Dixie Belle Peagler

Through the sadness and the heartache I will always know that Dixie was easily the worst and best $25 I have ever spent. That was the running joke for her entire life because she was so stubborn and went to the beat of her own drum, but her love for her family was so strong. In her puppy years she was a force to be reckoned with. She certainly lived up to her name and was a rebel through and through. No squirrel was safe in her yard and no stuffed animal squeaker stood a chance. Her favorite toys were always her skunks and her fox. No matter what the animal may have actually been, EVERYTHING was a skunk or a fox to her! Her incredible loyalty to her Mommy from the first day will always be remembered and cherished. Dixie was merely 4 weeks old when she was given her fur-ever home and gave us an astonishing 15½ years of joy, tears, laughter and love. 

 

Dixie was an avid lover of her Mommy, her Fasha's pillows, her Brudder, her Mama and her snacky snacks. She was the princess in all of our lives and knew it. For 15½ years Dixie's Mommy told her every day "I will be back soon, babygirl. I love you. You protect the house. I'll be back soon. I PROMISE" and gave her a kiss. Every single day Dixie would wait for her Mommy's return and was so excited when that very promise was kept. Her excitement and love was a simple indication that she appreciated that promise. She knew her Mommy would ALWAYS be back. She spent her afternoons waiting on her Fasha to come home and ask if she had watched her shows and slept all day. In her earlier years her Mama would come to snatch her from her Mommy's house or stop by and see her throughout the day. When her Mama left from a visit she would howl at the door and could be heard all the way down the street! 

 

Dixie was a cheese connoisseur and knew if someone tried to pass off an "off brand" cheese to her. She grew to love salt cured ham and wouldn't allow her Fasha to have any in peace. Dixie required TWO snacky snacks before bed or she wouldn't allow anyone in the house to sleep that night. 

 

Her quirks and silliness will be missed immensely. Her funny demeanor and carefree attitude will be remembered. Dixie made her Mommy a mommy first and she wore that title with honor. 

 

From just her Mommy: Nothing ever prepared me for your departure, sweet girly girl. My little old lady, you are so sorely missed and you have left an impact on my life that I will never forget. Our pack is no longer complete but I certainly hope you're chasing every squirrel you can in Heaven, that you're playing with Shadow and Duke, and that you always know your Mommy loved you more than life itself. I cannot wait for the day we are reunited and I am able to scratch your belly again. I miss you more than I can possibly explain and will never fully understand why it was your time. You gave me 15½ years of unconditional love and loyalty. I hope you know that you were my best friend, my partner in crime, and my forever first child. You prepared me to be a mother and I cannot thank you enough. You taught me patience and how to love to a depth I never knew existed. Not a day goes by that I don't look for you, think of you or wish I had just one more day. You're always going to be my heartbeat and I hope I made you proud. I have always loved you without limit and always did anything I could to make sure you knew you were always and will always be my number 1 babygirl. Thank you for everything you taught me, everything you did for me, every tear you dried, every hug you gave me when I didn't even know I needed it, every stinky kiss, every step I took I knew you were by my side, every change in life you took in stride and every night you kept my feet warm. You have been my saving grace so many times and didn't even know it. Your Mommy LOVES you and will ALWAYS know you're by my side. Sleep well, my princess.