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By Erin J. Walter
Special to the American-Statesman
My kids longed for a dog for years, coming to my husband and me with puppy dog eyes every few months. I bought them dog souvenirs on vacations and let our daughter get a paw print shaved into her hair. We were adamant that a real dog would be too much. We were never home. Ministry kept me busy. I was notoriously not a dog person.
What a difference a pandemic makes.
Suddenly we were always home the kids in virtual school, Patrick doing tech work, me leading church services over Zoom. By August, we had taught the kids to ride bikes, watched a new garden grow and wilt, and popped holes in not one but two in-demand, inflatable baby pools. We were tired and tense, isolated and in need of some joy.
i m surprised i didn t suffocate her. i tried to hold her as tight as i could to me, so she wouldn t make a sound. and i just heard. i heard every shot. i heard every single shot. despite being hit multiple times, her son tried to protect the others, including his aunt suzi. he said where s aunt suzi, i got to get to aunt suzi and he didn t stop until he got to her. he had been wounded several times and he was still trying to crawl yes, he got there. he said mama, i love you, i love you. i watched him take his last breath. before leaving the bible study room, the shooter stopped right in front of polysh shephe