remembering kibbles

january 26 holds some very sad memories for me. it is the date we lost our kibbles to cancer. she had had her share of illnesses throughout her life (a hernia, tumors, melanoma, torn ligaments in both her back legs, congestive heart failure...) but she always pulled through each one. however when cancer took hold of her, it didn't want to let her go. it was heartbreaking to watch her decline. i was watching cancer taking her away from us. each day was worse than the day before. her back legs were giving out and she had to be carried everywhere. she had no more strength to fight and no more strength to live.

it's a terrible thing when one has to be put in the position of deciding when it is time to say goodbye. unfortunately on january 26 we had been put there. i looked deep into kibbles' eyes and asked her if she was ready to move on... if it was time to make "the decision". i needed her approval. i could see in her eyes that she was ready. she was tired and the sparkle that once was in her eyes, had gone. we called the vet that very day and we took her that afternoon so she could finally be at rest. the final drive to the vet took about an hour and it rained all the way there. it's as if the heavens felt our pain and were crying with us.

i found her at a local animal shelter in 1995. she was a scrawny little mutt that stole my heart from the get-go. we were blessed to have had her as a part of our family for 14+ wonderful years. she was so much more than just the family dog. she was family in every sense of the word.

this picture was taken on the morning
of the day we had to say goodbye.

i love you kibbles <3