All Dogs Go To Heaven

In 2002, we moved to Texas, leaving behind a lot of wonderful memories and love in Utah.
Kylie had always wanted a dog, so for the Christmas, the following year, Santa (Jordan), delivered Kylie's Christmas present to her; wrapped adorably in a Christmas stocking.
That's when Lacey arrived in our lives.  And so, for the past ten years, we have watched this adorable puppy turn into the most wonderful and loving pet you could ever hope for.
But Lacey left us yesterday after a very painful and difficult weekend.  On Saturday evening, as Del and I were outside working on the lights in the front yard, Lacey was struck by a car in the road.  She had been across the street in the neighbors yard and I had called for her to come home.  Neither Lacey, nor the driver saw each other and the car hit her, crushing her pelvis and breaking her hip.  Del and I took her to the ER vet clinic where xrays confirmed the break and pain she was in.  It was heart breaking.  We hoped that keeping her stabilized and still would allow her to heal, but Sunday night and Monday, she started bleeding internally and by last night, it was obvious she was in dreadful pain.
The conflict for the family came with the discussion of how we wanted Lacey's life to end.  Del, raised on a farm where animals were just that...animals...no loss, no special care for them and no emotional attachment, wanted to take Lacey out into our back forest and shoot her, then bury her on our land.  Of course, that thought sent the girls in the family ballistic!!!  We wanted to take her to the vet who would give her an injection and let her go to sleep peacefully...humanely.  At a cost.
I won't go into details of how the decision was finally resolved, but last night, Jordan stopped by on his way home from work and Mike and Kylie were already there.  Kathryn did not want to be present.  Del offered a family prayer and blessing upon us all before he, Jordan and Kylie went to the back forest, shot Lacey and buried her.  Tears all the way around, but the moment was special and the experience was spiritual.  All conflict had been resolved and the ending was peaceful.
Lacey is missed already.  No-one to lick our ice cream bowl - no-one to greet us at the door when we come home - no-one to beg for food,  no-one to walk with Del in the morning...no-one to snore by my bedside at night...and it's very very quiet around here.
We're all sad.  But the memories are wonderful of our sweet Lacey.