An unexpected goodbye
November was a very difficult month. We unexpectedly and suddenly lost the love of our lives — our pup, Ellie. It was a traumatic experience that involved a normal morning and ended just hours later with us saying goodbye to her. We were heartbroken. We still are.
For the first few days after we lost her, it was difficult just to get through the day. There were a lot of tears and many sleepless nights. I woke up sobbing often. It felt like my heart had broken into a million pieces and something was missing — because it was. It was the first time in my life I felt the physical pains of heartbreak.
Ellie was not only the dog who turned me into a doggie mama, but she opened up an entirely new world to me. She taught me to love in an entirely new way, and through the experience of loving her, my love extended to essentially every dog I meet. Without her, I never would have started fostering and growing my love in new ways.
While it didn’t seem possible when we lost her, each day has gotten a bit easier to get through. And even amid this strong and heavy sorrow, we knew another dog was in our future. Our family feels incomplete without one.
We began meeting pups but each time we would decide it was too soon or it wasn’t the right one. Until just a few days shy of welcoming 2024, we met the petite little hipppo who would steal our hearts. Pippa joined our family and made it whole again. We tell her all about the sister who came before her. We think Pippa would have liked Ellie but probably not the other way around — and that’s ok.
We still think of Ellie often and talk about her daily. Even in her absence, she’s still a strong presence in our lives — and I hope that never changes. I intend that it won’t.
I’m grateful for the nearly six years I got to spend loving Ellie and that I will continue loving her even though she’s no longer with us physically. And I’m grateful to my husband, Dustin, for bringing her into my life and forever changing it for the better. And, finally, I’m grateful for the chance to love again with welcoming Pippa to our family.