This weekend started off as one of the hardest weekends of my life. You seem my best friend died Friday night. For those of you who don't know me, Rusty (my dog) WAS my best friend. 18 years he was by my side, the greater half of my life... he never wavered. He sat by me, licked the tears from my face when I was alone and sad. He was there through every accomplishment, every breakup, every big move, every up, every down, he was there. He was there when I picked up all my things and moved to a city where I knew no one, to pursue my dream. The happiest, cutest dog, everyone loved him. He saw me find love, get married, and have my first child. Elly crawled for the first time, toward him!

All day that day Elly would crawl in his bed, lay her head down next to his and stoke his fur, as if she knew. The sun set, his breathing got heavy...and he left. My heart shattered into a million pieces.

These last few days have been so strange without him, at times I catch myself calling his name. Elly even looks for him around corners, it breaks my heart to watch her miss his presence.

We decided to go to the beach and enjoy some sun in order to lift our spirits.

It was such a lovely day.