This is not an easy post to write.
On Thursday we left for a long-anticipated family vacation to the Wisconsin Dells. John had taken the children there once before, leaving me home to organize the classroom. The children were so happy to have their momma along this time! I was, too. It is good for Minnesotans to get away in February–it is good to be a family.
Early Friday morning, the kids were quietly watching cartoons and I was beginning to tap out a blog post on my hand-held. It was another Lenten reflection entitled “Despised by Men,” which I never did get around to finishing because of what I’m about to tell you. (Note: At one point I accidentally hit “publish,” and though I quickly converted it back to “draft” form, it still showed up on Google Reader.)
My husband’s cell phone rang. It was the manager from the kennel where we’d left Ellie, phoning to tell us that she had died in the night. We don’t know how or why she died, and there is nothing that could have prepared us for this.
July 20, 2007 – February 19, 2010
Needless to say, we are devastated.
We would be most grateful for your prayers.
Margaret, my heart goes out to all of you over this painful, unexpected loss. I'm so sorry, honey. 🙁 Your love for Ellie shines radiantly out of this blog and I know you all will really miss her.
We've been thinking of all of you and constantly praying since you called us Friday morning. Our hearts are breaking for you. You have all of our love, hugs, prayers, and any help you need. Oh, Margaret, I'm so sorry. {{{love}}}
When I read your post title, I just knew. So sorry, Margaret. It's so hard to loose a good pet. Prayers for you & yours.
I am so sorry Margaret. Sending hugs and prayers for all of you.
I'm so sorry Margaret and family! 🙁
I'm so sorry to hear about Ellie. Our dog passed away in December. It is a hard, hard time to go through losing a pet. They are such loving and faithful companions. Our prayers will be with your family. In Christ–Abby
So, so sorry to read this, Margaret. Praying for you all today!
I am so sorry. Prayers for your family.
Oh, I am so sorry! It is always so hard to loose a pet! And even harder yet when they're still so young.
Praying for peace for you guys during this time.
I am so sorry, Margaret. We lost our beloved dog just 3 weeks ago and miss him terribly, but he was quite old and in very poor health at the end, so we were fairly prepared for the sad goodbyes… obviously a TOTALLY different situation than being blindsided like you all have been. You will be in our prayers.
Dearest friend,
I know how very hard this must be for you. It was such a tough decision when you got her. I am praying for your family as you deal with this heartbreak.
So sorry for your loss. Having lost my dog in June, I know the pain you are going through. Your heart is broken, but time will help it to heal. May St. Francis of Assisi watch over your Ellie and all of you.
I'm so sorry for your loss. But…did you go ahead to the Dels? Just asking!
oh margaret, i am so very sorry. a beloved dog is a wonderful addition to a family and very, very hard to say goodbye to.
prayers for your family.
I'm so sad to learn this sad news. I know the heartbreak of losing pets and it is a sharp pain, expected or not. I will offer up Mass for your family today – we are about to head out now. Now I know what to offer up to Him! God bless you and comfort you – and cheer you.
Margaret, I am so sorry. We are a pet-loving family, especially our dog. To learn while out of town is especially difficult. We lost two bunnies a few years ago while on our first real family vacation in years. Receiving the call from our friend, who did all she could to care for them, taking them to the vet as soon as she sensed there was a problem, was just devastating. Our children were heartbroken. Peace to you and your family.
Oh, no, Maggie. I'm so sorry. 🙁
Oh my goodness! I can not imagine, or rather don't want to imagine, the devastation of losing any of our critters, especially Zoe and Pe.
Lord, bring comfort to this precious family. You give us good gifts even in furry packages, and we thank you for Ellie's love. Please heal this family's hearts.
Blessings!
Hannah
So sorry to hear about this.:( I saw your tator tot blog about Ellie & loved it. What a great dog…prayers for all of you!
Oh no! I am so sorry Margaret. You all will be in our prayers.
I am so very sorry, she was a beautiful dog and obviously a beloved member of your family.
Erin
I'm so very sorry for the loss of your beautiful family member. My heart and prayers go out to you.
🙁
I am so sorry. The pain of losing a beloved pet, especially unexpectedly, is a unique (and awful) kind of suffering. You and your family will be in my prayers.
I'm so sorry … my prayers are with you and your family.
Margaret…I don't even know what to say. I'm so sorry for your loss of Ellie. I wish I could take the pain of the loss away…especially for your little ones. If you can (and maybe you can't until later), try to focus on the the joy and love that she brought to you…and then in turn…that you brought to her. This was mutual love and affection. God has blessed us richly with the love and companionship of our beloved furry family members. My heart goes out to all of you!
Was just remarking to my husband recently how painful it is that our animal companions die so soon leaving us with a life punctuated with heartbreaks and memories of them….
So sorry to hear about Ellie. Will they do an autopsy? SHe was so young?!
I'm so sorry Margaret, for you and your family. How hard it will be to come home.
Prayers from this family to your family!
I am so sorry and shocked to hear of your loss. Our dog, Caila, used to do the tater tot trick like your Ellie. She passed away many years ago – but not so unexpectedly as your beloved girl!
We now have a crazy one year old pup and can say time heals all wounds. Yet in the beginning the time passes very, very slowly!
Praying you find healing, and if possible, an answer as to why you lost her so early in life!
GOD BLESS
Christi & family
I am so sorry and shocked to hear of your loss. Our dog, Caila, used to do the tater tot trick like your Ellie. She passed away many years ago – but not so unexpectedly as your beloved girl!
We now have a crazy one year old pup and can say time heals all wounds. Yet in the beginning the time passes very, very slowly!
Praying you find healing, and if possible, an answer as to why you lost her so early in life!
GOD BLESS
Christi & family
So sorry to hear of your loss Margaret. From your posts, I know that Ellie was a beloved member of your family. Prayers are being sent your way.
Oh that's so sad. 🙁 She was a wonderful dog. (hugs hugs hugs)
I will definitely pray for you and your family.
Oh, no! I'm so sorry, Margaret. My heart is breaking for you all. Many prayers during this difficult time.
I'm so sorry to hear this sad news. I so enjoyed the post about Ellie scoffing tater tots off her nose – it can now stand as a tribute to her.
Hugs and love to you all,
Joolz
Oh! I am so sorry. ((HUGS)) to all.
I am so, so sorry. I cried when I read your post. My husband and I will be praying for you and yours.
Margaret, I'm so sorry for this loss. You wrote so lovingly of Ellie in your blog that I know she was a very special member of your family.
Margaret,
I'm so sorry for your family. I'll be praying for all of you. Our first kitty died suddenly and it was awful for the kids.
I'm so sorry, Margaret. You and your family will be in my prayers.
I'm so sorry. I will pray for you all.
St. Francis pray for us.
Margaret, I was so heartbroken to hear of your poor Ellie. It is so painful to lose a pet. I will be praying for you and your family. I am so sorry.
Margaret, my heart goes to you and your family. I will say a special prayer to St. Francis for you. I actually thought about Ellie today when I was at my mom's and her dog filched some food off the table. I visualized Ellie on the table top (this was before I heard the sad news). My deepest condolences. Jennifer
I'm so sorry and will be praying for your children, especially. I'm not a dog person but after having our for a year now, I'm amazed athow attached we've become. I can only guess how devestated your kids must be.
Margaret,
I am so sorry for your loss. We lost our dog Elke like that. No problems, no warning. She was our first child and all the sudden she was dead. The dr said there was an unexplainable bacteria in her stomach that killed her. We were all devistated and all I can say is time heals. Your whole family will be in my prayers and just keep your heart open to another dog because that is the best way to heal.
Love to your whole family,
Darlene
i am so so sorry to hear this 🙁
Margaret, I'm very sorry to hear about Ellie. I will keep you all in my prayers.
I'm so sorry for you guys!
I'm so sorry.
So sorry, Margaret…
Prayers for your family's comfort…we've so enjoyed Ellie's antics and will miss the sweet expression in her big, brown eyes. It's never easy to say goodbye to our furry friends. May God grant you and yours peace…
Margaret- I am so sorry for your loss! Please know of our prayers for you and your family. St. Francis, pray for us!
Dear Margaret and family,
We are So Sorry for your loss. Your Ellie has enriched your lives so much, and for that we are very thankful… Nothing but time will ease your family's sorrow, and being home without Ellie there will be very difficult for now…
We will keep all of you in our prayers.
I am so so sorry. This is understandably hard on your whole family.
Oh, Margaret, God bless you and your family as you grieve.
I am touched by your story of how you opened your heart to a dog, and then how much joy that dog with a "heart of gold" brought to your home. Thanks for sharing Ellie with all of us.
I'm so so sorry to hear of your loss Margaret. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Margaret, Our prayers are with you and your family. How difficult this must be for all of you, especially the children. But what a wonderful God we have to bring these marvelous creatures into our lives not only to be our companions, but also to show us how to love unconditionally. I am sure sweet Ellie runs the streets of gold right now. What a set of eyes she had – she was gorgeous!
I am so sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry. You have our prayers; we know how much a part of the family a beloved dog is.
Oh, I am so sorry! Sending so much love for you and your kids.
So sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my prayers. I just discovered your blog last week with the tater tot post. What a sweet face! Have you read the book "Dog Heaven"? I know it isn't Catholic dogma, but, it's a wonderful book that has comforted us when we've lost dear pets.
Oh, goodness, Margaret. I am so sorry!
Margaret,
Sorry to hear of your loss. It's amazing how they weave their way into your heart. We had an outside only dog in which the same type of thing happened. He just got sick and we had to put him down. We are all praying for you and the kids.
God bless,
Angela
Margaret,
I'm so sorry for your loss. I will be praying for your family. Losing our beloved dog was the hardest thing my children have ever lived through. Learning how to grieve was a bittersweet gift. Nonetheless I love him for that final gift he shared with them.
Oh my goodness. What a horrible shock for you all! It is SO very hard to lose your beloved pet. I'm so sorry to hear you lost your sweet Ellie. Prayers for you all!
So sorry for your family's loss.
Peace.
Margaret — I'm so sorry for your family's loss. How extra difficult it must be for it to have been so sudden and while you were away. (((HUGS)))
So very sorry. How difficult…
ohhh. I am so so sorry. Ellie was such an adorable dog.
I am so, so sorry. If you don't mind, please let us know when you find out how she died. So sad.
Margaret, even though this is a bit late, I just wanted to let you know that I am sorry for your loss. I know how sad it is to lose a pet. Sending prayers your way ~ for you and your entire family. {{hugs}}
Margaret, we will pray for your family. We had to say good-bye to our dog,Mick, this past October. It was hard and we will keep you in prayer. She was a beautiful dog!
May you all focus on your fond memories of Ellie. Cheri
Dear Margaret, My sympathies. The loss of a beloved pet is such a heart-breaker. We lost a treasured kitty last summer. We still miss her. Your Ellie will not be forgotten . Tears must rain. It is the human way.
Oh! Margaret, I'm so sorry! I just finished reading your post about her leave it trick, and the post you didn't mean to publish did end up in my Reader. I was just smiling when I read this post. My heart goes out to you all, and I'm keeping you in my prayers.
I'm so very sorry for the sorrow with which you're having to deal with – and at such a dry/changing time in our liturgical season.
I pray that you are comforted during this healing process and that you find out answers to your questions.
blessings – another Golden owner