Sophie is an English Springer Spaniel.

We didn't plan on Sophie. We took my mom and dad to see the puppy they would be taking home, her sister Libby. There were only her and Libby left in the litter (the only females). During the visit, I asked the breeder if he would consider selling her to us and he said he would and that's when we decided to take her.

Sophie was in perfect health the first three years we had her. Then we discovered she had serious liver issues in September/October of that third year. Our vet couldn't figure it out at first but her not eating one day led us to take her to a specialty hospital in Pittsburgh. That began her regimen of around 5-6 pills 3x/day! The beginning of this sweet soul's struggle. She was a sick dog. There were many rough roads that first year and a few times we came close to losing her but we eventually took her back to our vet who started her on steroids and 2 other pills 2x/day and special liver care food. That vet gave us three more wonderful years with Sophie and for that, we are very lucky! It was a continued effort between us and the vet over those years but it was all worth it and not once did Sophie act like a sick dog. She was such a happy, care-free, loving dog that we would take with us everywhere and when we couldn't, we would drop her off for my parents to watch her! She truly lived life to the fullest. She loved her ball and green beans!! Why green beans? Because we weren't able to give her much more than her food and taking steroids made her hungry and the only thing extra the vet would allow us to give her was green beans and she was always ready for those... "pilly willies and greeny beanies" made up the majority of Sophie's short life but she never ever acted as if she minded!

She so enjoyed being with Grammy and pappy's house spending time with them and Libby (her sister) and Trinny (her aunt), also Springers. She spent a lot of time there and she was truly treated and taken care I'd like a human baby / toddler! When she was younger she used to love toys and, like a lot of children, would take out every single toy and litter their living room floor! My mom would always say you could tell when she was there because of that. She loved the big back yard that was there because she was able to run free with one of her favorites, the glow-in-the-dark "Chuck-It" ball which you would be hard pressed to pry from her mouth or grip! She would play with it by herself as long as you'd let her!

One of her other favorite times and places was when we'd take our yearly autumn trip to WV to stay at a state park cabin there. It was so enjoyable for all of us. Walks in the woods made up the majority of our times there which she loved! It will never be the same but I will always be thankful for our time with her there.

Since Sophie was sick, we knew that her death would most likely be sooner rather than later but we never expected it as it did. That Saturday, we were all at my mom and dad's celebrating my mom's birthday outside around the fire pit. It was such a perfect day. Nice weather and she got to run and play and lay around us in the grass. It was spent with her being so happy and doing all the things she loved. She truly enjoyed one of her last days on earth which is such a blessing but it also made it harder to understand when she got so sick the next day.

10/14/2020
It's been once month since we put you to rest, my Sophie girl. It still hurts and I miss you so much!! I still cry although it's not constant but it's still everyday and when it does hit it's like a lightening bolt and it's still as strong as it was on that very day. I'm so sad. I know you don't want me to be sad and I never want to ruin your happiness but right now I can't help it. I'm being selfish and want you physically here with me so I can feel the softness of your fur, the warmth of you, plant sweet kisses on your head and stroke my finger along your nose. And of course I will never get along without one of your huggies especially during lunchtime when we'd spend time together. You are so special, you will always be special!

We're going to WV to stay at the cabin. Idk how I'm going to do it and it will never be the same. You enjoyed being there as much as we did and just like at home, you were so much a part of our experience there. So many great memories and wonderful pictures we have of / with you! I will always cherish them!! It will be so bittersweet this year and I'm sure every year after this.

I know you are so happy where you are and enjoying yourself doing your favorite things and just being the best version of YOU that you weren't always able to be here on earth and you deserve nothing less.
My heart and this home is still very empty without you and I will miss you forever until the glorious day we meet again. I love you ... you are such a sweet soul that will be greatly missed by so many here!

10/20/2020
Today is our last full day at the cabin. We took you with us but I have been so lost...I am so lost here and I never feel that way. I have always the most comfortable here next to home. But I am oh so lost and mostly think of you. We haven't done as much or spent as much time doing the things that we usually do here. I can't get in the mindset to do it. It's the last full day here and I wonder if I've wasted the time and will be sorry when we leave tomorrow. I have been so torn being here. Just as it is at home, everything here has memories of you regardless of place or things we do. I miss you so much and sometimes I don't even know how I feel. I want you here and I want you to be enjoying this with us but you're not. I've been looking for you but I think I may have been trying too hard. Everything has been hard without you except missing you and crying for you. My feelings change every minute and all I want is for you to be here with me. I don't know what to do without you. I am lost and I am so empty and even the special places have sadly lost their meaning.

03/14/2021
Today you have been gone for 6 months and I still hurt as much as I did the day you passed. I don't think I will ever get over losing you. You were / are my best friend and you helped me through so much. You brought so much joy to my life. I am still so very sad not to have you around. I haven't been here lots but I talk to you and think about you everyday. I still cry and I feel very guilty for crying because I don't want to undo all the work you did with me while you were here with me on this Earth. I just can't help it. I still miss you so very much! I mess seeing your perfect beautiful face, rubbing my finger up and down your cute furry little nose, scratching you behind your ears and kissing you on top of your head and those sweet hugs you always were so happy to give!! And of course I will always remember how you'd crawl up with me on the couch and poop backwards into my arms like a little baby so I could hold you and rock you and give you lots of kisses!! I just hate knowing that I will never see you again on Earth and even though I believe in God and an afterlife, it's just so difficult for my brain to understand the concept. I know you are happy and are no longer sick or in pain (or hungry because I can imagine you can eat as much as you want!), but I am just so unsettled by your death and I don't know why. I feel very selfish for wanting you here because your life is so much better than I could've ever given you here. It just hurts so much still. My life is so very different without you here...I am a different person. My heart is still very heavy. I don't know what to do with myself because I feel lost and so alone without you. I'm still having such a very hard time thinking about your not being here. I just LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!! You were such a blessing in my life. My little mental health buddy and quarantine companion! I am so very thankful we were able to be together so much while I was working at home and that I was able to share some of the start of my working at home full time. I still don't enjoy life much without you and everything feels so incomplete without you including visiting Grammy and Pappy who miss you very much too! You are and always will be my everything and I want to apologize for not realizing just how very much you were a best friend and a very big part of my life and mental health. I tried to show it but I never really realized the depth of it until you were gone. I appreciate you so very much. I hope I made your life here on Earth the best it could be. I tried very hard and always tried to be very aware of the situation when I was with you and to enjoy every minute I was with you but I think I could've done so much more. I hope you are watching over all of us and understand how much we love you and will always love you. But I'm happy you're safely Home. And I hope you get to do everything you always wanted to do here on Earth but weren't able to because of your sickness. I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO BERY MUCH!!