She was a good sister wife.

Our sweet Ellie dog is gone.

She was 11 1/2 and suffered a stroke on Black Friday. She was touch and go for several days after that, but made a really impressive recovery, until about a week ago, and then she went back down that hill. She was suffering so we had to offer a last mercy to our dear old girl. We all stayed with her until her very last breath. Oh we'll miss her.

But, like human memorial services, we often need to reflect on the life lived as a way of grieving. So, I offer her a few simple ways in which Ellie was like my sister wife, filling some gaps that I probably never could.

Ellie was:
--very loyal to John, and the kids after that.
--a good running buddy (she and I certainly part ways here) and ran miles and miles with John for more than 9 years of her life (often with strollers as well).
--a playful wrastler.
--a wonderful snuggler, in fact, she may have spooned with John more than I (get) to. Hmm. I need to discuss that with him.
--quiet and reserved. Always a nice girl (especially around other dogs).
smart and willing to learn more.

What a blessing Ellie was to our family. We found her at a shelter when she was about 8 weeks old. An adorable black fluff ball. Right, everything is cute when it is little. She wasn't a "cute" dog, she was a good, loving, sweet, loyal, playful, energetic, and silly dog.

She really was Man's Best Friend. One man in particular.