Katie here.

You remember when I told you about Norwood last March?  He and his mom Debi used to go out every day for a run or a walk and they shared it with all of us.  Norwood was a very cool dog who had to go to the Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly and way too soon.  Mama always called him “Dude” cause he was so cool.

Well anyway, Norwood is now a bright star way up in the sky.  His mom made a lot of his friends their own stars and asked us to put them up near our favorite trails, cause he loved to run with his mom on trails through the woods and parks.  We got our star in the mail a couple of weeks ago.  It’s been sitting on the counter where mama looked at it every day, deciding where it should be hung.

I said it was a no brainer mama!  It has to go in my park!

So Wednesday we went over to my park to have a private memorial for Norwood.  Just my mama and me.  Mama told me I couldn’t call him Dude that afternoon, cause I needed to be respectful.  So I called him Mr. Dude instead.

We found a perfect spot, in a grove of cottonwood trees, where the gentle wind in the leaves makes a soothing sound, almost like waves on a beach.  We tucked it back into the trees a little bit, so Mr. Dude will have shade but still be able to watch the people and dogs that pass by on their walks.

 

There was a little breeze and Mr. Dude’s star rocked gently.  Sometimes the sun would make it glow, sometimes it hid among the leaves.

We stood quiet a little bit and sent a prayer up to Mr. Dude to watch over his mom and the new puppy Seager.  Then Mama arranged for some songbirds to do a musical number and we walked slowly back toward the car.

Mama let me sniff as much as I wanted, no hurry she said.  And then a beautiful Monarch butterfly flew by and fluttered for a little bit right in front of mama’s face.  She says she thinks Mr. Dude sent it to say thank you.  You’re welcome Mr. Dude!   Sure was pretty.  And then the best thing of all!  A flock of ceder waxwings flew in formation right overhead!  Mama said that Mr. Dude had a perfect ending to his memorial — his very own fly over!

All in all it was a beautiful memorial to our friend Norwood.  Thanks to his mom for sending us the star.  People are putting their NorStars up in parks across the country.  If you see one on any of your adventures think of Mr. Dude.

Norwood–the dog that touched hearts around the world.  And made us all smile.