[It took me two weeks to write this, and I still have tears rolling down my cheeks...]
For most people, as a kid and growing up with a pet, is like growing up with a four-legged sibling. (My sister wrote a post a couple years ago about our puppy, Rocky.)
They attend family gatherings and holidays, comfort you when you are sad, come on family vacations, irritate and let you down at times, are often included in family pictures, earn nicknames, are apart of family inside-jokes, are known by name (and even loved) by family friends...
These are a few of things that rang true in the life of our dog, Rocky.
Sadly, the morning of July 22nd, Rocky's time with us came to a close. Having struggled with the challenges of 'old-dog-age', we as a family were faced with one of the hardest decision, I think I've personally had to make. We all knew this day would eventually come. When I moved to France as well as Orlando (both times), I cried as I left, knowing my time with my grown puppy was even more limited. In January 2013, when I moved back to Orlando, I made my family promise me they wouldn't do anything until I was home.
As
I made my summer plans earlier in the year, I had assumed this would be
my last visit to see Rocky. We headed up to Muskegon, for a short
weekend, where my parents had just bought a cottage. After we moved
everything in Sunday afternoon, the rest of the evening was filled with
Rocky stories, laughter and some tears as well as individual time with
him. We were all dreading the morning.
As we all, teary eyed, drove with Rocky one last time to the vet, silent filled the car. I'm sure we were all replaying various memories with our beloved dog over the past 11.5 years. We pulled, parked and Dad had to carry Rocky out of the car. We all slowly started for the door, as the tears and sobs increased. It was if Rocky sensed it, because he went through the first door then turned around and headed back for the car.
Dad
had to shepherded him back to the doors leading inside. We headed down a
hall for the last room on the right. It was in this room we said our
final farewells to our favorite pet. He hobbled around as if to say good
bye to each of us, leaving plenty of "Rocky hairs" behind. We all knew
this painful decision had to be made as Rocky himself, in his old age,
had been enduring pain for the last several years.
As our family of 7 drove back to the cottage, again all being quiet, silent tears continued to roll down my face. The rest of the day seemed like a blur that dragged on. We were all emotionally wiped - as well as physically from moving into the cottage the day before.
As I was processing all that had happened, I was thankful my family had this place (the cottage) of retreat, rest and comfort. And that Rocky had been able to be there at the start of all the memories that will be made.
I don't think any of us will ever had a pet that will measure up to the legacy Rocky has left in our lives. And as the song Gracie made up goes, "Is that my puppum Rockum? It is my puppum Rockum! Hello my puppum Rockum. I love my puppum Rockum."
For most people, as a kid and growing up with a pet, is like growing up with a four-legged sibling. (My sister wrote a post a couple years ago about our puppy, Rocky.) They attend family gatherings and holidays, comfort you when you are sad, come on family vacations, irritate and let you down at times, are often included in family pictures, earn nicknames, are apart of family inside-jokes, are known by name (and even loved) by family friends...
These are a few of things that rang true in the life of our dog, Rocky.Sadly, the morning of July 22nd, Rocky's time with us came to a close. Having struggled with the challenges of 'old-dog-age', we as a family were faced with one of the hardest decision, I think I've personally had to make. We all knew this day would eventually come. When I moved to France as well as Orlando (both times), I cried as I left, knowing my time with my grown puppy was even more limited. In January 2013, when I moved back to Orlando, I made my family promise me they wouldn't do anything until I was home.
As we all, teary eyed, drove with Rocky one last time to the vet, silent filled the car. I'm sure we were all replaying various memories with our beloved dog over the past 11.5 years. We pulled, parked and Dad had to carry Rocky out of the car. We all slowly started for the door, as the tears and sobs increased. It was if Rocky sensed it, because he went through the first door then turned around and headed back for the car.
Dad
had to shepherded him back to the doors leading inside. We headed down a
hall for the last room on the right. It was in this room we said our
final farewells to our favorite pet. He hobbled around as if to say good
bye to each of us, leaving plenty of "Rocky hairs" behind. We all knew
this painful decision had to be made as Rocky himself, in his old age,
had been enduring pain for the last several years.As our family of 7 drove back to the cottage, again all being quiet, silent tears continued to roll down my face. The rest of the day seemed like a blur that dragged on. We were all emotionally wiped - as well as physically from moving into the cottage the day before.
As I was processing all that had happened, I was thankful my family had this place (the cottage) of retreat, rest and comfort. And that Rocky had been able to be there at the start of all the memories that will be made.
I don't think any of us will ever had a pet that will measure up to the legacy Rocky has left in our lives. And as the song Gracie made up goes, "Is that my puppum Rockum? It is my puppum Rockum! Hello my puppum Rockum. I love my puppum Rockum."
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