Part 6 - Goodness and Mercy

When Hannah and Josiah were born,

Tov and Kessy welcomed them to our home.

They were quite good with the children

as they were with everyone - just wanting

a throw of the ball or a show of affection.

And of course, the kids loved them

and Hannah refered to them as her dogs.

This picture was taken in May 2006.

You can see the age around Tov's eyes

and muzzle.

They were 14 then and had begun to slow down.

I knew they were old when Kessy lost interest in

her favorite game,

and Tov often stumbled.

With the exception of the pictures taken two years later

in May 2008 that I posted on my Memorial Day blog,

these are the best pictures I have of them in their

final days.

They were two months short of being 16,

when it came time to say a final

"Goodbye"

on June 20, 2008.

To help us with our grief,

we made a small memorial garden

in which we buried their "ashes".

The kids each placed stones around

the site and we even said a prayer

thanking God for the blessing of having

Tov and Kessy for so long.

"Surely the goodness and mercy of God will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."