My Fair Sadie

Yesterday morning our family had to say farewell to one of our most beloved members: our 15 year old Golden Retriever Sadie.  She was our first dog, and to have had her in our lives as long as we did was amazing.

We got Sadie when I was 10 and she was the sweetest pup ever.  Whenever you sneezed she'd run over and put her paw on your leg and look at you with her big eyes as if she was saying "hey, what's wrong? you ok?"

Sadie loved the beach....well she more loved to lay on the wet sand right where the water came in, basically the area she could get the most dirty.  She like most retrievers was obsessed with tennis balls, and at the beach she loved nothing more than trying to bury them, but also kind of dig them out at the same time.  And of course she had to do this right by your towel where she could get the most sand on you.

Sadie was obedient for the most part, although she really just had a mind of her own.  We always said she was like an annoyed teenager, and if she could've flipped you off she would have.

The past couple years as out beautiful girl's fur turned white, her vision failed, as did her hearing.  Although, I was always skeptical about the hearing loss, it was more selective hearing.  She couldn't hear you if you needed her to move or follow you somewhere she didn't want to go, but yet she could always, always hear the cookie jar opening.  Always.

I'm so glad we were all able to be together with her in the last moments.  Saying good-bye is never easy, but I will always hold her in my heart.

This is the last picture I took of Sadie yesterday morning; she really wanted the cookie I was holding.