We said goodbye to our very best girl, Ellie, today.

We adopted her in January 2011, almost thirteen years ago, and before we bought our home. This home that has never been a dog free house, but is now, after also saying goodbye to Sasha fifteen months ago.

Back in early 2011, my husband and I had only been married for a little over a year, and had been back in Washington state for about six months when we decided to open our home to a dog.

A little while later, we met Elmira, a fifty pound, five month old Lab/Dane mix who had already survived distemper and mange, so was having a hard time getting adopted. We brought her home, nicknamed her Ellie, and have loved her every day since.

Not long after I started writing this blog, she got extremely sick and we thought we were going to lose her. We thought she was an old timer even then. (If you’ve heard about dogs getting sick from grain free food, that’s what happened to her, when they still thought it was a genetic issue and not environmental. We were originally given 3-6 months for her then, “unless it’s the rare case of taurine deficiency.”

It was that, and she went on to live a normal life, just with the add of twice daily heart medication and semi regular checkups.

And then in 2019(?) she somehow ended up with another unrelated health issue that ended with having to amputate two of her toes.

As she aged, she got lumpier and lumpier (enough so that one of the kiddo’s asked if she was pregnant about a year ago because her larger side lump had gotten so large…).

I’d originally said that if she made it to double digits, I’d be grateful and that any extra time would be a bonus. But here I am, sitting with her while I write this (publishing after she’s gone). Thirteen years, three months, and six days wasn’t enough time. It never could be.

Who would have guessed it would be good old fashioned old age that would get her. In some ways, that’s made it harder, because we never thought we’d be here, holding our breaking hearts and making the decision to transition her before she was in too much pain.

Ellie girl, you were our first “grown up” dog together as a couple, as barely adults. The tag along for so many runs and hikes and camping trips until you couldn’t any more. The sweetest, if not smartest, puppy dog any one could ever ask for. You never met a person or cat you didn’t like (and only two dogs).

Thank you for being here and hanging long enough to give our hearts some time to heal after we said goodbye to your sister. It wasn’t enough time, though. Never enough time.

We are going to miss you so, so much. Love you girl. Go run and snuggle Sasha for us.

For an all black dog who was hard to photograph, we sure have a lot of photos of you. 🖤