Good Bye Our Dear Friend

Last night we lost a friend.
Our dear Andy died.

 He had been struggling with heart disease for awhile, but I really thought we had a couple more years.

Andy has been a special part of our family since 1998.

I remember coming home from my first semester of college with a piece of bacon in my pocket just for him. That was the first time we met.

Andy was always there when anyone was sick or sad. Hovering over us and resting his little head on us trying to help us feel better.
I don't know what I'll do without Andy laying just outside the bathroom door every night.  Last night was the first time that I haven't tripped over him in the middle of the night.  I really miss him.

Andy loved riding in the car. Here he is at a rest stop with baby Rosie and William on one of our Ohio car trips.

 He was always a good sport and let me dress him up.

For Christmas he had his own sweater and antlers and for Halloween I always dressed him up in his cow costume.

 Andy always wanted to be right in the middle of everything. Especially if the babies were involved.

"His spot" was always right next to my mom.

 He was always a special friend to the babies. Him did his best to take care of them and check on them. He always hovered if they cried. And he loved giving them kisses.

When Andy first met Rosie (she was 4 months old and we brought her home from China to meet the family) he climbed into her baby carrier car seat the morning I tried to take her back to China. He wouldn't get out because he knew we were leaving and he didn't want me to take his baby.

The kids miss him a lot today.

Yesterday we took him in the car and he enjoyed sitting in the back seat between the kids' car seats. 

We took him to the vet and he got lots of attention. 

Lots of hugs and petting and he let Obi hang on him and play with him.

Then later, his little heart gave out and he couldn't breath.

We tried everything we could think of.

But I guess it was just time for him to go.

He was 16 years old and he was always a constant fixture and companion to every one in the family.

We will miss him very much.

I took these pictures last night after he was gone. 

I wanted to remember him looking like this.

Like he was just taking a cute little nap.

Good Bye our dear sweet Andy. We will miss you very very much.