Not As Tough As I Thought I Was

In the past thirteen years, our kids have grown up, earned college degrees, started their careers and moved away. The one constant has been our beloved Sheltie. Our dear Annie passed away this week, just shy of her thirteenth birthday. Her routines, habits, and unconditional love made all the empty nest transitions easier. Losing her was difficult, because she represented the last vestige of the kids’ childhood. The grief caught me by surprise, and Annie had one last lesson to teach me: I am not so tough after all. We sure are going to miss her, but thankful she was a special part of our lives for as long as she was.