For the last time today
You closed your eyes
As I stroked your head
And said my goodbyes
I know that this was best for you
It was your time to leave
And for those of us who love you
It is our time to grieve
Today my heart is broken
Though I know in time I’ll heal
But right now I just can’t help
The sorrow that I feel
The warmth of your soft black fur
I will never feel again
The comfort of your cuddles
And sloppy kisses on my skin
How much I’m already missing you
Our home – it feels so empty
I’m left with this huge void in my life
Where my sweet Mollie used to be
It’s hard to think of better times
As I struggle through my tears
But I am so very thankful
For our many happy years
And for all the joy and happiness
To so many of us you’ve brought
We always will remember you
You’ve left your paw prints on our hearts
Over the rainbow bridge now you must go
To reach your journey’s end
Know that our love goes with you
And that you were my bestest friend!
Miss Mollie girl
November 2, 1996 ~ July 21, 2011
Rest in Peace
Crystal's Corner 
OMG!!!!!!!!!! I am so, so, SOOOOOO sorry for your loss!! What a beautiful girl. By your pictures it was evident you spoiled her rotten and she had a great life full of love and adventures. (And what a long life she had too! All my other dogs have only ever made it to 10. Murph is now 10 and I just keep hoping he’ll break the cycle and keep on going. Because sending them over the Rainbow Bridge is the hardest of goodbyes.)
Your poem was so sweet. I loved all the pictures you shared of your life together. What an amazing tribute memorial to your Mollie. Mourning with you.
Thank you so much Courtney. And yeah, these are just a few random shots from our last few years that I liked. It was hard to choose…I have tons of pictures of all our adventures together. She was spoiled for sure, by all her friends and family. We loved to go hiking and camping in the mountains, and of course labs love swimming so anywhere there was water we had fun (except she didn’t like going out in the rain – hated rain drops on her head). And she loved to go for rides in the car…to anywhere.
14 – 15 seems to be the going time for the average healthy lab that’s stayed active, and she was right there, so it wasn’t a surprise that her health would start to fail and the end was near. She was diagnosed with an arrhythmia a couple of weeks ago, so we limited her activities, shorter walks and swims and stuff and made sure to keep her cool, and she was content and comfortable which was okay – she would always let me know when she wasn’t feeling well or she was hurting. She was an excellent communicator. Then Wednesday night she had a bad seizure, what we think was a stroke as by morning, she couldn’t walk more than a couple of steps before her legs collapsed on her, and she looked at me with eyes that said “I don’t want to leave you Mommy, but I just can’t continue on.” I knew. I had to help her let go, so that she didn’t feel like she was abandoning me and she would suffer no longer. My vets are such wonderful people, have cared for and supported us right to the very end. I even got a call yesterday afternoon (she passed in the morning) from one of her docs checking in on me and expressing his sympathies again.
I know it was the right thing to do. But still, she was my companion, my cuddle buddy, my comic relief, and oh so much more and to many other people as well. There are a lot of heavy hearts nearby sharing my sense of loss.
But as I sit here alone right now, home just doesn’t feel like home anymore. Not sure that it ever will again.
Ugh. I hadn’t had a chance to read your reply until just now thanks to all of the problems I’ve been contending with all week thanks to those hackers and my bad web host. Let me just say, I am so, so, so sorry again you are alone with just her footprints on your heart. BUT you do have those, and they’re oh so precious mementos of your marvelous fur baby.
Also, this put in perspective that the woes I’ve been having are nothing. My problem can be fixed. My pets have you to thank for me spending a little extra time and lavishing a little extra sugar on them from here on out. After all, they’re what matter most.
Sending lots of comfort and love your way.