Burke

Truth be told, I have been dreading this post for years now as I knew I would never be ready to say goodbye to our pup.  We said goodbye to our precious beagle, Burke, on Monday, September 25th.  He was with us for almost 14 years and I don't think it was ever going to be long enough.  He was our "first born", my running partner, the boys' companion, a sock-snatcher, a crumb catcher, a loyal friend, our favorite "redhead", a cuddle bug on a cold day, welcomed us home every day after school, had the softest ears and the kindest eyes, loved frozen yogurt treats (especially on his birthday each year) and kept us on our toes.  Our family has been absolutely a mess this week as we have processed this loss while continuing with our daily schedules.  I don't think we realized how much Burke was an integral part of our routines until he was no longer with us.  We miss his pitter-patter on the wood floor as he would follow us from room to room. We miss being greeted by him when we would walk in the door after a long day.  We miss his evening "zoomies" when we would get home.  We miss his howl.  Honestly, I even miss the fur that constantly piled up on the floor.  Burke had been sick for awhile, dealing with cancer that had probably spread past the point we really even knew.  He began having accidents this summer which was so unlike him.  He fell about two weeks ago and had a hard time walking.  Then, he had fluid on his chest that had to be aspirated.  The final signs that it was Burke's time to say goodbye was that he stopped eating and being fully mobile for the last four days of his life.  Zack and I made the hard decision to say goodbye while we were at the vet rather than taking him home or having him stay at the vet for further observation when we felt Burke was telling us that it was time to go.  I do believe there are pets in heaven and I cannot wait until I see him running up to me with his big ears flapping in the breeze.  Until then, we pray that this loss hurts a little less each day and we are comforted by all the positive memories shared over the years.  Burke added so much joy to our lives and we pray that we did the same for his. :)

Here are some of my favorite and recent pictures of Burke.

This was the last picture I took of him, the night before we said goodbye.  He was such a good boy to the very end, having Zack carry him outside so he could use the restroom even though he wasn't able to walk on his back legs. We were with him when he took his final breaths.  His precious eyes never left mine. 

Mia drew this picture for Zander.  Zander has started making replicas for each of our family members.

We brought Burke's body home with us so we could get some paw prints made, and we were able to bury him in our wooded backyard where he enjoyed getting many sniffs.  Prayers are appreciated as we continue to remember the best pup!

This verse has shown up in two of my quiet times this week (the first time on Monday, the day we said goodbye to Burke) and in Maddox's Awana verses.  I love how God speaks to you when you really need to hear from him. :)