Our dear sweet Shadow...

Our dear Shadow of 15 years passed away the second week of March. She peacefully went in her sleep and we buried her at Stateline along with all of the other family dogs. It was very heartbreaking for Ron and I and our family and friends that loved her as well. Bacca and Brayden actually handled it very well.
Brayden asked me {about a week later}..."Mommy, where's Shadow?" I was honest and told him that sometimes when animals get sick, their isnt enough medicine to make them better and that animals dont live as long as poeple do, and that she passed away and went to heaven". He said "Well...when Shadow comes back Bacca will be happy!" I then had to really explain that going to Heaven meant she would not be coming back , and that she was dead, and she is no longer in pain, and is with God and our other family in heaven with our guardian angels" {he knows this from our prayers at night, so I went with that}. He walked away and started playing again with his play phone when I breathed a sigh of relief until I heard him say to his caller "Hi Shadow, its me...Brayden...how are you? Oh, really? Wow, yeah, uh huh, ok...bye!!!! He came running up to me and said very excitedly "Mommy!!!!!!!! I talked to Shadow and she is happy in heaven, and they gave her a band aid, and she is jumping on the trampoline and bounce house!!!" I got all excited with him, and when he walked away....I sobbed! It's amazing though that he embraced something I thought would devastate him.

Shadow {Pretty girl}...was a part of our family since 1997.  We got Bacca  a year later.  She was our little escape artist..she would dig under or climb over any fence we had.  She would "sass" you when you talked to her, and she loved whip cream, peanut butter and ice chips.  She never growled, never nipped, she was the sweetest happiest dog ever!  She would constantly give kisses and loved to play and run and frolic as many dogs do.  She had such an adventurous life, and loved riding in the car on our many road trips with her.  She would swim in our pool and hop around like a frog when we played rough with her...she would have me in stitches half the time.  She was such a wonderful part of our family.  Burying her was emotional, but in a good way.  The last few years arthritis plagued her and she slowly became miserable.  She would just sleep, eat and go potty. I felt relieved that is now in Heaven and no longer in pain.  There is true solice in that.  I hope her soul is still with us, and that she knows just how much we loved her!!!

We will greatly miss her!!! So...we are giving Bacca lots of love and attention right now! We love you pretty girl!