Missing Maggie

The other night we went up the road to our friends that have a nice little gathering place on the river. There we met a dog named Maisey. She reminded us so much of Maggie. Check the video, it's a hoot!
After that night I have no doubt that we will some day be owners of a sweet little lab again. I wipe tears away as I write this. If you are a new reader click here to read about our beloved dog Mag of 15 years.

Conversation overheard a couple days after our trip to the river.

Leah: Let's do the wish bone
crack
Leah: What did you wish for Luke
Luke: To get another dog like Mag again

~In Loving Memory of Maggie~ 1993-2008

Maggie was born October 2nd 1993 along with 8 other pups. She became a part of our family that November. John was 21 years old and I was 18. She was our first child and we were novice dog owners. She was cute as ever but she was a handful as a pup. Mag ate belts, chewed shoes, and loved to rummage through the trash. She went EVERY WHERE'S with us including our honeymoon. John trained her to retrieve ducks and took her out every chance he had, she loved to hunt as much as he did. We were avid snowmobilers before having children and she joined us on many ventures up north. She survived our parting days (along with us) as we went into a new and improved phase of our life, the family years. We were worried as to how she would respond when we brought Luke home from the hospital back in 2000 and she took right to him. She could be found wherever he might be and to this day she was never far behind Luke & Leah. She was very tolerant of the children and of all the animals we have brought home throughout the years. Maggie has been a faithful companion to John & I throughout our relationship and has been right by our side for many landmarks in our life: our first house, marriage, the birth of our children, surviving nursing school (both John & I), and the final landmark being the move to the farm.
Yesterday we made the decision that the time had come to lay her down. We told the kids and they said their goodbyes. We had a tearful dinnertime and all gave thanks to the many special years we have been able to share with Mag. There were few words spoken this morning about the upcoming events for the day. John and I laid her on top of her blankets and and we headed to the Vets, one of the hardest things we have ever had to do. John held her in his arms in the back of the Suburban as we said our goodbyes and Mag was laid to rest. We wrapped her up and brought back to the farm and after picking the kids up from school we had our own little ceremony and buried the old girl.
She will forever be in our hearts and will be missed until we meet again on the other side!
We love ya Mags!

Mag & the kids this past summer - she lived to be 15, last surviving dog in her litter!