a mother's love.

Wow. I sent out an email for my photography business and I received a response from my friend, Joni, a vet with whom I had the good fortune to meet and become friends with when Butkus joined the family in 1994. Joni stuck through all my obsessive worrying and problems with that damn dog for most of Butkus' life. I would bring Butkus with me and visit her whenever we were at PetsMart (the site of her practice), and we shared our stories about life, dogs, and the real dogs in our lives.

Joni's son was eight when we became friends. She had already been divorced from his dad for a couple years, and this kid STRUGGLED. Not just with the divorce, but with life. He was always getting into stuff he shouldn't: running away, shoplifting, and later on experimenting with alcohol and drugs. Every time I would talk to Joni, she would have a new story about the latest "adventure," with her wild child. I was amazed by her. She was steadfast and true to this kid, loved him, unconditionally and completely, though it had to be so hard a lot of the time. She remained patient and kept trying to get him the help he so desperately needed.

She never gave up on him.

Joni emailed me this morning to tell me she had lost her son a drug overdose. During our conversation later today, she told me it happened just last month. And that he had a two-year-old son who is in a terrible situation in his own right. She cried so hard, her love still as generous as it had been during his all-too-short life. I tried to reassure her that she had indeed tried so hard to help him; she welcomed the words I had for her.

I know a mom's love for her child cannot ever be measured in a way that makes sense, but the love Joni had for her son was truly amazing. Please keep her in your prayers, and hug your kid tonight, for all the things they are, and for being everything to you.