I love getting notes and photos like these. Hannah  has been writing to me via her Mom since she was a puppy. Hannah is from a 2007 litter of Irei and Champ, and Moet is a sister of a later breeding of the same goldens.

The photo is of Hannah and 2 1/2 year old Stalzcup grandchild, Dylan.  They had spent the day together with Hannah right up close to one of her favorite children.

This letter "from" Hannah  and written by Nancy    poignantly illustrates  the extraordinary bond between  human and golden  during a time when Nancy had just come home from hip surgery.

Dear Grandma,

I wanted to let you know that mommy is feeling much better. Her hip is healing and she doesn’t use a cane or walker anymore. When she first came home from the hospital she was pushing a metal frame in front of her and trying to walk behind it. I didn’t like it at first, but then I realized it was helping her to walk and that was good. I guess that’s why they call it a “walker.” 

For the first 3 weeks she couldn’t climb the stairs so daddy put a hospital bed in his office on the first floor. That way mommy had a bathroom right across the hall and everything she needed was on one floor.  It was a little confusing the first few days but we all got used to it after awhile.

The first night, when it was time for bed, I realized that daddy was going upstairs to his bed, but mommy was going to sleep downstairs in this funny hospital bed. I call it funny because when she pushed a button on the side of the bed it went up and down. Yes, the bed moved up and down, and from the look on her face, this made her feel more comfortable. I’m glad because I love her a lot.

I thought to myself, where am I going to sleep? My comfy bed is upstairs, but I can’t leave her alone downstairs. I looked at the bed; I looked at her and lay down under daddy’s desk nearby. She told me I could go upstairs, but I couldn’t leave her. She seemed sad and that walker was hard for her to use. Mommy turned off the lights and said goodnight to me and “you’re such a good girl; mommy loves you.” That’s all I needed to hear.

In the middle of the night I heard a strange sound and realized it was mommy’s bed moving. The light went on and I looked up from under the desk. Mommy was trying to get out of bed. I watched her as she slowly got her legs to the edge of the bed and tried to sit up. She finally made it and again slowly shuffled with the walker across the hall to the bathroom. I followed her to make sure she was okay. I waited in the hallway until she came out and went back to bed. I followed her and waited until she was safely in bed, then she said “goodnight, Hannah, I love you.”  I sighed and went back under the desk.

Mommy and I continued to do this every day and every night for over three weeks.  Soon she was using a cane and no more walker! It felt so good to help her and now she tells everyone that I took good care of her. Well, of course I did. After all, she is my mommy. 

With love to you too, 

Hannah