Remembering Pablo....

Handsome boy isn't he?

I have never experienced death in my life like I experienced it yesterday. We had to put our dog to sleep. When I say our dog I mean the "family" dog that has been with my parents since he was a puppy. We all love this dog. He is definitely a member of the family...not just our pet. When he was a puppy I used to drive all the way home from Olympia during my shifts at work just so he would have someone to play with outside for a while while everyone was at work or at school. When dad went to Alaska for a year Pablo basically lived at our house. I bought him sweaters and expensive doggie snacks and he spent so many days and nights with us. We bonded. Our dog Libby and he became the best of buds. I have seen this dog practically every single day of his life except when we were on vacation. I miss him already.

Pablo was a great dog. He was extraordinary. He brought a lot of joy to our lives. Then cancer happened. Last winter he developed a lump. The vet performed surgery and removed it but gave it a 50% chance of returning. It returned and was angry (as the vet put it) and in July she said there was nothing she could do. The cancer grew so fast we knew there wasn't much time left. So we made sure Pablo had a summer to remember. He was spoiled. We knew he was tired and hurting...and we didn't want to watch him suffer. Since my brother was coming to town and the whole family was together we made the choice for this to be his time. Even as the vet entered my parents yard yesterday Pablo jumped up to greet her with kisses and his tail wagging. He was such a good, friendly dog. So we said our goodbyes and held his paws and through our sobs of sadness, we let him go. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. It's the hardest thing to lose someone you love. Pablo wasn't just a pet. He is our family.

In remembrance of his life. Jan 25, 2002 to August 29, 2010.

Until we meet again...miss you ol' buddy ol' pal....