Saying goodbye to Riley

This was a day that we knew was coming but it doesn't make it any easier when it finally arrives. Riley has battled lymphoma for a few months and although the doctor thought he was in remission, there was something more going on as he stopped eating, drinking and could hardly get up anymore. Let me back up for those of you who don't know the story behind Riley. My parents saw him at the pet store when they were building the new Oregon City Papa Murphy's and when I saw him I fell in love. My parents advised against getting him...Jamie and I had just gotten married and were living in an apartment which they didn't think was the best place to have a dog. And Jamie REALLY didn't want me to get him...he actually said it's me or the dog...but of course I knew he was kidding because that same night he came home to meet our new puppy! I had no idea what having a puppy meant...the chewing, biting, jumping, peeing and vet bills. I would have to jump up on the couch or counters just to get away from those sharp puppy teeth attacking my ankles! And of course I had to find somewhere to keep Riley when I went to work all day so guess who got to take care of their first grand-dog?! I would bring Riley up to my parents before work and let him play on their 5 acres, go in the pond and chase balls. When we moved into our first house we were finally able to keep him at home. Then we had Ellie and let's just say Riley wasn't a big fan of little people. It got to be too much trying to keep a toddling little girl away from an inpatient dog so Riley got to move up to the 5 acres once again. And this time he stayed. We still came to see Riley and everytime we pulled up he would talk to us...this funny little howl thing he did. He loved it up here, he loved us and he loved my parents. They became his caregivers (thank goodness because we never could have afforded all that cancer treatment, or back surgery he had)...he was in good hands and they came to love him and had a strong bond with him. So...fast forward to this morning...I was getting ready to get the girls on the bus when the phone rang and my mom said it was time. He had a bad night, and it was time to end his suffering. We walked the kids over to say goodbye and we all gathered around him and cuddled him. Lily was too sad to go to school, Ellie went but didn't have a very good day. I went with my parents to go put him down and it was a very sad day. We decided to bring him home with us and bury him on our property so he could always be here with us. Jamie dug a hole...a very big, deep hole and we had our little memorial service for Riley. The girls made cards that they put in the grave with him and we put in a ball...he loved his tennis balls! It brought Jamie and I back to ten years ago...he was our first "baby"...the first addition to our family. We laughed how hard it was in the beginning and cried over how hard it was today in the end...but all those special memories in between makes it all worth it. Riley will be missed and will always hold a special place in our hearts.