Lucky is gone...

For their eighth birthdays, our twins Heather and Heidi received a little Dachshund. He was a full grown stray, found and sheltered by a friend before he was given to the girls. They named him "Lucky" because "he was lucky to have a family like ours". Today, just over six years later, Lucky has died. He died under the watchful care of two 14 year girls who loved and cherished him. He lived a good long life, and he brought joy and fun to those two girls. They are teenagers now, full of life and vigor. They have loved animals for years, and Lucky was one of the fortunate recipients of their love. In those 6 years, we've sent a son on a full time mission, we've seen two daughters married, and we've been privileged to add three grandchildren to the family. Lucky was especially good with our first grandchild, Eliza. She would toddle around the house, laughing and calling out "dog, dog". Sometimes she would laugh at him, sometimes she would scold him, and sometimes she would chase him. He was even tempered through the whole experience. I don't know how Eliza will ever understand the absence of her dear friend and playmate, "dog, dog". We're going to miss you Lucky. We were lucky to have a dog like you...