Dear Kellie,

Thank you for the many wonderful years that you have given to me. I may not have been your first owner, but it was a privilege for me to be your last. I have enjoyed all the days we've spent outside in the yard playing catch, even though you didn't like the idea of bringing the ball back to me after fetching it. I have enjoyed all the times that you put your head on the couch giving me your puppy dog eyes, begging me to let you jump up, even though you know you're not supposed to. I have loved every time that you have greeted me at the door after I've come home from a night out, a vacation, or even on my weekend trips home from college.

Thank you for being my first dog, and the best dog in the world; we were so lucky to find you. I remember the day we picked you up-- Guy drove you halfway to Connecticut and we met you somewhere in the middle. The details are fuzzy since I was so little, but I remember how excited I was to see you after that long car ride. I remember when I was young I used to be terrified of dogs, I can't remember why but I do remember that it took me a little while to get used to you, and I'm sorry that I didn't love you right from the start like I should have. But hopefully all the years between then and now have made up for that fact. I hope that you feel all the love that I have for you every time I let you up on the couch (despite the trouble that I get in for it afterwards), every time I sneak you a piece of food from the table, and every time I grab a treat from the top of the fridge and tell you what a good girl you are.

Thank you Kellie for waiting for me to come home before you passed away. I know it's hard being fourteen. You've had a long life, and it hasn't always been easy. When you tore your ACL that was a pain in the butt, I know how much you hated the cone that we had to make you wear. You always looked so sad when we put it on you, I promise you we weren't punishing you-- we just didn't want you to hurt yourself. Cancer was the really hard one though. When we got the diagnosis I was distraught. I couldn't believe that after all our time together we were actually going to have to say goodbye. You never looked old, only near the end have you started greying a little under your chin, but even now at fourteen you look like dogs half your age.

There were times when I was sure that we were going to have to put you down to save you from suffering, but like the trooper that you are, you kept going. The first time you had a tumor removed was scary, we didn't know what was happening-- only that your bark sounded funny and that you weren't eating like usual. We took you to the vet, and well, it wasn't good news Kellie. Stage 4 cancer, and this was only your first malignant tumor. The second tumor seemed to go by the same as the first, you showed little to no other symptoms. No one would even be able to tell that you were sick-- at times I couldn't even tell. Thank you for that, for pushing through and for keep being the happy dog that you always were.

Now we're on tumor number 3, and I'm sorry to say Kellie, but it's no longer just on your tongue. It's spread to the rest of your mouth, which means this time your tumor is inoperable. I ask about you every single day because it's so hard being so far away from you. I'm stuck at college without knowing which day could be your last. This past month has been Hell because of that. But I'd like to thank you, because it's looking like you're waiting for me. I always ask for updates on how you're doing. Mom and Dad tell me that they can never tell-- somedays seem as though they'll be your last, they have to hand feed you soft food so that you'll eat, those days are hard for me because I go to bed not knowing if i'll wake up to a text saying that you've passed onto a better place. But so far so good. With only two days until my return, you've held onto life despite the odds.

I'd like to sincerely thank you for that. Thank you Kellie for not dying while I was away. Thank you for knowing that I wouldn't be able to live knowing that I wasn't able to be there with you in your final moments. Thank you for knowing that I have to say goodbye, and that I have to take you out in the backyard at least one more time. Thank you for being the best dog that I could have ever had. I love you, and I'm so grateful for you.

Your loving owner,

Jessica Giesing