I have been debating  if I should publish this. I hope you don’t mind but since I started this blog with Spotty and his best mate, Stripes, as well as notifying when we’ve added to the family previously, that I should mention a loss.

I will say that our beloved dog we adopted 10 years ago has been a very good dog for us. He was cheeky to be sure, but also extremely gentle with my kiddos. He never was aggressive with them, and was great at welcoming you home. Even our cat loving neighbors liked him. Due to a chronic illness we went to the vet clinic more frequently than many, and they even were sad and mentioned that they will miss him. I have much more to say, but truthfully he is and will be missed for a very long time.

Although I have not mentioned him in the posts as much since the kiddos arrived, he has been a major part of our lives. A perceptive dog that knew just when to comfort anyone that was sad even if not visibly so. He would also cuddle up close to me when I was pregnant even in the first trimester.

We were all able to say our goodbyes before he passed. To say that we love(d) him would be an understatement. Saying goodbye was extremely hard. However, he let us know full well that it was time. It was his choice. I never understood that concept until I saw it in person with Spotty.

So the dog that frustrated me to no end at times, yet I love(d) just that much more. The dog that created a shadow on the left side of the stroller on our daily walks. The dog that I actually consider my first born. There is a quiet space in our house. We are learning a new normal. Stripes is also learning a new normal being the only dog in the house now without his best mate.

We miss Spotty, but know that pets pass away. It does not make losing a loyal friend that we have had for just over a decade less painful.

Bye for now. I hope to find some new mini adventures soon for the Willows.