#HowTosAndAdventures

We said goodbye to Joey in December, and while that first year was a roller coaster ride for me, with lots of highs and lows as I processed my grief, the Fall season brought on my biggest struggles.

During the last years of Pebbles’ life, we spent time evaluating her day-to-day, judging her quality of life and wrestling with making the right decision for her. When the time came for us to make the ultimate decision, it was so difficult. While our hearts wanted to waver, our minds knew it was the right decision.

Grief is such an individual thing. We all experience it in our own way and on our own timeline. You should never compare your grief to someone else’s, or even compare your grief in one situation to your grief in another situation. Just like snowflakes, each is unique and different.

How do you know when it’s time?

Our pets’ lives are shorter than ours. It’s a fact of life, and also, one the hardest things us pet parents will ever have to wrap our heads around.

Pebbles fought the good, hard fight against dementia, and gave us so much more time with her than we could have ever imagined. But, as time passed, she slowly forgot more and more…

One of the most beautiful places at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is Angels Rest. Angels Rest is the resting place and memorial for sanctuary animals, and anyone who would like to create a memorial for their beloved companion.

Before we said goodbye, we were able to have one last adventure with Joey. We didn’t go far, just adventured around town, but we spent the weekend as a family, making happy memories. With the help of some strong drugs, we were able to make him comfortable. Saturday, he was content just to be by my side, whether that be in my lap or being carried. Sunday was the best day it could have been. He rallied and found the strength to walk and stand on his own four legs. We could not have asked for a better weekend…the strong, determined Joey is the one we will forever remember and hold dear to our hearts. RIP #MyMisterJoey (2/12/2001 - 12/10/2017)