Following in Aleksandra’s tradition of saying a special goodbye to a foster once they are adopted, here is my letter to Ginger Rogers…
Dear Ginger,
I remember like yesterday that hot day in July when I first laid eyes on you at the weekly HAHS adoption event – you were super dirty from spending 30 days at the shelter, covered in fly bites and panting nonstop because it was so hot and you were nervous to be around a bunch of strange people, dogs, and unfamiliar smells and noises. Even though you looked pretty worse for wear, I was immediately drawn to you out of all the other dogs at the event. I couldn’t bear the thought of you not having a name, so right then and there I started referring to you as “Ginger Rogers” because of your gorgeous red fur.
As the adoption event was drawing to a close, Mark, one of the other volunteers, told me you had reached your time limit at the shelter and would be put down if nobody was willing to foster you. I would NOT allow that to happen to you, so I called Daniel and begged him to let me bring you home to foster. I sent him this photo below to show him how adorable you are and reluctantly, he said yes. Before I knew it, you were in the car with me on the way to a park to meet Daniel, Turk, and Rufus! You were my first official foster dog!
After our meeting at the park went well, I walked you back to our house. I was so worried about you at first because you walked sooooo sloooooow! I worried you were sick and wasn’t sure how I could help you. Little did I know you were just very, very tired because you were unable to get good rest at that loud, smelly shelter. Once you got to the house, you slept constantly for what felt like weeks!
I wasn’t sure what to do to be a good foster mama, so I emailed the best foster mama I could think of: Aleksandra from Love and a Six-Foot Leash. She explained to me how to make you feel at home and how to integrate you into our family. It was such a relief to know I could count on a veteran like her to show me how to take care of you the best I possibly could!
You met so many people during your stay with us, but your favorites were definitely your Foster Aunt, Deanna, and your Foster Grandma (who made you that pretty yellow sweater and bought you the Easy Walk Harness, which helped with your manners on walks!). Deanna is going to miss you a lot … she considered herself your second foster mama! Foster Grandma will miss you too – she thought you made such a beautiful spokespittie for her sweaters and turtlenecks!
In your short time with us, you became an internet celebrity. Lots of people on Facebook and this blog checked up on you often and were super curious to hear what you were up to! And remember when you were the featured pittie on Pitter Patter? Apparently other people besides me thought your getting-off-the-couch moves were pretty funny! All of those people are going to miss you a lot too, so you need to make sure to check back with us from time to time, okay?
Turk and Rufus will miss you, too… not a lot, but they will miss you. Turk will miss having someone his size to rough house with and Rufus will miss having a nappies buddy. Neither of them will miss how you hogged the couch, though!
Daniel will miss you too … he loved watching you “sumo wrestle” with Turk and cuddle with him on the couch. He didn’t love it when you snuck up into bed with us, but he knew you just liked to be with us. I did always think it was so cute seeing you interact with him…
And finally, my dearest Ginger, I’ll miss you most of all! It has been my honor to see you blossom from a nervous, shy girl to a confident, goofy, sweet lady! You made your way deep into my heart and it was so hard to let you go. I will miss how you would curl up at my feet when I worked at the dining room table.
I’ll miss how you would come tearing across the house when you heard me get out your leash or one of your adorable outfits (you loved how much attention you got when you dressed up)!
I’ll miss the inquisitive looks you’d give me with those huge, innocent eyes of yours.
Baby girl, I’ll miss YOU! I’ll never forget you, Ginger Rogers…I wish for you to have a wonderful life, filled with cuddles, snuggles, yummy treats, and adorable outfits!
21 comments
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September 7, 2011 at 7:30 AM
Kirsten
What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful dog! Soooooooooo glad you saved her life and got her into a fantastic forever home. You helped her become the incredible ambassador for her breed that she is. Congratulations.
September 7, 2011 at 7:37 AM
Aleksandra
awesome, awesome, awesome. i’ve said it a bunch of times already, but i’ll say it again: you’ve done a wonderful thing. you are a hero — most of all to ginger rogers, but to the rest of us, too.
xo,
a
September 7, 2011 at 7:54 AM
Nancy
Beautiful..
September 7, 2011 at 8:15 AM
Jenna Krabacher
That was so sweet and brought tears to my eyes! A wonderful rags to riches story.
September 7, 2011 at 8:25 AM
peacelovefoster
Congrats on your first foster adoption! Looks like you guys really did great work with this one 🙂 A great letter for a great story.
September 7, 2011 at 8:32 AM
Two Grad Students and a Pittie
Just looking at Ginger Rogers sleeping during that first week makes me cry, you gave her hope and a warm bed. Thanks for everything you do!
September 7, 2011 at 8:53 AM
Kate B
You made my eyes well up.
You’re such good foster parents! I’ll be sure to talk to you when I convince Mr. E to let me foster :]
September 7, 2011 at 8:56 AM
Sarah
Congratulations! Ginger Rogers found her forever home because of your heart and open arms. You did a wonderful thing by fostering her and allowing her to blossom into the wonderful pittie that she is.
September 7, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Crystal K
Congratulations! Ginger Rogers is a lucky girl! I expect to feel the same sense of bittersweet pride when our foster finds his forever home.
September 7, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Kate
What a wonderful letter. I don’t think Ginger could have asked for a better foster family.
September 7, 2011 at 11:36 AM
Two Pitties in the City
It’s so hard to say goodbye, but always so great to see them in a good home. So what are your thoughts on fostering now?
September 7, 2011 at 1:41 PM
Skinny Fat Kid
Such a nice goodbye. So are you going to foster again?
September 7, 2011 at 10:43 PM
Laurie Hicks
What a beautiful beautiful letter…thank you so much for saving Ginger’s life and making it possible for her to have the life she deserves. I hope you are able to do so again. Bless you for your compassion…
September 8, 2011 at 11:12 AM
Patty
Very touching. Thank you for sharing with us!
September 8, 2011 at 11:18 AM
Lori Mayo
A beautiful heart touching letter! Thank you so much for all you do to help animals!! God bless you!
September 8, 2011 at 11:36 AM
Krystal
Thanks for sharing such an awesome story,It definitely brought tears to my eyes.You are an amazing person and I’m Sure Ginger will NEVER forget you.May God bless you for all the things you do!
September 8, 2011 at 1:28 PM
Emily
Thank you everyone for your kind words! Writing this letter to Ginger was very cathartic for me because I was having a hard time dealing with her adoption. I am going to miss her more than any words can say, but I appreciate all the love you guys are sending my way! 🙂 Hopefully we’ll have a new foster soon to introduce to you all!
September 8, 2011 at 2:58 PM
tommy
Emily
it never gets better as you foster more and more, but we do it because for every heartbreak as one leaves our home, we also celebrate the joy in knowing we saved a life and gave a family a new member to love as well.
Tommy
Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue Foster
September 8, 2011 at 3:23 PM
Emily
Tommy, that is SO true!
September 8, 2011 at 4:56 PM
Laura G
Dammit, a lovely story but a tear jerker. I hate to cry but I love happy endings. I’m a foster mom too, I’m on my second dog now, my first, the hardest thing Ive ever done. I loved her with all my heart, I still do. But I did what no one thought could be done, and now she has a new mommy, a forever adoptive mom, who loves her ad much as I did. She is in good hands, I think of her every day, I will love her always, her name is Keely. And I still miss her, but I get updates, and it mends my heart.
September 9, 2011 at 4:59 PM
Jill Heisterkamp (@jheiste)
Emily, that was positively inspiring and brought tears – happy tears – to my eyes! Thanks to you and Daniel (plus Turk & Rufus, of course!), Ginger went from death row-bound to a loving forever home. You stepped up and made a life-saving difference for this sweet pittie, and each week at adoption events, I saw just how dedicated you were to her and helping her personality grow to fit that tutu. Congratulations on your first foster success!