One Year

I can't believe it's been one year since Adler's been gone. It seems like so much longer. Losing her was one of the toughest things I've had to go through and learning to live without her was even harder. Yes, I know she was a dog and there are people who go through things that are so much harder but this is my world and in my world losing Addie was for me like losing a member of my family - because she was and always will be a part of my family. 

I said to Tom just the other day that I'm glad that we got another dog. He responded, "another dog or another Berner?" I said, "both." I am glad to have another animal in the house because I am an animal lover but I'm glad it's a Berner. Yes, Adler and Sadie are different dogs but because they are the same breed there are so many similarities. When Sadie does something it brings back memories of Adler doing the same thing and sometimes they are things that we've forgotten Adler did as a puppy because that was so long ago but seeing Sadie do them has us remembering her and happy times.

Adler may be gone from this world physically but having Sadie keeps her alive in so many ways. She's a part of our daily conversations in sometimes comparing and contrasting the two although we are always careful not to view Sadie as Adler's replacement. She's a different dog. She even looks different and her personality is different. When we go for walks, we always again are stopped by people who ask about her breed and Adler always comes up in conversation especially if we are talking about the breed with people who know the breed.

The kids too still talk about Adler. Hailey especially. Just last week we were on a walk with Sadie and there was another Berner walking toward us. Hailey started immediately shouting, look there's Addie! I can smile now when this happens. Yes, it's Addie saying hi to us! Also last week we were at the school book fair and there was a children's novel with a Berner on the cover. Hailey plucked it off the shelf and brought it to me and said, look there's Adler! It's interesting that she doesn't say they are Sadie. I wonder why.

So many times too Tom and I slip and sometimes call Sadie, "Adler." But I think that's like calling our children by the wrong names too! Austen and Peyton delight in catching us on this and sometimes we poke fun at each other when Adler's name just rolls off our tongue.

Sadie definitely is Adler's tribute. Without Adler there would be no Sadie. And without Sadie I think my heart would still be broken. I'll always miss Adler but after a year, I can finally remember her with smiles and laughter.

Hope all is well up there Addie. We talk and think about you daily. Know we will always love you and one day we'll see you again. We miss you and love you...always and forever.