Love...

Yesterday was a very sad day in our house.  It's crazy that a year ago we were all home mourning the loss of Maddi's friend Kristi and now we sit here mourning the loss of our friend Zoey.  As each of the children came home yesterday I had to tell them that our dog a died.   When Andy and Mitch walked in the door I was just getting off the phone with my mom so I was crying again.  Andy said "is Zoey home?"  and started to cry, he knew instantly that she was gone.  Maddi came in a few minutes later took one look at us and dropped all her books and bags and just looked at me waiting for me to make it not real.  About 10 min later she had to leave, she just couldn't be in the house.  Next was Josh...as he walked in the door he looked at me and said what?  I told him Zoey died, he then threw his phone on the ground (we still haven't found his battery).  All day all I could do was question why when I had felt so sure that she was going to get better and come home.  While Mitch was crying he looked at me and said "now we know that she was suppose to die cause we fasted for her and that we would not be selfish and want her to live in pain."  Wow the faith of a child, he put me in my place quickly.  He was right we had fasted and prayed that she would get better but that if she was in pain that we would not be selfish and she would not be in pain anymore.  I had forgotten so quickly the last part of our prayer because I just wanted her home.  We all want her home and will be sad for a long long time but we know that she is no longer suffering.  Last night when Vaughn got home from work he called us all together, he told us it was unfair that we didn't get to say good-bye.  We had no idea she was so sick.  He then let everyone take turns saying anything we wanted to Zoey and telling her good-bye.  It was heart breaking listening to my children express their love for her and how much they miss her.  It was also the beginning of our healing.  I am grateful to have such a wonderful husband and father of my children.  Today I kept my boys home from school (Maddi needed to go).  This is a time we just need to be together and feel each others love. 

                                                                                  Andy's Birthday Party

                                                                                       She loved to play in the snow

                                                                                           Such a pretty dog