Hard Lessons

Today, we learned one of the hardest lessons there is - how to say goodbye.

This is Sanga.  She was our first family dog and the boys doted on her.  Sanga has been a part of our homeschooling from the beginning.  Every volunteer trip to the park included her and she loved running through the trails and sniffing everything.  She was our PE teacher and foot warmer.

We knew that her cancer was spreading and that it was only a matter of time.  Still, I had hoped for a few more weeks with her.  She didn't seem comfortable walking far lately, so we would take her for a shorter walk along the creek and let her sniff as long as she wanted.  But last night, it was obvious that she was having a hard time breathing.  When it wasn't any better this morning, we took her to the vet.

This is one of those times that I am so grateful that we homeschool.  I'm not sure how I would have handled the situation if they had had to go to school.  Lie to them and say I think she's ok?  Send them off to school not knowing?  Or tell them what was probably going to happen and then make them go?  Keep them out for the day?  I don't know.

As it was, we didn't have to worry about that.  We were able to be with Sanga and help her through to the end.  I asked the boys if they wanted to say goodbye and leave or stay with her and they chose to stay.  We all sat around her on the floor and comforted her until she was gone.  It was by far the hardest lesson we've done yet.