It breaks my heart to share this news. On June 15th we had to let our LuLu go. I loved her to sleep with kisses and hugs and sweet talk as she lay on the quilt in the back of our SUV with a cool breeze coming through the open hatch. It was very peaceful. I saved the tears for after.
I never expected to say goodbye so soon. She was 11 years old. A cancer diagnosis in May, gone in June. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write this post, but each stage of letting LuLu go just reopens the wound in my heart.
The picture above was taken May 28 this year. She spent a lot of time with that azalea bush over the years.
I brought her home in November 2012. The picture below looks like a studio portrait, but it's not. She was always the prettiest little girl.
On the river in 2015, living the good life in Golden Retriever terms:
It wasn't long before she was running on the bay again with her buddy, Wally.
Christmas 2022. That's LuLu with her nose sniffing for presents.
Always the helper -- January 2023:
Still playing with sticks just last month. How quickly things change:
I made a thank you card for LuLu's vet. Very clean and simple. It was the most difficult card I have ever made.
I'll miss LuLu forever.
Wally is 14 years old and still with us. He has good days and bad days. Sometimes it appears he might be looking for LuLu, but I'm not sure. He's still happy. We'll love him while we can.
Thank you for being here.
47 comments:
I'm so sorry for your loss, Leslie. LuLu was a constant companion and source of great joy. I know you, Rich and Wally will miss her immensely. Sending you love and hugs. Thank you for sharing your loss and the wonderful photos of LuLu. Love, Loll
Oh Leslie, I am so SO very sorry to read this! What a beautiful girl Lulu was! I know people can say I know exactly what you're going through, and not have a clue, but I kinda do really know what you're going through. We had to put our Daisy down beginning of April after just 6 weeks after learning she had Cushings Disease. We took her in thinking it was just another bladder infection, and then after weeks of testing and bloodwork finally being sent off to Michigan State University, we received the crushing news. She had just turned 11 in January and we used to kid that she'd out live all of us! She had an attitude, but oh did she make us laugh! Princess Daisy. I still miss her so and still tear up...the house is so quiet now! No more dogs for us...it just hurts too much to say goodbye. But anyway, know that I am praying for you as you go through this time of grief, and also sending lots and lots of warm hugs your way. Hold tight to all your wonderful memories...Lulu truly was a beautiful girl!! Give Wally a hug from me too!! Take care my friend!
Thank you for sharing her with us all these years. I am so sorry to hear this. What a beautiful good friend.
So sorry to hear your sad news. Thinking of you. xx
Aaawww no I am so sorry to read this Lulu wa a very beautiful dog and I am sure Wally does look for her, he will miss her as you all will.Sadly I know what you are going through,you have lovely memories and Wally to keep you going.Love the beautiful card you made for the vet and it says everything.
Carol x x x
As I read this I sat here crying and with a big lump in my throat, as you know I know all too well what you are going through, very painful and hurtful losing a fur child!! She certainly was a beautiful girl and she knew she was very loved!! There are just no words of what to say, hopefully she will meet my Golden Nick and my Doodle Nellie over the rainbow bridge and maybe even chase my cat Soot around for a bit. So very very sorry Leslie, my heart hurts for you and Rich and Wally too, cyber hugs to you my friend!!
thanks for all the pics over the years. It was a pleasure getting to know your dogs and their antics. My heat goes out to you all.
Leslie, thank you for sharing Lulu with us as she was such a beautiful girl at all ages. Your heart will ache - how could it not when losing such a wonderful companion.
Sending love and big hugs, my friend.
I'm so sorry for your loss! Our sweet best friends just don't live long enough! I have enjoyed the journey from afar as you shared their lives with us my friend. I hope you have Wally with you for several more years and that he is a comfort to you!
What a beautiful tribute, Leslie. Lulu was indeed extremely unique in her beauty - inside and out. What a gift you both were to each other. I've emailed privately - I'm grateful for the joy you and Lulu brought to me through your photos. BTW, when my Randy Belgium Shepherd passed away, his best bud, our kitty, mourned for the rest of his life. Critters have a way of mourning, just like we do, but they turn their attention to us, so we can soothe them. Loving you always, de
Oh my, my heart is breaking and tears are coming down my face as I read your beautiful tribute to LuLu. Thank you for sharing her gorgeous pictures. She was such a sweet soul and will be missed terribly. I'm sure the Vet appreciated your card as it is hard for them as well. Sending hugs to you all!
Dear Leslie,
I appreciate these beautiful photos of your darling dog and wonderful friend. My heart aches for you!
Sending you extra hugs and heartfelt prayers.
I am so sorry to hear about Lulu. It is always so sad when you lose a precious friend. I know how your dogs have been such a central part of your life. she will always be missed, but it is good that you were able to give her a quiet and gentle death. that is worth a lot. Such a cute little CAS card too xx
Hugs from Buffalo, NY! I am so sorry for your loss Leslie. You’ve unselfishly shared your fur babies with us over the years showing us what gentle and beautiful members of your family Wally and Lulu are and will always be. As a fellow pet lover, my heart aches for you. I hope your photos and memories will help you heal. Stay strong and give Wally lots of kisses now. Take care, Debbie Pokerwinski ❤️❤️
Oh Leslie, I am so so sorry for you, Rich and Wally. It's always so hard to lose our fur babies, but you all have given LuLu a beautiful life. The same thing happened to us, with Angie Mae, our cat. One day she was jumping around on the bed, the next she couldn't get up on it. She also had a cancer diagnosis that was too far along. That was 2020, and I still miss her today. I am sending you all a lot of love, prayers and hugs.
Tears come to my eyes as I read your post about your beloved LuLu. I always enjoyed so much Goldens and Gardens as you chronicled your life with your fur babies. It is always sad when they have to leave us, but I'm sure she is waiting on the other side of the rainbow bridge to reconnect with her family some day. I know she will be forever missed but kept in your heart.
Hugs and prayers to you for your loss. I am a fur baby mom from Ontario and I know the pain of losing a fur baby. I have so enjoyed all the pictures you have shared over the years and hopefully those memories will help you through this time of loss. Give special love to Wally.
Sending healing prayers.
Kathy Holmes
Oh Leslie, I'm so sorry about Lulu. My heart goes out to you and your husband and of course Wally, he lost his best mate ♥
Thank you for the trip through Lulu's life, Goldens are really the best dogs in the world. Hugs from me Dylan and Tika xx
I am so sorry to read the sad news Leslie. It is never easy to say goodbye to our pets. Thinking of you. Hugs from South Africa.
I am so deeply sorry for your loss. Have been with you since Wally joined your family and have come to feel as if LuLu and Wally were my own. I am crying an ocean over this news and will keep your beautiful family in thought and prayer as you journey through a whole new series of sad "firsts". Blessings...
So sorry for your loss! I will keep you all in my heart. Hugs to you as you heal❣️
So very sorry for this loss of your Lulu! I love your post to tell us of your love for her and what she brought to your life. What a beautiful ending that you described! I can see that she made a lasting mark on your heart. Hugs!
My heart breaks for you and Wally too. So sorry to hear about Lulu, I've so loved seeing both dogs over the years. Thank you for that and hugs to you.
Leslie,
I'm so sorry for your loss of Lulu. I have followed your posts about Lulu and Wally for years. You gave her a fabulous life. It's so hard! My sincere condolences.
Leslie, so sorry for your loss of the beautiful LuLu and thank you for sharing her with us over the years. It breaks our hearts always to lose our precious pets that our a gift from God for their gift of true love and goodness. Sending hugs and hope for time to help heal, but we miss them forever.
Take care.
-Tracy
Leslie, I remember when you first got LuLu and she was a beautiful girl, and I so loved all of your pictures of her and Wally. We just received a diagnosis of bone cancer with Beulah, and it is all so hard right now. I check in on her all the time and love her each time and our hearts don’t stop beating when our loved ones do. Time does slip away, but the love in our hearts lasts forever. Hugs and prayers for you, dear one.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Leslie. Thank you for sharing the photos of your sweet Lulu. Sending big hugs.
Oh Leslie. My heart breaks for you. She was a beautiful lady. Thank you for sharing her with us through the years. We will all miss her, especially you. Sending hugs, my friend.
I know you, Rich and Wally are heartbroken as well as all your friends, who you have so generously shared Lulu and Wally's happy active lives together. I feel so fortunate to have met and played with Wally and Lulu ever since they became members of your family...you and Rich have given them the most wonderful lives, filled with Love and caring. Thank you Leslie for sharing Lulu's sweet passing. Even though I have known the day Lulu passed away...I still get choked up, but then smile thinking of sweet loving and very beautiful Lulu:-) Your memories and photos will help mend yours, Rich and Wally's broken hearts, but you need to grieve too ...Love and Big Hugs, dear friend. Nancy
Oh, sweet Lulu. You gave her the best life and the BEST passing. You have done a good job, and she knows it. It's so stinkin' hard, there are just no words. She is still with you in your heart, I pray for peace for you tonight. Hugs, my friend.
What sad, sad news. I'm so sorry for your family's loss of Lulu.
Oh Leslie....thank you for sharing this sad news with all of us. I know how hard this is for you. Lulu will be missed by everyone that follows your posts. It was as if she belonged to us too. Your photos of Lulu are precious and yes, she is such a pretty girl. Love and hugs.
Denise
Oh my dear friend, Im so sad and so sorry to hear about Lulu's passing, when our pets leave us there's an empty space in our hearts that is impossible to fill.
My prayers for you is that the memories of your sweet Lulu help you, Rich and Wally deal with the pain of her absence.
Im sending love and hugs, my friend.
Maria.
Oh my gosh Leslie, I am heartbroken to hear the news of LuLu's passing. Such a beautiful girl. Thank you so much for posting the pictures, sharing your memories. Sending love and hugs and prayers for healing. Such a heartbreak when we loose a 4 legged family member. I am sure your vet appreciated your lovely card.
Oh Leslie your sweet tribute post for LuLu has me in tears, I hurt for you, losing our buddies is so hard. I imagine Wally is a bit confused, I know Peanut was when we lost Anna and Jip. I have been praying God sends you comfort at this time... Big Hugs (((())))
Oh Leslie - I'm so, so sorry about Lulu. How hard for you. Thank you so much for sharing the wonderful pictures. I'm glad you have such good memories of her. Hugs to you.
My heartful love for the loss of a beautiful and beloved fury buddy xx
Oh, my dear friend, there are no words. This part is always so stinkin' HARD. The tears are flowing here as I look at her wonderful, sweet face. All the love and adoration in her eyes is overwhelming. Thinking about you today, hoping you will find some peace!
Broken hearted with you all, from Australia. I have loved Wally and Lulu since they were lucky enough to come to you and Rich. What lovely memories you have shared with us all of their fun adventures and antics - memories that I hope will bring you comfort as you grieve. Lulu was certainly one of a kind and it is so easy to read the love you shared with her. Sherylee.
I'm so sorry to be reading this! I lost my golden years ago, and I still miss him everyday. Reading your post reminds me of the day he passed and honestly it was one of the hardest ever. I think I sobbed for weeks and still do occasionally.
I hope it gives you some measure of comfort to have been blessed with such an awesome fur baby for as long as you had her. What a great life she had and what joy she gave you! Such a gorgeous golden and I so enjoyed your photos of her.
I love the card you made....I will be thinking of you....
So sorry for your loss. She was beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this loving photo album of beautiful Lulu's life with us, Leslie. What a gorgeous girl, inside and outside. Even though it would have been better to have her much longer, you were so blessed to have this bundle of joy in your life as long as you did! And you were very thoughtful to make a sweet card for your vet when your own heart was breaking. Lots of love and hugs, Darnell
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your Lulu. I am heartbroken for you, Rich and Wally. I remember when you first brought her home. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful trip down memory lane with those beautiful photos. She had a wonderful life and was well loved. Lulu will always have a special place in your heart. Sending love and hugs,
Just now seeing this and my heart is so sad, tears are flowing for you and Rich and Wally at the loss of Lulu. She was such a beautiful dog and so very loved. I have enjoyed reading all about her over the years and will miss her sweet face.
She was beautiful indeed! Reading this will open the heartbreak again... so many things trigger me. Just know, you have my deepest sympathy!
Hi Leslie
I saw this sad news when you shared it, and I wanted to pop in since that day to tell you how sorry I am for your loss.Your Lulu was the prettiest, sweetest girl ever and I can't imagine how much you must miss her. Our Sugar (Cocker spaniel) turns 11 in January and I fear the day we have to say good bye to him.
I also scrolled through all the beautiful cards you shared over the last couple of weeks. Always a delight to look at!
Love & Hugs
Hannelie
Oh no. I am so very sorry Leslie. It’s not until I just read your beautifully written comments on my posts that I realized LuLu is gone. Ugh. :-((( 😭
I know how you love both Wally and LuLu and this had to just wrench your heart. Gosh I am so sorry. I’m teary and sad for you.
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