Closure. . .

When we lost Emma last month, it happened so quickly and unexpectedly that it just didn't seem real.

When we had to put our dog, Winnie, to sleep 8 years ago at age 16, we took her to the cabin and buried her in her favorite spot overlooking the river. It was really, really difficult.

We decided to have Emma cremated to save us the heartache of a burial, which I'm glad we did, but it made the whole experience seem even less real because we didn't have anything tangible to show for our loss when we left the vet that day. I think, subconsciously, I have been waiting for her to come home after being away for awhile.




When the vet called and told us that Emma's ashes were ready to be picked up, I put off retrieving them up for as long as I could. I knew it would be difficult. I just didn't realize how difficult.

So now I've accepted the fact that Emma is gone and we have a sweet plaster footprint and a swatch of her hair as a reminder of the place she held in our home and our hearts. I have closure. But I'd rather have Emma.