To Our Beloved Family Pet

Dear Heidi,

Thank you for being the sweetest most golden brown girl in the world. After Mike and I got married, you were exactly the pup we needed in our lives. We drove 10 hours round-trip to pick you up from a southern Illinois rescue group. We were initially going to see the black shepherd but ended up adopting you when you captured our hearts. You were named Cashew, but we already had a new name for you after our ride home. Heidi, Heidi Bear, Brown Bear, Extra Brown Bear.

You were an instant mamma’s girl. And you put up with so much! Hugs, photos, costumes, and trying so hard to be the lake dog we always pretended you were.

You were a picky girl, especially when it came the the shades of pink that you would approve. But I’m picky too, so I know where you got it from.

We had a scare back when you were four when your stomach flipped upside down. Emergency surgery at one a.m. kept you with us for another five years. This would not be the first time you ended up with a cone. You rocked it though and were extra cute with this neck accessory.

You were beyond thrilled when your cousin Shay Bae joined the family. You two played so nicely at the lake together. And you were so sweet to share plates and Grandpa Rick with Shay over the years.

Soon after meeting cousin Shay, you knew something else was going on. You couldn’t quite put your nose on it, but you had a sense that something was coming.

When we brought your two-legged sibling home, (the one we call Theo), you graciously made room for him in our family. You did the same for Gwen when she joined the pack two years later.

We had a brief, two-year stint living at my parents house. I believe those were some of your favorite years. They were some of my favorites, too. You got double the pets, double the treats, and double the love.

As the kids grew up, you did such a good job cleaning up after meals, knowing which stuffies were yours and which were the kids, and with avoiding tripping over all of the toys that were left on the floor. As I scroll through all of my videos on my phone, you are in almost every one of them. You were always present for us, taking in all the love and joy that our family had to offer.

When we got the news of your diagnosis, we were heartbroken. We held on as long as we could. Our goal was to make you as comfortable and happy as we could over the last few months. You have been such an important member of our pack, and there is a palpable emptiness now that you are not with us on earth anymore.

We cannot wait to see you again as we know you will be waiting for us at Rainbow Bridge. Thank you for all that you have done for us and our family over the past nine years. You will be forever remembered, forever missed, and forever loved.

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