McKenzie

Fourth of July was a day of celebration and sorrow. We celebrated our family being back together again, after my short trip to Texas. As I was unpacking, McKenzie had her final episode and passed with both Adam and I by her side.

We called McKenzie "big girl" because she was. She was big, but she also had a big love for life. She loved sticks.

And tennis balls.

And doing bicycle kicks in the backyard to scratch her back.

Adam and his family raised McKenzie since she was a puppy. They had a very special bond.

As she grew older, the puppy in her never grew--especially in the snow.

She was always ready to get outside and play.

Especially if snowballs were involved.

When our "pack" grew, McKenzie knew her life was about to change drastically. Still, she welcomed Micah in stride. The first few months, she'd look at us as if to say, "So, when's this thing going home?"

But as long as she was included, she was happy.

McKenzie wasn't a cuddler, and neither is Micah, which turned out to be a good thing. Instead, they'd both look at each other or briefly investigate.

McKenzie had it easy when Micah wasn't on the move.

But that also changed. Micah's fascination with McKenzie grew as he did, and she also grew a lot of patience. Occasionally, she'd check out what he was doing.

But usually, he checked out what she was doing. From playing in her water dish to stealing her sticks, McKenzie always showed him kindness and gentleness.

McKenzie was a good girl. We're missing her a lot as our daily routines just aren't the same without her. She'll always be a part of our family, and we're encouraged to think about her running around, playing with tennis balls and sticks, for the rest of eternity.