Annie's second chance

Goodbye

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This is the day that I have dreaded since that very first moment I gazed into your soulful eyes.

Your gray whiskers were the hint that you had already lived out the majority of your days.  At the time, I guessed that you were about 9 years old, a few months later I was able to confirm that you were 9 1/2, but I never thought twice about bringing you home and giving you the life that you deserved.

I wish we could have had more time.

I wish your previous life was not so difficult.

I wish I could have known you as a puppy.

I wish we could have marched in the Rescue Parade.

I wish you didn’t have to be afraid of so many things.

I wish I could have fixed you.

You taught be me so much about love, trust, resilience and forgiveness.

You were strong, stoic, gentle, affectionate and so, so sweet.

You inspired me to write your story.

You invited me in, and let me be your person.

You were everything I could’ve asked for.

You were like no other.

I will never forget you, I will always love you and you are forever in my heart.

Goodbye precious Annie, my sweet, sweet girl. IMG_2757

 

45 thoughts on “Goodbye”

  3. We are so sorry for your loss dear Kristin and are so grateful Annie had her final years with you to experience the loving home she always deserved. It is harder to adopt a dog in her senior years because we already know we will have less time than we would have wished for. We have done this too in the past and the senior dog we adopted was already ill and only lived another 18 months. And we would never have wanted to be without him. He was so happy and so loved, found a brother and sister in our other adopted dogs and the three of them were inseparable. It is a great gift we can give and we create so many special memories. Love is always the winner, even in loss. Thank you for sharing your journey with Annie here Kristin and for giving us the opportunity to know and love Annie too. Much love to you and your family family from all of us here 💜💞 Run free sweet Annie 😚🌈💕

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    1. Thank you Xenia, my heart feels like it’s in a thousand pieces. I promised her from her very first day that she would never suffer again. I tried so hard to get her through this, but it took over so I let her go and kept that promise. She kissed me goodbye and I knew it was the right time. I loved her so.

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  8. ahhh, sobbing here. My introduction to Annie seems so recent. I want to know her whole story. If I scroll back far enough will I find it.

    You are such a generous person. Someday I hope I can share with you my childhood story about Annie’s breed.

    Thank you so much for sharing her with us.

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    1. If you click on Annie’s second chance in the sidebar I have the story of her first six months in chapters. I also have added some fun ones as they come up. She was incredibly resilient and was willing to trust us. She let us be her family and she was very special. I feel so honored to have been able to give her her best years. My husband said to me, it’s pretty great to peak in your senior years! I think she felt like that with us.

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      1. WONDERFUL story!!
        Here’s the short version of mine…
        I’m four or five years old and in our tiny beach community on Fridays the Fun Trucks, playing loud music, come around. One has a tiny, 6-kid Merry-go-round on the flat bed. One has clowns dancing around. And one new truck I haven’t seen before has these “horseys” that little kids can ride around in their yards. I am still waiting for the trucks and one of these “horseys” wanders by, all alone and right in front of me. It walks up to me, and towers over me. It leans down and then licks my face. I don’t know about the new “horsey” truck so I think it s a bear.
        I run into the house and tell them a BEAR just licked my face. They laugh and don’t believe me. So I got really scared.
        It wasn’t until a few years later when I saw a picture of a Newfoundland, that I recognized my “bear”.
        Now, I have an adopted “daughter” (my son’s girlfriend of 10 years) who has Newfies and I adore them!!!

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      2. Love it! Years ago, I came home and my back gate was open. My heart jumped because I thought there was a bear sniffing around my trash cans, then I realized it was my girl Bailey. Always the escape artist, opening doors and gates and looking so much like a bear!

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  12. Thank you for sharing this difficult time with us. What a blessing for you both, to have each other. If you don’t mind, I’d love to make/send you a card…I would just need your mailing address. You can message me on FB, too. Again, I’m so sorry

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    2. Oh thank you, it’s so hard, but she didn’t suffer. I think she visited tonight, I was with friends and suddenly I smelled her. That happened 3 Times and Maisie and Winn were asleep in the next room. I think she’s telling me she’s ok. That probably sounds crazy, but I’m feeling a little better.

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  14. Oh no. Not sweet Annie! She’s come so far. I am so sad for you and for us. I loved that she trusted you finally and got to do some of the fun things you offered her. I’m so very sorry. HUGE HUGS.

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      2. It happened pretty quickly. I thought it was under control and getting better and then it wasn’t. She was still pretty happy and didn’t suffer, she took a turn and I made the decision. I wish I could have fixed her.

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  15. Aw crap. Tears are falling down my cheeks as I read this post. I’m so very sorry Miss Annie has walked across the Bridge. I hope the tender memories you have of your time together will comfort you in this sad lose. {sniffle} 💔 Sending oodles of poodles thoughts your way.

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  16. I am so very sorry for your loss, you gave her the best years of her live and she will go over rainbow bridge knowing and feeling loved, you and your family shared your hearts and home with her and from the post I read she was truly happy with you. You have her so much. 💕🌈🐶

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  17. Awww…I am so so sorry for your loss. Good bye sweet Annie. Thanks to you, she lived out the last years of her life in a loving home. Senior dogs are always overlooked but bless you for opening your heart and home to her.

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      1. I don’t think anyone is really ever ready to say good bye to their loved ones, no matter how much you think you have prepared for it. I’m sure she will pop up here and there to let you know she’s okay 🙂 (I feel like sometimes my first dog kind of shows up from time to time to let me know he’s happy over the rainbow bridge…as crazy as that sounds! lol)

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