Sweet Sheba (July 14, 2004 - May 2, 2014)

We always knew the day would come. Everyone knows the sad truth that a dog's life is much shorter than a human life. Loving a dog pretty much means that you will lose a dog. The truth doesn't make it hurt any less. Telling  yourself, "it's just a dog" doesn't lessen the pain either.

Sheba has always been beautiful. We often heard, "That's the most beautiful St. Bernard I've ever seen!" And we knew it was true. People often wanted to stop and pat her head or rub her belly. We were asked so many times, "How much does she weigh?" "Does she eat a lot?" "Do you have a barrel for her?" We always answered the same, "140 lbs." "6 cups a day." "Yes, we found one in Switzerland."

Sheba was 6 weeks old when we brought her home. She was just shy of 10 when we took her to the vet the final time. On both of those drives she whimpered and cried.

My bond with Sheba was strong. The day after we brought her home Mark left on a 14-day trip to China for work. She followed me around our home and got under my feet. She scratched up my legs and nibbled on my arms with her puppy teeth. She cried night after night until I "came to her rescue." She and I grew to understand one another. She let me cry on her time and time again.

She was always sweet and gentle with our kids. Raelyn and Max don't know a home without Sheba in it. She carefully watched over them as babies and let them cuddle and play with her as toddlers. Both kids include Sheba in their prayers as a family member, "Thank you for Mommy, Daddy, Raelyn, Max, and Sheba."

We will love Sheba forever and will never forget her. With her last breath, she picked up her head and laid it gently on my lap like she had done hundreds of times before...

We miss you, sweet Sheba.