Final dance of the night on our greatest day - and a favorite moment of it. Thank you to everyone who made this such a special and meaningful occasion to both Kaitlin and me!
Our beloved Isaac Newton would have turned 10 years old today, on National Puppy Day. We spent the day honoring his memory by dropping off thank you cards & framed photos to his vets who saved his life and gave us two magical, pain-free weeks with him before he passed. We also donated some of his well loved beds, toys, and treats to the animal shelter, made a donation in his name to help another dog find their forever home, and went on a reflective hike together after.
This week has been one of the most challenging of our lives, but we have so much reverence for the life that we got to make together with Isaac that we canāt help but look back on it fondly, with joy, laughter, and love.
Thank you to everyone who visited Isaac in his final moments. As well as everyone who has reached out, shared their favorite Isaac memories, and sent us flowers, food, and other gifts to remember our sweet boy during this time. As hard as itās been, weāve never felt more loved by our people.
Keep our little man in your hearts today ā¤ļø
Sometimes, you just need your Dad.
The string of events that led me to caring for you are of the most pivotal of my life thus far.
They imparted passion and heartbreak.
They taught me to feel comfortable alone.
They granted me permission to love myself.
I became a man through them.
And yet the memories of these chapters pale in comparison to the overall joy and pride of having been your guardian. I would not be who I am today without you, nor would you have made it without me.
I wasnāt looking for you. You landed in my lap, abruptly with little to no announcement and minimal preparation. A final-hour trip to the pet store for toys, food, treats, and a comfy place to rest before you arrived at your new home.
You were a unique and individual soul. Playful, but distant. Fun-loving, yet stoic. Both a comedian and a grump. I often wondered what you were feeling at any given moment. You didnāt show it like most dogs would.
I would sometimes feel insecure of your love for me, and dejected when you forsook cuddles in favor of a personal bubble. With age Iāve come to realize that this made the times we embraced mean all the more. Even when youāre tough, sometimes you just need your Dad.
You taught me a lot. That love can be difficult. That life is short and unpredictable. That at any given moment, everything good can be snatched away from you in a random catastrophe - an act of God, if they are to exist.
Our trauma and our hardships were shared. You shouldered so much more strife than any dog should, and you gave me reasons to live during times I didnāt want any. We both made it; our convergence in this world essential.
You lived and loved without apology. This is your song, the symphony of who you were, the melody to your memory. Sir Isaac Newton: the Rootinā Tootinā, the Starvinā Marvin, the Big Fig, Snoozinā Sarandon, The Honeysuckle Boy. Lover of tennis, admirer of Beethoven, enthusiast of carrots, and champion of the sweater.
I love you, I miss you, and I could not have asked for a better friend. I will carry your heroic story with me forever, and I wouldnāt change a single note of it. Rest in peace, my little Isaac.
