Goodbye Sweet Girl

Our dog has died.

Our girl Boxer, Lucy, passed quietly in her sleep last Monday.  She had been suffering from a very bad case of pancreatitis that did not improve with treatments.  It didn't take long.  Two weeks and she was gone.  We were terribly afraid we were going to have to make the horrendous decision to put her to sleep.  But then she saved us from that and passed that morning. 

It has been so very, very sad.  The boys have been weepy, distraught and confused.  Full of questions about death and Heaven and what she is doing with God.  We do our best to explain.  But how do explain how sweet Lucy actually gets to Heaven so she can play fetch with God?  It's not been easy.  An important life lesson, yes.  But certainly not easy.

Super Hubs has been very sad.  We realized through this whole process that he has not lost anyone close to him in many, many years.  His father, though struggling with his disease, is still here.  I've lost a friend's son and others.  But together, as a family, this was our first death of someone close.  A blessing in some ways;  other ways, not so much.  It's been hard.

Thoughts of her come to me occasionally and really catch me off guard.  I did not expect to grieve quite like this.  I grew up on a farm.  Animals die.  But I realize now that I've never had a family pet, who I lived with, slept with, cuddled and loved so greatly, die.  Growing up, our pets never entered our house.  Pets living in your house?  A different story.  A member of your family.  Most certainly.  And I miss her. 

The boys are entertaining thoughts of a new pet.  We have a male Boxer who is sad now.  They think he needs a new friend.  But hubs and I aren't ready yet.  Not quite ready for a new puppy to overtake that part of our hearts or home.  We feel like we owe it to sweet Lucy to give her a little more time to be the 'other girl' in the house.  So we'll wait.

Have you lost a pet?  Were you too, surprised at the pain of the loss?