As most of you who read my blog know, our sweet 12-year-old Basset hound, Daisy departed this world on Wednesday for greener pastures. Because of her declining health, we consulted with a hospice veterinarian, who came to our home. While we did this as a family, each person was given the opportunity to opt out, which Bryce did. I don’t blame him. It’s tough to walk through this. But for me being present at the end of life is such a gift. It is my way of saying, “thank you”.

As we gathered, the vet explained the process and within minutes our sweet girl was at peace and pain-free. It was a mixture of beauty and heartbreak. As she was carried out, I exhaled. While the sadness of letting her go was heavy, I felt tremendous relief. I spent an enormous amount of time caring for her when her health shifted after Presley died seven months ago.

With that being said, it is a void. I haven’t been without a dog in close to twenty-five years. I crave that companionship. So I may or may not have inquired on a black lab that was recently rescued from the side of the road with her puppies while in a crate. It may or may not have been in the middle of the night when this action occurred. I probably didn’t consult anyone in my family. Honestly, I have never really “consulted” anyone in the past, so why start now? Oh, and the dog’s name is Daisy.

I don’t know if anything will transpire with this dog. But, I do know that I will follow what Bailey said while sitting with Daisy during her last moments, “we will move forward after this”. Yes, Bailey, we will definitely do that.