Even though I’m way behind on posts I needed to take a moment and update on an event that has turned our world upside down over the last 24 hours.
In 2007 we were blessed with what we would find out to be the best wedding gift we could get. Kila at that time was four years old and came to us from a family member who couldn't keep her. We are so glad we said yes and let her into our lives. She has been a blessing that will fill our memories for eternity.
The first months were hard I had a hard time accepting her into the family she was big, hairy, slobbery, and she was taking away from my precious “only child.” Little did I know that she would steal my heart and take a part of it with her when she left.
Soon the bugs got worked out and our family clicked. Yes, she had her quirks like any dog but we all got to know and love each other. In 2009 we were blessed again with Addilynn and that was a huge turning point. I became a mother and so did Kila. She always had one eye on the baby and one eye on us. When Addilynn became mobile often times I would find the two of them curled up on the dog bed. We were one big happy family.
Kila was amazing with Addilynn. She was always so gentle when Addilynn was touching her. Kila was poked and pinched and never once even looked sideways at Addilynn. That is when I realized how much respect and love I had for our second fur child.
The years ticked on and along comes miss paisley. I was having steady contractions the night before I was induced and Kila was watching me pace the halls nervously. Thanks to Maria for capturing the moment.
After Paisley came I’m not sure Kila knew what hit her we had a tornado on our hands. If she thought she had it rough with Addilynn, she was wrong. At one point Paisley even stuck her entire finger in Kila’s nose! Still not a whine or snarl from Kila. While a new relationship was forming between the beast and and the canine, Addilynn was solidifying her ever growing friendship with her “sister dog.” Never have I seen such a bond between dog and child.
It breaks my heart to think that Paisley did not get to have the same relationship as Addilynn with the perfect pet.
One of her favorite things to do was camp. She would even crawl into camp chairs and hang out by the fire. Not everyone was a fan of this due to her excessive amount of dog hair but it was pretty cute! She loved the girls with her whole heart and spent countless hours chasing after them mothering them. She was always good for a big ole sloppy kiss. She loved food, cuddles, the bridge of her nose rubbed, and pretty much anything. I loved the way her ears flapped in the wind when she rode in the back of the pickup, the way she wanted to be a lap dog even though she weighed 60 lbs, the way she smiled, the way her whole body wagged along with her stub tail, and the way she waited outside the bathroom door every night when I took a shower. She was the most loyal dog I’ve ever seen.
This picture was a week and a half before she passed away. We took the camper up to camp and played in the water. I was so happy that Kila got to camp one more time over Memorial weekend. She had a blast. Kila was pretty protective over the girls and even snapped at Remi when he smacked paisley with his tail and made her cry. We didn’t know it at the time but these would be the last pictures we took of our big baby boxer dog.
Although she possessed many amazing qualities, Kila never failed to get into trouble. She had a garbage gut which caused her to get sick countless times. We went through at least four rugs and for the last 6 months we haven’t had a rug in the living room for that reason. Every morning Kila would shake really loud and I always grumbled because I was afraid she would wake the kids. This morning I laid in bed waiting for it and it never came. I would give anything to be able to grumble at her again. Normal chores today have brought tears to my eyes. Vacuuming the floor I realized soon I will no longer be able to see her hair EVERYWHERE. Mopping I hesitated when I got to her paw prints in the back room. Her presence is everywhere. Bruiser is missing her too. He is constantly looking for her and laying in the spot where her bed used to be. I wonder if the emptiness with ever go away?
The hardest part about losing her was when we broke the news to Addilynn. Her world was crushed. She screamed “why did you send my dog to heaven?” “She was my best friend how could you guys do that?” Those were the saddest words I’ve ever heard coming from my baby’s mouth. Trust me baby if there was a way to keep her forever we would.
Kila suffered from a heart attack while we were eating dinner on 5/30/14. After we got the kids settled Kila perked up just enough to say goodbye to the girls before we rushed her to the vet. She even got one last tail wag in. The vet did a thorough check up and determined it was from a hemangiosarcoma in her heart. Dustin and I got to spend her last moments with her kissing and cuddling her. She seemed ready to go she was very peaceful when she passed. She will always be missed.
