Saying Goodbye

It has been over a week now and I thought maybe it would get easier to find the time to write this post, but truthfully, it hasn't.  On the morning of August 24th, we had to unexpectantly say good bye to Rocky for the last time.  

Rocky had 11 great years with us, but boy do we miss him terribly.

Dana and I are especially grieving, for we've had so many years with him.  He was our first baby together and we sure did treat him that way!  I'll never forget the day he came home with us.  His 1 lb little body came toddling right to me and instantly, Dana and I knew he was ours.  

He made us feel like a family and gave us hope to have a future family together.  I would carry him around with us wherever we could get away with it...

And, remember when he threw him a 1 year birthday party?!  

And he was a ring bearer in our wedding :)

Through the years, Rocky has been so much for us.  He loved us unconditionally.  And, even with his particular chihuahua personality, he had a way of making people notice him, and love him (for a maximum of 3 pets on the head), he loved sleep over guests, cuddling between our legs, guarding our entire neighborhood of those obnoxious delivery people, and always told me when something wasn't right.  And, in the last few years, he fell in love with camping with us.

We are so grateful that he was with us on our family road trip over the summer and all the memories we created together.  We didn't know then, but it would also be when our very last family picture with Rocky included would be taken...

We miss Rocky every day, in different ways, with constant reminders of his absence.  It's been hard for us to talk about him to other people and writing this post hasn't been easy, but I know we need to tell people, so here it is.  RIP Rocky, you will always and forever have a place in our hearts.