A short time later, Patty received a call from the lady saying that she desperately needed to find a new home for Sophia. She was in need of medical help and the owner was unable to provide it for her. Patty called me and I said no...we did not need another dog and in the same sentence, asked what time I needed to go pick her up. Still don't know where that came from.

After picking her up and taking her to the vet, I took her home thinking she was going to be Patty's dog. She was glued to me from the start and stayed that way for the next ten years. Wherever I was, she was right there in my lap. She had overcome her fear of men almost instantly and had earned a piece of my heart that no dog had ever had before.

She enjoyed car rides and going on vacation. She was always mothering our other two, one of which was actually her puppy. In almost every picture of me over these years, she is there. Those bright eyes and wagging tail met me each day when I got home and she stayed at my side for the rest of the evening and then slept right at my side.

She had developed heart disease as she got older and had been treated for the last several months. Patty had been taking care of her during the time I was at work and they too got very close. She had a really hard time the last few days of her life but always got up from her bed to come sit with me when I got home. She passed away in my arms but just before she left us, she raised her head to snuggle with my face one last time.

There is now an empty spot in our hearts that she used to fill. Our memories are all we have of her now. I have always loved dogs but never would have imagined that I could love a dog as I loved Sophia. We are so grateful for the years we had together but she will always be missed.