Today my family received the news that our dear, sweet Nikki passed away.  It was not unexpected... She was over twelve, which for her would have technically been in the nineties. And she was really sick, meaning that it must have been a relief to her to finally pass on.   

  But still, I cannot believe it.  She was the first golden retriever my family ever owned, and we got her when I was probably two.  I don't even remember a time when she wasn't, well alive.  As I looked through some of the pictures, I just thought "Wow.  She's really gone?"

  We did give her to my Grandpa Paul and Nana Hanny several years ago, but I would still see her every time we visited each other.  And she still felt like a part of my family.  As you can see in the picture, she had puppies with us.  I was seven, and the whole thing was just marvelous to me.  

  One of the things Nikki would do was, when my Mom held her fingers a certain way in front of her nose, her whole face would wrinkle up in an anger-less snarl.  When the hand was pulled away, she'd relax.  So we thought it was funny to say things like, "Spinach..." (putting the hand in front of her nose) steak!"  (pulling it away).  "Bad... good!"  "Barack Obama...  John McCain!"  When we got Jasmine as a kitten when I was five, Jasmine was extremely frightened.  But I'm told that she got out from behind the couch as soon as she saw Nikki, and the two cuddled up.   Also, if you would just pet her, her eyes would close and her whole body would soften, as if your affection for her could melt away all troubles. 

  But as sad as I am, I know that Nikki's time had come, and that she's now in a better place.

  We love you, sweet girl.