothy smile.

I've missed that.

And I've also missed hearing him knock his water bowl around, communicating to us that he was thirsty.

Ever since I became a mom, I had less time to spend with Snupe and Homie. With Nanay in the P.I., it forced me to spend time with them. Haha! Having to go to the house in the mornings to let him out, feed him, and change Snupe's diaper. I would spend a few hours there before work to pet him.

I'm thankful for that time. It really was precious time.

It's hard to say goodbye to someone you love. When does that get any easier? When someone passes, apart of you dies with them. With Snupe, apart of my childhood has died. But I am truly grateful for the company and love he gave us--especially to my mom. He made her happy and relieved her of stressful times. He has done that for me as well.

Last night, Miles said a prayer wishing for Snupe to be in heaven. He also talked to me about what happens when we die, thinking about Snupe:

Everybody has a time, mommy. We just never know. I just have to be thankful for right now because we never know. I wish I could go back to when Snupe was younger and heal him. But it's ok because he's not in pain anymore. I told Grayson that we were sad about Snupe. He told me that he knows how it feels because his two old dogs passed away too. He just wants us to know that it will be ok. We just have to take care of Homie now. And if something happens to Homie, we will just have to get a new dog!