It is impossible for me to verbalize all of the reasons why Noelle meant so much to me. She is a piece of me. She is my identity. Anyone who has known me in the past 15 years immediately thinks of Noelle when they think of me. Not only because she was so important to me, but because she was always with me. Noelle went everywhere with me. She was at home and followed me from room to room. She slept in bed with me at night. She went outside with me. She ran errands with me. She went to work with me. She was in my wedding. That is part of what makes her loss so difficult. She is everywhere and in everything I do. But despite how hard this is, the fact that she was always with me is what made our relationship so great. I wouldn’t trade one second of the last 15 years. I know that I am the person I am today because of Noelle. Her presence in my life made me learn to love and care about someone more than myself. I would not be the husband and father I am today without Noelle in my life.
Noelle will always be with me and I fully plan on seeing her again one day. I truly believe that there is a place in heaven for animals, especially pets. It makes me happy to think that Noelle is up there running, jumping, swimming, playing with sticks, chasing balls and eating tons of cookies.
Noelle, I will miss you every single day. I love you more than you can possibly imagine. Things will never be the same without you. You made me smile and laugh every day. You had an impact on so many people’s lives and brought happiness and laughter to everyone you encountered. You were one of a kind and I thank God that he blessed me with 15 unbelievable years at your side. Until we are reunited, I promise to live each day according to the mantra which is posted everywhere around my home and office, “May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.” Noelle, I will do my best…I know that you will be watching.
I miss you so much.
Noelle Baker (AKC Name: Brian’s First Noelle)
October 17, 1993 – December 6, 2008
*There will be a memorial service for Noelle at the Garden of The Pines pet cemetery on Salem Rd. in Virginia Beach on Wednesday, December 10th at 3:00pm. Anyone who was touched by Noelle’s life is welcome to attend. I always love to hear and see how much of an impact Noelle had on other people’s lives.
**I plan on updating the blog with a few stories about Noelle and of course lots of pictures over the next couple of weeks
-Brian
I will never forget the reason for picking out Noelle for you Brian - carrying the flip flop in her mouth and bringing it to me. I'll never forget the day Dad and I went back to get her and bring her home to you to surprise you. After we picked her up, I was so excited to get home and give her to you that I had to have Dad pull off at the nearest stop because I thought I was going to get sick (I still get like that today). And I'll never forget the days when we lived at home and I would hide behind the couch and you would say "Noelle, where's Allison, where's Allison" and she would run all over the house looking for me and then jump over the couch and find me. I'll never forget getting up in the morning and walking to your room and finding Noelle asleep on your bed with you at 12 in the afternoon - and saying "has she even gotten up to go to the bathroom?" I remember thinking how obsessed she was with you. But it wasn't obsession - it was love - she adored you. She was an awesome dog and loved you to pieces - that was always very evident.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Allison. Noelle did love and adore you. It only took the mention of your name and she would perk up immediately and start wagging her tail.
ReplyDeleteI will never forget when I really started to get to know her and how much energy and life she had. I have never seen a dog jump up and down, but Noelle did. She loved to play and was so much fun.
My favorite memories of her is when you would go to lunch and she would come downstairs and hang out with me while I was working. After about a week, I realized it was maninly because I was eating and she could smell it. There were some days that she just came down when I was not eating and I loved it. She was always so sweet and loving. As soon as you got back though, she left.
My second story is when they were doing the live radio remote upstairs and you were down the hall, but she was in Dave's office with Dave and I. Once the live radio started, she started barking her head off. It was so funny, I did not know what to do. Even more funny was woo-woo from the point trying to figure out what was going on. Those are classic Noelle moments.
There are so many stories, but without a doubt she loved you Brian more than anything.
Tiffany
What do you say to a guy and his family when he has experienced a loss like this? Honestly from experience it doesn't really matter because everything you feel right now is a sureal haze. I can tell you I am sorry, but you already know that, I can tell you she meant something to me to, but you know that, I can tell you stories about her, but you know all those. But all this is just more proof of how close she was to your heart and life, but you know that to. So all I will say is I am there for you buddy, but I hope you already know that to.
ReplyDelete-Dave
The one thing I will always remember most about Noelle is how much love and devotion she had for you Brian. She was so much fun to have at work, I always thought it was so cool that my boss would bring his dog to work with him every day.
ReplyDeleteOne memory I have of her is how she would come downstairs after I would heat up and my lunch and sit beside me. After I finished she would still sit beside me and put her head in my lap for a few minutes then lay down for a nap. As soon as she heard the front door though, she would always jump up looking for you.
Another is whenever you came in in the morning and took her out the back door, she would stop and let me give her a quick pat on the head and then keep on moving after you.
-Sara
Brian,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about your loss
She will be deeply missed at the park. I thought it was so nice to see her in the wave pool everyday.
Again I'm sorry.