Life to the Max

Max has been a part of our sons' lives for their entire memory. They were both young enough that they can't really remember a time without him around the house, greeting them at the door each day, playing and chasing them around the house, begging to be walked or let outside to do his business...just there, always there.

Last night, we had to say good-bye to Max. I've never had to do this before either, so it was a new and unwelcome experience for the entire family. We had booked an appointment at the animal hospital and then, with teary eyes, took him in for a final good-bye.

More tears, more hugs, more good-byes...and then it was over.

The veterinary staff were very sensitive and understanding, but with something like this, there isn't much somebody else can do to mitigate the grief. We'll get paw prints in about a week's time to give to our sons, and of course, we'll keep the collar and leash for ourselves, but the bottom line is that our beloved dog Max is gone.

We'll miss him.