This morning, I had to do one of the most difficult things that I have ever had to do. Danny Boy, my yorkie, has been with me since October 2, 1992 when he was 8 1/2 weeks old. He had to be put to sleep and I had to say good bye to a very old friend. Since Danny Boy has been a part of my life many things have changed. I know that our decision was the right one, but it was so difficult to do. I love that little dog so very much, he has been my best friend and constant companion for 15 years, 5 months, and 24 days. He was with me just after I graduated from college, when I got my first real job, when I moved from Ohio to Utah, when I became a Christian, when I lived with roommates, when we lived alone, when I was single for all those years, and finally got married in 2001, bought our house, adopted a second dog and a cat, prayed for children, adopted Sarah in 2005 and when I became a Mom, and has seen Sarah grow from a baby to a toddler. My life has changed so much during his little lifetime. I thank God for that little dog and all the years of loving me, playing, tossing his ball incessantly for hours at a time, snuggling, and adoring me all the love and especially the constant companionship.
The thought of not seeing his fuzzy face every day and not having him to snuggle with on the couch is overwhelming and heart breaking for me. I am grateful that I was able to hold him as he drifted off to sleep forever and more than that grateful for all the years I was able to enjoy his friendship. It was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make and to endure.
Goodbye, old friend. You are so loved and cherished...you will live on in my memories.
We took a few photos just before returning to the vet's office to put him down.
The thought of not seeing his fuzzy face every day and not having him to snuggle with on the couch is overwhelming and heart breaking for me. I am grateful that I was able to hold him as he drifted off to sleep forever and more than that grateful for all the years I was able to enjoy his friendship. It was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make and to endure.
Goodbye, old friend. You are so loved and cherished...you will live on in my memories.
We took a few photos just before returning to the vet's office to put him down.
3 comments:
I'm so sorry about the loss of your dog. I know how bad it hurts.
Just sending hugs...cuz there's really nothing to say to make you feel better right now.
I'm so sorry! He was an adorable pup!!
From one dog Momma to another, my heart feels your pain. I too had to say goodbye to my faithful friend nearly two years ago. (May 3rd) Nothing that anyone does can change your final gift of love you showed your sweet boy. I do know that even though it doesn't ever stop hurting, it DOES get a little easier with each passing day. And I also know that one book, in particular, helped me see that putting Ebenezer down was truly my final gift of love to my devoted friend. I hope the following story helps you as it's helped me and continues to help me to this day.
All our hugs & love from Boston.
-Amy & Ruby Cate
'Dog Heaven'
written & illustrated by: Cynthia Rylant
-The Blue Sky Press
(An imprint of Scholastic inc. New York)
Dog Heaven...
When dogs go to Heaven,
they don't need wings
because God knows that
dogs love running best.
He gives them fields.
Fields and fields and fields.
When a dog first arrives in Heaven,
he just runs.
Dog Heaven has clear, wide lakes
filled with geese who hong and flap
and tease. The dogs love this.
They run beside the water and bark and bark and God watches them
from behind a tree and smiles.
There are children, of course.
Angel children.
God knows that dogs love children more than anything else in the world, so He fills Dog Heaven with plenty of them. There are children on bikes and children on sleds. There are children throwing red rubber balls and children pulling kites through the clouds. The dogs are there, and the children love them dearly.
And, oh, the dog biscuits.
Biscuits and biscuits as far as the eye can see.
God has a sense of humor, so He makes His biscuits in funny shapes for His dogs. There are kitty-cat biscuits and squirrel biscuits. Ice-cream biscuits and ham-sandwich biscuits.
Every angel who passes by has a biscuit for a dog.
And, of course, all God's dogs sit when the angels say "sit."
Every dog becomes a good dog in Dog Heaven.
God turns clouds inside out to make fluffy beds for the dogs in Dog Heaven, and when they are tired from running and barking and eating ham-sandwich biscuits, the dogs each find a cloud bed for sleeping.
They turn around and around in the cloud...
...until it feels just right, and then they curl up and they sleep.
God watches over each one of them and there are no bad dreams.
Dogs in Dog Heaven have almost always belonged to somebody on Earth and, of course, the dogs remember this. Heaven is full of memories.
So sometimes an angel will walk a dog back to Earth for a little visit and quietly, invisibly, the dog will sniff about his old backyard, will investigate the cat next door, will follow the child to school, will sit on the front porch and wait for the mail.
When he is satisfied that all is well, the dog will return to Heaven with the angel.
It is where dogs belong, near God who made them.
The dogs in Dog Heaven who had no real homes on Earth are given one in Heaven.
The homes have yards and porches and there are couches to lie on and tables to sit under while angels eat their dinners.
There are special bowls with the dogs' names on them. And each dog is petted and reminded how good he is, all day long.
Dogs in Dog Heaven may stay as long as they like and this can mean forever.
They will be there when old friends show up. They will be there at the door.
Angel dogs.
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