All dogs go to heaven

Last week we said goodbye to our Cooper.

Such a sad and hard thing to do. 

I left for work on March 11th, never expecting that I would never see him again.

That dog drove me crazy 7/7 days but he was truly the BEST dog and I loved him

 

No one loved him like Ryan did.

And there wasn't a soul on this earth that Cooper loved more.

 

Freedom was not Coop's friend.

He took off into the woods that warm Tuesday afternoon on the hunt for something. 

Ryan trudged through the muddy terrain for nearly two hours tracing his tracks.

Finally, came to the clearing and saw him dashing in the distance.

Moments later his life would end at the train tracks.

 

Ryan called me minutes later just shattered.

I left the kids with Nana and went to the tracks.

I watched my poor husband carry his beloved friend out of the muddy ditch.

Break. My. Heart.

 

Then I had the task of telling our children that their dog wasn't coming home.
Ryan and I met them in Collin's bedroom.
We gathered on the floor, and Collin immediately began to breathe faster, he knew something was wrong.
 I held their sweet little hands and told them I had sad news, Ryan started crying and Collin knew Coop was gone. 
Such sad cries, but we did it together as a family. 

We sure will miss this boy...

 

One of my greatest concerns in those first moments after hearing he was gone was that my children would question God and his goodness.  I begged Him to protect them from the lies that satan tells. 

After all, they had prayed he would come home safely. 

I told them "trust Jesus".

 

And we can.

In all things.

When He answers as we ask,

and even when His plans differ from ours.

We can trust Him.

 

My children never questioned. 

They cried.

But they never questioned.

 

They continue to pray for Cooper every night...

 

"keep Cooper very, very safe in heaven..."

"help Cooper to have lots of fun running in heaven..."

 

And shouldn't we all be that accepting of God's plan.

Take the good with the bad all the while believing that God is good.

Because He is.

 

And He is faithful.

Yes, He is faithful.

 

 

Look what He has done...

 

His name is Tucker

 

He gives and takes away.
And then He gives again.

 

 

I worried that they would question His goodness.

How would I explain?

 

Why O why did I ever doubt...

 

God provided for our family.

Financially and emotionally.

He did what God does.

He showed up for us.

 

Thank you, thank you.

And to those who helped bring this puppy home,

thank you seems so small.

You were a part of His big plan.

The spirit whispered and you not only heard Him, but you answered.

So very generously gave of yourselves. 

We. Are. Grateful.

May He bless you ten fold.