Chloe

Yesterday morning our sweet girl Chloe passed away.

She has been with our family as long as we have been one. She’s grown with us as we added four babies, seen 8 houses, and aged 15 years.

She’s our Chloe girl.

She’s a permanent fixture in our life.

For 15 years she’s patiently waited at the door for us to come home. She’s lost her hearing and her sight, so we had to gently wake her up when we would get home. We don’t want to startle her.

She went grey in the face, slowly at first, then almost the entire thing. Lumps and bumps showed up. She loved napping and resting. Hated exercise. Loved people and kids and babies.

We used to call her a nighttime bandit because she could get food off any counter, no matter the height. She once knocked a pie off our stove and ate the whole entire thing! I was so mad.

Towards the end we had to lift her back legs up to help her get on the couch to nap. A place she was never allowed to be. But now, more important than the hair on our furniture is her comfort.

She’s wrecked our grass. And our carpet. And countless shoes. She’s also snuggled up with all four of our babies.

She’s more like a sloth than a dog. And all heart.

We knew she didn’t have much time left. We could just tell. Sometimes we would watch her chest to make sure she was breathing.

Today was the first day we woke up without a dog in 15 years. The house is quiet. No one to let out to go to the bathroom. No one to snuggle at my feet.

We miss you sweet girl. So much.

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