It's hard to say goodbye...

Today there was an accident and our dog Riley died. Even though I often questioned what moment of insanity prompted us to get a dog...I find myself missing him tonight. This evening I have replayed what I could have done differently to change the events of today but that does nothing to change the reality. Playing games of 'What if...' or 'I should have...' only lead to feelings of guilt on my part.

 

The hardest part of it all is watching my children. As they sobbed over the loss of their dog, I held them and cried with them. Steven has been walking around the house this evening saying, 'Riley died.' Before he went to bed he was crying saying 'He's in Daddy's hole.' We buried him this afternoon and I think it helped provide a little bit of closure for the children. I took a few pictures that I'll add tomorrow (my technological skills fail me tonight).

 

He was a permanent fixture in our family (even though I refused to let him be in the family picture). The kids loved him and tried to take him everywhere. We'll miss him!

Josh picked him up while we were gone during the summer. I think he was missing the kids and wanted to surprise them. I had just finished potty training Jacob and was not thrilled about the idea of potty training a dog. Of course they fell in love with him instantly.

 Emma particularly loved him. She took him on walks, gave him baths, and always reached out to pat his head if he was close to her.

This afternoon when Josh got a shovel to dig the hole, Aaron went and got another one so he could help. He's becoming such a little man. Then he suggested we watch the cartoon 'All Dogs Go to Heaven' this evening. I think he was concerned about the girls being so upset.

Steven and Riley have grown up together. Steven is the first to put him in the laundry room if he's in trouble but he's also the first one to notice when his water bowl is empty. Riley was always there to clean Steven's face off after he had eaten and Steven was always dropping food on the ground so Riley could sample. They were buddies. Pals. It was so fun to watch them together!

Abigail and Jacob loved him too. When we went on a walk or to the park they wanted Riley to come with us. Change is always difficult but learning how to cope with it is essential to progressing in life. Shortly after our initial tears, Abigail asked me if we could pray. She and I went to my room and she offered a simple, yet heartfelt prayer. She prayed that Riley would have a good day in heaven and that we wouldn't be too sad. What an inspiration she is to me!

 

It's so hard to say goodbye, especially when that goodbye comes too soon, but we are grateful for the many wonderful memories that we have of Riley.