Life As We Know It: All Dogs Go To Heaven

If this is in fact the case then heaven has a new angel in our sweet dog Hallie. She had been sick with stomach issues since November but had more recently started having trouble with one of her hind legs and then even more recently a front leg. She was pitiful trying to get around on 2 legs and we took her to the vet as soon as we noticed how much trouble she was having. They gave her some medicine for the pain and we took her back last Thursday for some x-rays. She had multiple breaks, even in spots they weren't trying to get in the x-ray and pretty much told us putting her to sleep was our only option. The vet said she felt like it was some sort of aggressive bloodborne cancer to have affected her so quickly and to now be affecting her bones. Jamey went and said bye to her and then I went and stayed with her when they put her to sleep. She was so sweet and despite being in so much pain she was her typical self, just happy to be getting some attention! With the two good legs she had, she made it her mission to get into my lap, which BTW she accomplished pretty quickly! She passed away with a treat in her mouth and her head and front paws in my lap. As hard as it was to be there, the nurse in me doesn't think anyone should die alone and it was honestly such a peaceful way to go. We miss her so much but are giving Woody lots of love and attention. He seems a little somber to us but is perking up pretty quickly and is really enjoying being back inside with the fam.

Last Thursday we also had tickets to the circus and as awful of an afternoon as it had been, we thought we could all use a little cheering up. The boys loved it and were great through the whole 2 hours. It's ridiculous to me that you have to pay for a 2 year old because all he wanted to do was sit in my lap the whole time but the extra room was good for our coats I guess. Cooper loved the elephants and I think Carter loved it all! They wouldn't let you bring fancy cameras so I wasn't able to get very many good pictures but at least we have proof we were there!

I had a hard time deciding how to tell Carter about Hallie so I put if off but Friday morning when he woke up he asked me when in the world we were going to go get Hallie from the vet?! I told him as easily as I could that because Hallie had so many boo boo's and was in lots of pain she wasn't going to be coming home from the vet but was in heaven now. He immediately said, "Oh, ok" and I thought I was out of the woods. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, he started crying and was just about as sweet as I've ever seen him. To see such real, raw emotion in your own child, especially a 4 year old, was heart wrenching but a part of the grief process I know. He seemed happier once I told him she wasn't hurting anymore and that she was happy doing whatever she wanted in heaven - chasing balls, eating, napping, etc. He really hasn't missed a beat since but will every now and then say, "Sweet little fella" when referring to Hallie and say how much he misses her and how he's a little sad. Cooper seems great and will say her name and then point to the sky to say she's in heaven.

She was such a funny, sweet dog and we will never forget what a great pet, companion, and mother she was. Heaven most definitely has a new angel, one with a little pointy head who closes her eyes and thinks she can do no wrong (she used to always close her eyes and whine when she wanted your attention and would put her paws in your lap and try to climb right up like she was 10lbs instead of 80!). She will certainly be missed in our house be we know she's in a much better place.

An Oldie but Goody...Hallie as a puppy and 1 year old Woody when we first brought her home.