It is with such a sad, heavy heart that i write this post.. So heavy that as i write this, i'm so choked up, I can no longer fight back tears. My little shadow has finally gone to be with her Jesus. 
Many of you don't know how our journey with our little Jewel began. Its a sweet story- I never grew up with a pet. EVER. I didnt ever want one because i didnt understand the concept of owning a pet and loving them SO much.
My sweet husband started looking for a dog, and i must admit i was VERY skeptical. He did hours of research online about what dog would be good with kids and hypo- allergenic. My skepticism turned to eagerness for a dog. For Valentines day, 2003, i received my little Jewel. She came to me Via plane, where we picked her up in the cargo area at the airport. She was the size of a dollar bill, no lie.
All black with rust colored hair around her face. As we opened the hard plastic carrier for the first time, i fell IN LOVE! her little body was shaking she was so scared. So little, i just couldnt get enough of her.
IT WAS THAT DAY MY LOVE WITH HER GREW DEEPER. She was my first dog, my best friend who went thru surgeries with me, took naps with me, stood at my feet to "shark" for food, welcoming home a new baby, a move across the country and a move to a new house.
From the first week we had her, she suffered from TERRIBLE health problems- *we took her to a neurologist her first week at our house
* She choked on apple and Chicken nugget, both times ending up at the vet
*She had heart disease
*Liver shunt
She took medicine every 12 hours- she would vomit and become disoriented from her shunt. We spent countless dollars and hours in the Vet and she would pop back to her spunky self, earning the name "lazzy" because she reminded us so much of Lazarus from the Bible, coming back from the dead.
My heart hurt for her and yet she always had the BEST attitude and would snuggle all day long. From the first week we had her, i knew Jewels time was all borrowed and that it wouldnt be long that she shared her life with us.
This summer we talked about getting another dog in knowing that Jewel not only needed a companion, but I needed another dog to bond with for when the inevitable would come. And that's when cocoa became part of our family. She and Jewel were best of buddies and yet, Jewel was always boss ;) If she wanted her own space in her crate, she would growl at cocoa to tell her to stay away.
This past week, her time came. She suffered from what i now found out was mild seizures for the last few months and then Wednesday night suffered from 2 MAJOR seizures. i would sit with her, and rub her gently while reassuring her she'd be ok.
Thanksgiving came and so did her third Major and final seizure. i took her to the vet and talked with the Vet. she assured me that her time had neared and her health was not only getting worse, but she was in pain and disoriented. It was then in my heart i knew, NOW is her time.
I made the toughest decision of my life, knowing it was the best for her. I said goodbye--- It hurt.. SO bad.. it still hurts and probably will forever hurt. I miss her touch, her shadow, i miss her snuggling on my bed with me all curled up. Gosh.. its painful.
Thanksgiving is a time for us all to give thanks- and it was that day i will NEVER forget and will always be thankful for the 5, almost 6 years she spent with us. Jewel will always be special to me, being my First dog.
It is with a heavy heart that i say, "Jewel, YOU WILL BE MISSED!"
