12 years... seems like another lifetime. You were such a unique special girl. Still have your memorial right in my family room, always will. You are thought of and remembered always my Shayla Bear. ❤️

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7/30/22

Missed last year Shayla Bear. It was an especially rough year. Dad passed, which was "Grandpa" to you. Hopefully you have already been snuggling with him. And Grandma. Until I am there too, keep them company for me. Love you always girl.

10/12/20

Crazy year girl. Pandemic. Everything is different and I'm not in front of a computer all day so didn't get to post. But you were thought of. Always are ❤️
Happy Fall Shayla Bear. Come visit in my dreams.

7/28/19

Another year has passed. 8 years now. So much has changed girl. So much. The pups not a pup she's 2.5 now ... she's awesome and special for sure, but she doesn't dim your light. You were my unique girl, so faithful and sweet. You will never be replaced. Just a note to let you know that you are not forgotten Shayla Bear. And weird- I looked at pic of you and D.... side by side. You have the same eyes. Maybe you are here in a way. Love to you.

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7/28/18

7 years since you have been gone. Just a note to say you are not forgotten. You will always be in my heart and memories are forever. Love you Shayla Bear.

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1/17/18

HAPPY NEW YEAR. 2017 ended a bit shaky but here we are in 2018. I remembered you on your birthday last month, the pup and I took a pic with "you". She knows about you. Don't worry, she may have been given some of your old toys, but the man with no name and chillis Willis's present are safe. Promise. Thought of you on Christmas too. The pup turned a year already...miss you. Hope you are enjoying Rainbow Bridge. And hope to see you again. Still haven't dreamed of you recently.... visit me sometime. :)

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10/26/17

I always think of you when I open the Halloween decorations. Your Howloween shirt and also princess witch costume is still in there. :) You aren't forgotten Shayla Bear. You were the most special dog ever, you loved me like no other. Hope they give Halloween treats where you are. Come visit me in a dream soon baby girl.

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7/28/17

Well it's been 6 whole years since you've been gone girl. You are still thought of and stories are still told about you. I showed the new pup you today and we talked about what today is. You're always in my heart and always one of the best parts of my life. Love you Shay. xoxoxo

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3/22/17

Happy Spring girl. As you know I adopted a puppy. She will never replace your spot in my heart. I told her about you. I hope you come visit me and meet her, if you haven't already. I'm letting her use some of your things that I had packed away. It's an honor. I don't compare her to you, she is totally separate from you. You will always be my special girl. Also, you have a new family member that just got to Rainbow Bridge- Toby. Look for him if you haven't found him already, you guys can hang out. :) Make sure Max knows too. Also Carlos & Charlie are both there now along with Zeus who I know you already have seen. Love you Shayla Bear, hugs belly rubs and kisses. Always.

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1/4/17

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year baby girl. It's been a crazy last month, very difficult. Missed you during the holidays and thought of you New Years Eve like I always do, and who I've lost. This might be the year I get a new fur baby- but not to replace you. Your place in my heart is there for life. Until we meet again one day. Love you Shayla Bear.

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9/23/16

Happy Fall. This was our favorite time of year to take our walks and sit outside together, or go to the dog park. Miss your cute face and your smell. :)

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7/28/16

Five years today. I think my heart has finally dried of most the tears and I've accepted you are gone. It only took 5 years. Although at times I still shed tears for you, (I am now a bit)... I'm ok. I will always miss you girl, and you were the best fur baby anyone could have. I still think that. As always, I hope there is a Rainbow Bridge and you are playing and happy and enjoying swimming and treats and running and laying in the sun, and get your belly scratched and ears rubbed. Come visit me in my dreams. I hope to see you again on the other side of this life. Love you and miss you and thinking of you today as I do so often, my Shayla Bear. <3

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5/4/16

Thinking of you today. Finally numbing to everything pretty much, but still wish I had my time with you.

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3/30/16

Happy Springtime. <3 Come visit me in my dreams.

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1/1/2016

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 2016! You were missed during the holidays like you are all the time. Love you always my Shayla Bear. <3

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12/16/15

I looked through old pics.... and just added two on here from the cabin weekend. You had fun and looked happy. I don't know why I was/am feeling bad about that one moment.... we had a lot of fun. I'm still sorry for ever being impatient with you. Love to my Shayla Bear.

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12/16/15

So remember when we went camping and stayed in a cabin.... I didn't know at the time, but you would be gone in under 4 months..... but remember at night we were sitting around the camp fire, which you loved to do... and you kept sitting too close to it, almost burning yourself... so I decided to take you back to the cabin. On the walk back it was dark and for some reason you didn't keep up with me walking and I got irritated at you and pulled your leash and said come on!! :( :( :( :( Yes that was almost 5 years ago and for some reason I have terrible regret over that. I am sorry I pulled on your leash and wasn't nice for a minute. I have no excuse... you probably couldn't see that well with it being dark and the ground had leaves and sticks on it. I know you had a good time on that trip, you got to lay on a blanket in the sun by the lake with me, and ate yummy foods and hung around with another dog too. You liked the screened in porch at the cabin too. :) But I should have just sit you on my lap by the fire that night instead of making you go inside...by yourself. And I definitely shouldn't have been so impatient with you when walking back to the cabin. I'm sorry Shayla Bear. :( Even though you just went to sleep on the bed inside and were fine, I still should have let you stay by the fire with me. I miss you and would give so much to have a night by a fire with you now. I just wanted to say sorry, if your soul can see this and understand. Miss you and love you always. <3

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11/27/15

Missed you on Thanksgiving to bring turkey home for. <3

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10/31/15

Happy Halloween baby girl. Thought of you and talked about you tonight when we gave out candy. I let his dog Mac borrow your Halloween shirt you had. Told Mac it was a privilege to wear it. ;) No doggie compares in any way, you were amazing and always will be in my heart and never far from my mind.

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9/18/15

The weather is getting cooler. Every change of season brings more frequent thoughts of you. I still miss our walks in the cool weather and how you looked at me and followed me around, I just miss you still. Always. Best girl ever. Love you.

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7/28/15

4 years have passed since we had to say goodbye. I miss you still as I always will, I know. It's to the point now that you would have surely been gone by now (you'd been 19 now).... so it's silly I guess to still wish you were here. I'm so glad that you were there for part of my life- you were literally one of the very best parts. <3

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6/2/15

I. Miss. You. :( How can my heart still physically ache sometimes when I think of you. <3

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5/11/15.

Happy Spring girl. Miss you and thought of you on Mother's Day when people talked about their "fur babies". Hope there's a place you are and maybe grandma is with you. <3

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3/30/15.

I miss you, a lot, still.

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2/19/15.

Thought of you yesterday while celebrating a doggy bday. You used to have so much fun with your bday treat with candle in it, and opening your gifts. No dog is like you or ever will be. You were awesome and I miss you. Asked my brother if he still missed Max, remember him? Maybe he's there at Rainbow Bridge with you. Anyway he said yeah he misses him most of all. So it's not just me. Some people just have a special fur baby in their life that holds on forever. I'm ok with it. :) Love & miss you as always.

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1/8/15.

Thanks for visiting me last night in my dream. I couldn't sleep and the little I did sleep I dreamed I got up to go sleep on the couch... and you followed me out to the couch and hopped up on couch with me and snuggled up and slept with me there. <3 Always nice to think you are still around somehow. Miss ya <3

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1/5/15.

Happy New Year baby girl. Miss you still so much. Think of you often. Remember you wearing the new year's hat I got for you and being the life of the party sometimes at New Years, you acted so silly. Everyone loved you, as I still and always will. <3

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12/24/14.

Merry Christmas Shayla Bear. I still miss you very much. Someone brought their dog to work this morning, and I got all teary eyed petting it. I'm ridiculous, I realize it but can't help it. Love you and miss you very much, you will truly be in my heart forever. Really hope there is a place your little soul is playing and that I will see you again someday. Maybe Grandma and Mu are there too. Kisses and ear scratches to my favorite baby girl. <3

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11/13/14.

You visited me in my dream last night. We were walking outside together, you were so excited and I was so happy. You kept looking up at me as you walked along side me, so excited to get wherever we were going. It's been 3.5 years almost since you've been gone... I think of you often and miss you still, guess that's why you still come in my dreams. Pretty weird tho I'm sure.... oh well. It was nice to "see" you Shayla Bear. <3

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9/24/14.

Happy Fall Shayla Bear. Saw a lil white dog in front seat of someone's car today as they were driving. Made me think of you. Miss you. <3

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8/11/14.

I had a dream last night. I went to Rainbow Bridge. It was beautiful. The grass was bright green, there were flowers all around. The sky was bright blue with white fluffy clouds. I was walking around at first not quite sure where I was, but I was happy. For some reason my oldest niece was next to me. Then I noticed animals running around here and there, dogs, a horse in the distance.... a little grey and black dog came up to me and sniffed me- I pet it's head it looked at me like "oh wait I don't know you" wagged it's tail and ran off... I smiled at it. Then I looked at the top of a hill far off and saw you. And you saw me. And you ran... you ran soooooooo fast like you used to run and chase squirrels and such. I started crying hard then. I cried the whole time you ran to me. But when you got to me, I squat down, and you jumped into my arms and licked my face like crazy and were crying that happy cry you would do when you were soooo excited. And I started laughing, just happy laughing, so very happy. I hugged you and pet you and you kissed my face. I could smell your smell even. Then I woke up. Call it a dream or say I was allowed to come visit you for some reason. Whatever it was, it was pretty damn cool and I wanted to make sure and write it down so I'd remember it. <3

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7/28/14.

It's been 3 years today. There is still an ache in my heart when I think of you. But I love to talk about you and remember all the times I had with you. Thank you for visiting me in my dreams, especially last night, it is like you are just away and I get a little time with you now and then. I love you and miss you girl, very much. Always be my lil Shayla Bear. <3

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6/18/14.

It's Summertime. Miss you and think of you still. Wish you were here, to take swimming, sun on deck and just snuggle with. I know a little guy who'd really think you were awesome too. Love you girl, always will. <3

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4/4/14.

Happy Springtime girl. Packing to move from the last place you lived with me. Hope your spirit will follow me to my new home. Memories of you sitting with me on the deck and on the couch and going for walks, all fill my head still especially now that I'm leaving. Love and miss you always. <3

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12/20/13.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to my lil fluffy girl. Miss you still. :*) Love you always. Forever in my heart.

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11/27/13.

Thinking of you and missing you lately. <3 Happy Thanksgiving girl. Never will forget my Shayla Bear.

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9/23/13.

Still miss you when the seasons change. Our walks in the fall cool weather. Think of you often and find that I tell stories about you quite often, like the weird dog lady. Oh well, you were awesome and I can't help it. Miss you.

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7/28/13. Two years today. Can't believe it's been that long. While the pain is gone, you are not forgotten, and will always be remembered as my lil baby girl. Best dog ever. <3

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3/28/13. Still think of you often. Miss ur little furry butt. <3

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12/17/12. :*) Still think of you. Miss you and wish you were here for the holiday season and just all the time.

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11/19/12. Missing you terribly lately. I laugh at myself because I think geez it's been over a year. . . I just can't help it sometimes. I joked the other day, but was half serious... "Ok, I'm ready for Shayla to come back now, she's been gone long enough." How silly is that? I think it's partly cuz the holidays are coming. Just miss ya, it hurts my heart still. Thanks for visiting me in my dream the other night. <3 you girl.

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10/19/12. Got a pumpkin the other day. I still miss you when I don't have you to get a little one for. :( Missing you a lot lately. Always in my mind, but shed some tears lately for you. I went to Humane Society again, looking at dogs. Sorta ready to get another friend. They will have pretty big paw prints to fill. Nah, they won't ever fill yours. :) You were and always will be the most special best friend I've ever had. I know I will remember you ALWAYS. Truly always. I really hope there is a place you are where you sleep, play, eat and maybe even can visit me. Sometimes every now and then I swear I see you out of the corner of my eye. :) You are always welcome. Happy Fall little girl. (OH! And I got the pawprint tattoo for you! On the 1 year anniversary of you being gone. I love it, every time I look at it I smile. It's for you girl. You will always be with me.)

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7/27/12. Tomorrow will be one year since you have been gone. Although I am ok, I still miss you so very much. I really can't believe it's been a year already. Guess I always will miss you in a way. I am going tomorrow on the anniversary of you going to Rainbow Bridge, to get the paw print tattoo for you. You will never be forgotten. :) I am sure I will get another dog eventually, and they will mean a lot to me as well. But no dog will have been in my life in such an important time, you were with me through SO very much, and you made everything better just by being there- always happy to see me, showing unconditional love. You were truly the best dog anyone could ever have, and although the pain of you being gone has been one of the worst pains I have ever felt, the years of laughs and love and happiness you gave me and all those who knew you were well worth it. I love you Shayla Bear. Always, Mom.

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6/22/12. Summers officially here. Miss my sweet girl. Finally threw away your medicine last week. :( Thinking of getting a
teeny paw print tattoo for you, next month. You are thought of often still, always.

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6/6/12. Missin you lately. Especially when I sit out on the deck in the beautiful spring weather. I was thinking of getting another dog, but now I'm not considering it. Not yet. Think of you often. <3 you girl.

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4/24/12. just retuned from vacation. It was fun- but yesterday, my first full day back, I missed you so, because I realized this was the first trip I have ever taken in my adult life, where you were not there to greet me with tons of kisses (attack me just about haha) when I returned from being gone over a week. It was pretty hard, and I cried for the first time in a while over you. Always miss you and think of you all the time still tho. Love you girl. Truly hope Rainbow Bridge is real, or there is somewhere your little soul is, and you are having fun and can see me.

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3/16/12. It's springtime. Perfect days to take walks. There is definitely still a void because you aren't here to walk with me. I actually do other things instead now. haha Will miss you when I plant flowers and relax on the deck, and oh so many other things. Still can't delete some pics off my memory card on my camera of you. Silly I know. And I still haven't washed the shirt I wore the day I said goodbye. It has your hair all over it. It's folded up and tucked away. Think of you often and smile. You were such a good dog. Never ever will forget you girl.

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1/27/12. It will be 6 months tomorrow since you have been gone. It's getting easier to deal with you not being here. I am not sad all the time anymore. I still miss your presence, and sometimes still think of you when I'm heading home, expecting you to be there. Then I remember, duh, no she's not. Well not in the physical sense anyway. Kinda hope you come by and visit sometimes. :) I still have my moments when I miss you so much. And no matter what you are always in my head somewhere, and thought of often. At least now I can smile at memories and not always cry. And look at pictures and not be upset. (sometimes it still gets me tho). I think I will finally wash the shirt I wore on your last day with me. I think. I will try at least. It still has your hair all over it you know. *sigh* I even am starting to want to get a new pup. Not to replace you... impossible!!! But just to have another friend & companion. You brought such joy to our lives. I truly hope there is another side and you are there romping around and playing. One day maybe I will see you again. Hugs, pats, belly rubs and scratches to my girl. <3

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1/12/12. New Year. First big snow of the year. Thought of you this morning when I filled the bird bath on the deck. You'd have been right out there with me... playing in the snow being silly. Miss ya today. <3

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12/30/11. Well, I will be bringing in the New Year, 2012, tomorrow night. Starting the first year without my girl. Wish you were here. Obviously I didn't expect you to live forever, but I just miss ya so. I try to be positive and remember all the good times, and all the wonderful years I had with you. I hope I keep healing thru this grieving process.. it gets a little easier as the months go by. No matter what tho, you will always always always be in my heart and my mind. And though new doggies may come into my life someday, and I will likely love them so much too... no one will ever replace you. You will always be my favorite special lil girl. Love you.

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12/28/11. 5 months today. Most days I do ok but geez sometimes it just hits me or I see your pic and I miss ya oh so much all over again.

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12/25/11. Merry Christmas Shayla. Miss you so much today. It was quite lonely without you here.
I hope if there is a place you went that you are having fun, and got presents. I went and dontated the rest of your food and cookies to the Humane Society Friday. :*( In hopes that maybe some homeless pups will have a better Christmas, in your memory. Love you always Girl.

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12/20/11. It reaaallllyyyy sucks sometimes without you here right now, with all the Christmas things going on. Really. :(

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Dec. 15, 2011. Today would have been your 16th birthday. Woke up at 5 AM, saw the date and immediately thought of you. The first one you aren't here for. You would have had presents, and I would have sang Happy Birthday to you while you sat soooo excited for your birthday treat of whipped cream in a bowl...with a candle in it. Like I did every single year you were alive. Miss you girl. Hope wherever you are they give you presents and sing to you.

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Made Christmas cookies yesterday. Missed you to clean up the crumbs on the floor for me... also still made you "your" cookie... I sent you a pic of it on here. <3

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First snow today that you aren't here to see or play in. :*(

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The holidays are fast approaching. I kinda don't want to even open the box of decorations because ur stocking and ornament and christmas collar are in there. You won't be there on Christmas anyway so it won't be very merry. I am not looking forward to waking up all alone that morning. :(
Missin you a lot today.

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Missed you on Thanksgiving so much. And went Christmas shopping on "black Friday"... so hard not having you to buy for. <3

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I found this poem on another's residency page. I hope this is how you felt. :*)

THE LAST BATTLE
-Author Unknown-

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done,
For this -- the last battle -- can't be won.

You will be sad I understand,
But don't let grief then stay your hand,
For on this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.

We have had so many happy years,
You wouldn't want me to suffer so.
When the time comes, please, let me go.

Take me to where my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me until the end.
And hold me firm and speak to me,
Until my eyes no longer see.
I know in time you will agree,
It is a kindness you do to me.

Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Don't grieve that it must be you
Who has to decide this thing to do;
We've been so close - we two -- these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

Love you Shayla Bear.
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You've been especially missed, on Halloween, and my birthday. Thought of you and wished you were there for it all.
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You were always so young looking and acting! No one ever thought you were 15 years old! I always said you had great genes. :) It had to be something as bad as terminal cancer to get you. I'm so glad we got that last month together after we found out. I am thankful for that. I am glad I stayed home a lot more then normal and spent time with you. I enjoyed sharing pizza, brownies, chicken... anything you would eat... with you! Thanks to Jerry -the vet the pain pills kept you doing ok until the last few days. Everyone said "you will know when it's time". And I did. I would have liked you to live forever. But since that wasn't possible... if I had to choose a way for you to leave this earth, I couldn't have picked a better way. I held you the entire time... from the time we left home, the whole drive to Jerry's, in the parking lot as I sat with you those last minutes before going in... and the whole time in the office while Jerry gave you medicine to help you on your journey. You never left my arms. It was truly the hardest thing I've ever done. I hope you heard the words I said those final moments while I was stroking your head. From the day I brought you home, through my "first house", with your first fenced yard where you could run unleashed, where you sat in the picture window and scratched up the wood (I didn't care)... you were there on all important days, you enjoyed my second house with the huge yard and ducks and deer you loved to chase, the pool you loved to swim in, the lake you loved to play in... then you were there during major changes and moving with me to our new small place, adjusting to that and our new life ... you were sad for a while, but became your old self again, we healed together... :). You were there for me through SO many things in my life, more then I could ever list. The very least I could do for you was be there till the very end. I will always remember you Shayla, and my heart will always have a space reserved just for you.
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Shayla- miss you so much! I think of you every day, and talk about you all the time. I like to imagine you can see me...and this site...and you know. It is comforting. :*)