Goodbye old girl

**warning, emotional post ahead**



Yesterday Josh and I had to make the hard decision to put Bentley to sleep. She'd been sick been almost all summer. I'd taken her to the vet, and the meds helped at first, but then she slowly got worse again. And it was just too sad to let her suffer any more. So we did what had to be done.

Bentley, named after the car we drove away from our wedding in, was our first "baby". We got her in the summer of 2002 when she was 6 weeks old and we'd just moved to Chattanooga. She was a great dog, wonderful with the kids, didn't mind being poked, prodded, or have her nails "polished". She also LOVED the lake and the water. Dad determined that she would never tire out. He'd throw her stick in the water and she'd forever go and fetch it--literally she'd do it all day long. And she loved catching frisbees in the air too. Even in the end she'd come and drop a frisbee at my feet wanting to play though her legs were too swollen and it was too painful. She loved to play.

She was there through the birth and toddler years of all three kids.

Caroline

Sarah Kate

And obviously, McClain

She would herd them when we were out playing. It was the German Shepard in her.

But most of all she was loved. Well loved. Deeply loved. And we'll miss her.


Goodbye old girl. You've been a better dog than we could've asked for. You will be missed.