Duke: November 2, 2001 - December 5, 2011

 Our great dane/lab mix dog Duke passed away this afternoon. He was 10 years old, had gone blind a couple of weeks ago and even started to lose his hearing. He would get all weird, lethargic and confused at night and kept getting himself stuck in the strangest of places since he couldn't see. He would whine and moan all the time. Matt and I had decided that we were going to let the kids have one last day with him today and then we were going to take him to the vet tomorrow to be put down. He was just so miserable and clearly suffering. Today around 2 p.m. he took a turn for the worse. I knew he was dying. It was so sad to hear him suffering, if Matt had been available I would have begged him to shoot him. He was suffering. By 4 p.m. he was gone. Matt buried him out in the desert (hope that's not illegal!) and we told the kids Duke was in heaven. I thought Ethan would take it the worst, but actually Kate had the hardest time. Wyatt said "Duke in heaven wif 'enly fadder and cheezes kist." He figured it out right away. We almost got rid of the dogs when we moved, they were driving us crazy, but I am so glad he got to spend the last 2 months of his life with us. He really was a great dog and we will miss him. (SO many pictures but this is for our family's benefit so...It is kind of in chronological order.)