My heart is so incredibly heavy. Our Lola girl passed away yesterday.

Lola was my birthday gift when I turned 14. My dad and I went to a local shelter and picked her out together. She was an adorable, wild little puppy and changed my life in the best way.

She saw me through high school, college, getting married, moving, adopting Malcolm and Mavis, pregnancy, and having a baby.

She was by my side through so many life changes. She always went with the flow and accepted each new family member and circumstance.

She loved a good, long walk, car rides, food of any sort, and snuggling on the couch. We pet sat together and shared food and years of memories. When Jimmy would take her to work with him she would hang out in the office and quietly greet new visitors. She had her stubborn moments, and she adored digging in the trash.

We went on so many walks together. In the heat, snow, on the beach, with other dogs, by rivers, in the woods, and so many other places. She was my baby girl for 13 years.

I had her before I started this blog and even before I met Jimmy.

Her passing came as a complete shock. I let her and Mavis outside yesterday afternoon and Mavis came back in as soon as she went to the bathroom, as usual. Lola did her usual thing of sniffing around the yard and sunbathing while Sadie, Mavis, and I hung out inside. Our neighbor knocked on the door and said I should check on Lola because she was laying strangely.

I went outside to check on her and she had passed. I’m not sure what happened. She was laying in an odd position, so I don’t know if she hurt her neck while rolling in the grass, or if she had a heart attack or seizure or something else. Whatever the case, I think her passing was fast and hopefully peaceful. She was totally fine that morning, and I’m glad she didn’t have a long, slow, and sad decline in health before she passed.

My parents were nearby and came over, and my dad and Jimmy buried her at Jimmy’s work–one of her favorite places. Thankfully I had a chance to pet her one last time and feel her soft ears and paws and say goodbye before my dad and Jimmy took her.

Mavis was doing okay until bed time. We went to bed and she started howling and crying, so she slept between Jimmy and I last night. We’re all just completely heartbroken at the sudden loss of Lola. I’m so thankful I had so many great years with her. She was truly such a sweet girl.

Case in point: below is the last picture I have of her. I laid on the couch to take a nap on Saturday and she and Mavis hopped up and napped right along with me.

I miss her so much already ❤