Daphne Marie

For those of you who have never loved a dog, you won't understand, so you can skip this post and the mocking comments. For those of you who have, the Tummel family lost a dear friend on Wednesday October 8, 2008. Daphne Marie Tummel (the boxer in the middle of the above pic...Lucy and Linus-my babies-are on either side of her) passed away while playing with her "babies" Linus and Lucy in my back yard. Josh and I tried desparately to save her, but she was gone before we got her to Northgate Animal Hospital. Dr. Jim and his staff also were heroic in their efforts, but her spirit was already in heaven.

Daphne had a precious spirit. From the day we brought home Linus and Lucy in 2004, Daphne thought they were her puppies (and likewise, they thought she was their mommy). She nurtured and mothered them as often as she could. She died doing what she loved best, playing with her babies. She never had to be scolded, and she was a constant companion to my mother-in-law, Vicki. Vicki adopted Daphne just after both of her boys left home, so she filled a void for many years. Daphne would have been 7 years old on October 21.

Every time I look at my back yard, I see her fall and not get up. I hear Josh yelling, and both of us running barefoot to the car. I can't look at my backyard and not break out in tears. The place where she fell was in the middle of several large trees. There happens to be a void there from another tree that had to be cut down several years ago. In memory of Daphne, we will plant a Dogwood tree where she fell. That just happens to be a favorite tree of mine and Josh's, but there is a little more to our intrigue as well. The legend goes that the cross of Christ was made from a Dogwood tree. After he arose, he twisted and changed the shape of the tree so that it would never grow large enough to be used for that purpose again. The Dogwood flower is cross-shaped, with the rusty indentations of the nail on each petal. The red stamens represent the crown of thorns and the clustered red fruit represents His blood.

You might be thinking, "That's a little much for a dog, isn't it?" But Daphne was more than a dog, she really was a member of our family. Linus and Lucy have been in mourning all day, and we can hardly even tempt them to get off the couch or eat their food. They won't go near the spot in the yard where she fell because they know. I'm not sure how, but they know she's not coming back to play with them again. Daphne Marie, we'll miss you terribly! You were and are a good girl. I hope that my mom, Bumpy, and Pancake are taking good care of you in heaven!

Linus, Lucy and Daphne waiting on a treat

Asleep in Vicki's sunroom