One Really Great Dog

Before we had kids, we had pets.

Shortly after Jon and I married,

we went to the local shelter.

We met a stray. He'd been found wandering.

No one knew how old he was, where he'd

come from, what he'd been through.

They did know that he was easy going. Loved to eat, sleep,

and play (we were told). They knew that he was

part black lab. They knew that he needed a home.

We fell in love with him. His name was Tyler.

We brought him home.

We figured he was old, he wasn't quite as playful as a

younger dog. He did love to eat and sleep.

He loved us. He endured the addition of

children to our family.

Accepted them, loved them. He was loyal and kind.

His favorite thing to do was to lay outside, in the sun. Imagine

how he must have hated the shelter, locked indoors in a cage. How

happy he was to hike, camp, and spend time with us.

He was a wonderful dog. On Friday, April 17, Tyler

passed away unexpectedly. He has left a hole in our hearts.

He is missed.

We still look for him out under his favorite tree. We still see the holes

he dug in our yard. We miss his happy face.

We love you Tyler.