I decided to start looking last week and found the cutest lab/pit mix puppies that were being fostered. I had my heart set on the fawn colored little girl but knew I was going out of town for the weekend. I talked to the lady that had them and she said she would hold them. I talked to her yesterday and she told me that over the weekend, the little girl got sick...had parvo and died and the little boy was also showing signs now. So today, I went to the animal shelter to see what they had and found this cute little black lab/pit mix. They estimate she is about 3-4 months old right now. She is growing on me by the minute.

I thought for sure that I would wait until at least my husband came home from Iraq. I told him I was looking and I think he expected it because he just told me to use good judgement. He doesn't know yet that I got her. I sent him an email just a few minutes ago with some pictures.

On one hand I am so sad that I don't have my Mocha here with me. What I wouldn't give to have her....but I already see so much love from this puppy and I am sure Mocha understands. She will never be forgotten and those fond memories of her will not fade.

Good for you, and congratulations on the new addition to your family! After I lost my 18-year-old cat Heidi in 2001, I had the feeling she would want me to honor her memory by giving the love I learned from her to another kitty, and now I have 5. It's a very healing thing, I found, and I think I'm a better cat mom because of what I learned from Heidi. Mocha would understand - I'm convinced that our pet's spirits live on forever and lead us to things and animals who really need our love.

I'm sorry for your loss, and you're right - Mocha's memory will never fade - but you've saved a pup, and maybe in a way Mocha led you to her.

Again, congratulations, and bless you for your good judgement!

Congrats on your new baby. I lost my Pumpkin 1 wk ago today and I know this sounds crazy but I got a sign from him, that I needed to give a new baby love and a home that truely needed it. I found him (or should I say he found me), I am not replacing Pumpkin no one could replace him as no one can replace Mocha. Spirit is my tribute to Pumpkin for he had taught me so much.
I am sorry for your loss of Mocha.

I'm happy that you are able to give love to another deserving pet. My ten year old beautiful golden retriever got sick on Friday. They did a chest xray, ekg and ultrasound and said she had a tumor on her heart and there was nothing they could do. I miss Haleykate so much I haven't been able to get anything done. I was at work when my son took her to the vet. I got a call from the vet asking permission to take xray and I told my boss I had to leave. He gave me the dirtiest look. I told him she came first and walked out and went to be with her. That was Friday and I just called and quit that job. I just could never be there again without thinking of that dreadful call. I finally took a shower today. How do you stop this pain. I miss her so much I can't breathe. I can't stop crying. I can't keep food down. I did't know what to do with her so my husband made the decision to bring her home to her own backyard. He made her a nice box and put her bed which she used sometimes. She had her own loveseat for many years and then we redecorated and move the good furniture into her room and tried to keep her off the new loveseat. Well, that lasted for about a week then she had the new loveseat as her own. She ruled the house. There is nowhere to go here that doesn't make you think of her. My husband used to call her the spoiled little girl. I always said she wasn't spoiled, just loved. The weirdest thing happened aftere her brought her home Monday. I didn'y want to be here when they put her in the ground so I went to buy a memorial stone for her and when I got home I handed it to my son to bring down to my husband who was leveling out the dirt and I saw a beautiful butterfly fly by my son. I mentioned it to him but did not think anything of it until later when I went outside to Haleys yard. This butterfly circled around me for about 15 minutes. i called my husband out to see it. It was the same colors as Haley. It came back a couple of hours later. I told my oldest son about it that nightand then the next morning it was back circling and hovering near me. We had been working on the backyard all this spring and neither of us ever saw a butterfly back there until we brought Haley home. I always said I would never get another dog. My family dog Patty that we got when I was six died when I was 22 and I always remembered the pain. But I had 4 children and they bugged us so much I finally relented but I waited 20 years. I will never get another dog unless I could have a guarantee that I would die before her. If when we decided to have a child we were told upfront that they only would live for 10-12 years would we choose to have them? I don't think so. I know I am rambling on and on but I truly think I am losing it. I don't know how to stop crying. I miss her every minute. I can't think of anything else. Thanks for listening Sorry and thanks to you and your husband for the sacrifice you are making to keep us safe and for our country.

Haleykate,
I can't find enough words to express the sympathy I feel for you over the loss of your Haleykate. I wish I could tell you how to stop the pain, but there isn't any easy way or easy words to say about it. Grief is something that you have to struggle through, and it will be one of the hardest experiences of your life. You'll go through anger, guilt, sorrow, and so many other emotions - sometimes all at once - and if you're like most of us, you'll really feel like you're losing your sanity. In most cases, you really aren't - you're feeling emotions that all of us who lose a beloved pet feel. I really believe that there are no guidelines, and no rules, when it comes to recovering from grief. It's different for all of us, and most of the time, when you think you've come to terms with it, it all comes back again and you're sobbing uncontrollably over your loss. It's an emotional roller-coaster, and I know that's sort of cliched, but it's true.

The butterfly who came by when you laid Haleykate to rest - what a lovely story. It may break your heart now, but I think in time you may see it as a sign that the days of your pup's pain are over, and she's let you know that. A lot of us do receive signs from our departed pets but never comprehend them. I think it's a tribute to your pup's love and trust in you that that happened.

Again, my sympathies to you and your family on your loss. Haleykate was blessed to be loved so much by you all, and I know you feel the same about her. Take care - Barbara

Haleykate- I am so sorry for your loss of haleykate. I lost Mocha July 1st and on the 13th, my family lost our 7 year old Golden, Montana. I had already moved from home when Montana entered our lives, but I actually facilitated my parents in getting him because they didn't want another dog. We lost Molly when I was 9 years old and my parents never wanted to get another dog. 7 years ago, I took my yellow lab, Belle, to the vet and a vet tech there had just gotten a golden puppy and realized that it was going to be too hard for her...she felt that she couldn't give him the proper attention and wanted to find someone that could. I took one look at him and fell in love. I begged my parents to get him and they agreed. He became the center of their lives as my brother was also getting ready to leave home. He went everywhere with my dad. On July 4th, he had a seizure and the vet originally thought he had a nerve malfunction. Montana didn't get any better and parents found out on the 13th that he had a brain tumor. They decided rather than putting him through a bunch of testing to determine what type of tumor it was, they would just let him live out his last days until he showed discomfort. That same day, he had a massive seizure that left him mostly paralyzed. My brother and I just happened to be at home with my parents that weekend and we all took him to the vet and did what had to be done. It was so hard to go through the loss of Mocha then Montana so close together.

I wouldn't have getten another dog (at least not so soon) if it hadn't been for Belle. She started showing major signs of anxiety and I just couldn't bear it. I am really trying hard to bond with Zoey...maybe too hard. The first couple days were actually easier....maybe because she was so scared and needing comfort. Now that she has adjusted, she doesn't want to be held and is exhibiting normal puppy behaviors. Having her has really made a difference in Belle. She is starting to play with her. I am starting to feel myself pull away from Zoey and I don't know how to stop. She really is a good puppy but I can't stop thinking about Mocha. I guess right now, I need to be thankful that she is helping Belle through this difficult time and I am sure in time, I will grow to love her more and more.

Thank you so much for your kind words. It is so nice to have a place to go where people understand how much it hurts to lose your best friend. I am glad there are people willing to love again knowing they will probably be back here in the same situation a year or ten years from now grieving again. I don't have that kind of love anymore. Haley took it all with her. I feel so selfish. I am becoming angry at my husband and my 3 kids 24,21,18 because they are asleep now. It is 4 am. I know how much they loved her but they seem to be going on with their lives and I resent it. I know that sounds ridiculous because I want them to be happy.But deep inside it just makes me mad. I feel like they are looking at me and thinking "Get over it" They say things like. We did the right thing, or she didn't suffer, or she knew how much we loved her. I guess there is nothing that will make me feel better right now. I wish I could sleep but I can't. I remember when I was young and I got depressed I would go to bed and sleep sometimes for days on end. Now I am awake for days on end. I'm so happy that people take dogs from shelters so they have someone to love them. My Haley was the best person I ever knew. I wish I could stop crying. My face hurts. My eyes and nose are so swollen. If Haley could see me now she'd probably start laughing, but she would stay right by me. She could always tell when something was wrong and she could always make things feel better. My oldest child moved to London last year and she loved Haley very much. She came home in Oct. Dec. and June and I swear she was more excited to see the dog than she was the rest of us. I didn't know how to tell her so I sent her boyfriend an email telling him that I would leave the decision up to him to find the best time for me to tell her. I didn't want her to find out if she was on her way to work or a party or something. Well ,he turned on his blackberry and she saw my email come up and said why is my mom emailing you. Then she read it over his shoulder. I feel guilty over her finding out that way but I also felt badly that we were all sharing our grief together and she was being left out. I should have called her from the vet and let her talk to Haley on the phone. She wouldn't have known Haley was sick cause we always put the phone up to Haley whenever we spoke so she could hear her voice. I'm glad she knows now so I don't have to worry about how to tell her. I have to go back to my job on Tuesday and I don't want to share my loss with anyone there. They sometimes made fun of me because of the way the way I talked about Haley. I'm glad I don't have to back to the job I was at when I got the call. I might miss the money but I don't care. Life is too short to be so miserable especially at work. Thank you for letting me go on and on and not make any sense. Thats what it feels like in my head. Like nothing makes any sense.