Miss Memphis Belle has flown

This isn't how I wanted my first post in a while to be.

Miss Memphis Belle passed away last night.

I brought all three dogs back out to the mines early this week. We were going to stay until it got too hot before going back to New Orleans.

Yesterday Belle was fine. And then suddenly she wasn't. She couldn't get up easily, couldn't walk straight, was anxious and distressed. I suspected poisoning or a stroke so I made a high-speed run to the closest emergency vet 60+ miles away. They evaluated her, decided that it was Canine Vestibular Disease, a condition affecting older dogs that would pass with rest and medication, and I brought her home. we spent the evening outside watching the sunset and then went in to bed. She slept right next to me, which she usually only did when she was scared, and I petted her and soothed her every time she stirred or whined. I was hoping the medicines would kick in and ease her discomfort but this morning she was gone. Looks like it was a brain bleed or tumor after all.

My Belle is gone.

I took her outside for a bit while I decided what to do next. Both Murphy and Merida lay down right next to her, much closer than they ever would have gotten in the past, since the dogs have always wanted their space, and they stayed with her until I took her into town for cremation.

There's a huge hole in my heart right now. But I remember that I was blessed by God with 9 wonderful years with this girl. She gave me nothing but love and obedience, and this is the first morning that I've woken up in her presence without her coming up to give me a gentle morning lick on the face. I'm going to miss those licks a lot.

Here's the first blog post from when I brought her home, end of November, 2013. That was West Virginia. Since then we've seen a lot of the country together. Michigan. New Orleans. And now, in the end, California. She was a blessing and a gift from Heaven and now there's another star in the sky, leading the way to that Rainbow Bridge where she'll be waiting with Lagniappe and Oliver until the day we're all reunited again. 

Our last sunset together.

Murphy not leaving his sister. Faithful to the last.