Goodbye Tully

 

Our sweet dog went to doggie heaven two weeks ago after suffering a sudden heart attack while barking at our back fence. He died doing what he loved most, barking at the neighbor dogs. We were all so sad we didn't get to say goodbye while he was still alive. Clara kept asking me, "Mommy, are you sure this isn't a dream and I'll wake up and Tully will be alive?" Owen said the other night, "God told me in my heart that I would see Tully in heaven." We have so many fond memories of him:  running wildly through the backyard, playing "fleecy" with his dog blanket, his licking our chairs at dinner and being right there under the table to eat anything that fell on the floor, the kids dressing him up or putting a blanket over him and calling him "Snuffaluffagus", barking at the white dog that came down the street everyday, rubbing on our couches and walls to itch his back, drinking from mud puddles, and chewing on sticks and rocks.

  

Playing fetch at the tennis courts

  

We used our big exercise ball to trap him outside the living room when the kids wanted to dance



Just exploring our backyard

  

"Tully Up!"

 

Growing up





Tully was always so gentle with all our children. He would let them lay on him, crawl under him, pull his hair and pick at his gums. When the kids were really little we'd put them on his back and they'd pretend to go for a ride.



Clara especially loved him very much

 

The path he wore in the grass



The special cross the kids painted in his memory, placed in the back corner of our yard where he loved to bark.

Family

Visiting Great Grandma and Grandpa Kelly at the Crista nursing home

Uncle Steve and Aunt Leslie came to visit

The girls joined Great Grandma Petersen for a special tea party at the Crista Nursing home. Clara and Anna were the highlight of the tea for many of the ladies

The Many Faces of Owen

Dinosaur rock star

Owen the spider

The dog catcher complete with CD player and headphones

Pharaoh, Pharaoh, O baby, let my people go! We just finished watching the Prince of Egypt and he wanted to be pharaoh the ruler of Egypt. That left Clara and Mommy to be the slaves building towers out of Lego Kinex. (Notice the pink pony that Pharaoh has pulling his chariot...very fierce looking)

The Smoosh

This is a common occurrance in our home and the reason Anna has another nickname, "The Smoosh"

Funny Face

Missy, Missy, Missy with the Wild, Wild Hair

Clara's latest comment on Anna..."I can't stand her cuteness!"

Basket rides down the hall

Getting into brother's hot wheels track

Easter

Clara, Anna and Patsy in their Easter pretty Easter dresses

After Easter brunch the cousins wrapped each other with toilet paper pretending they were grave clothes. Then when we said, "He has risen!" whoever was wrapped up burst out of the toilet paper happy to be free and alive!