closure.

While I was in Salt Lake a few weeks ago, we got the opportunity to spend time with our childhood dog, Patches...or actually Patch for short. Blind, deaf, and wobbling around, she still is our sweet 16-year-old Border Collie who has been part of our family for so long. She represents so much of my childhood and I have many memories with her in it. Running, hiking, camping, and trips to Mexico were some of the moments she shared with us and this last time I was home, I wanted to make one more memory. I realized that she doesn’t seem to have very much life in her and that my visit home could very well be the last time I see her. So, my sisters and I decided to take her to Bob’s dogwash and get her all cleaned up. (She was looking pretty rough) In it’s simplicity, I found it to be a very profound moment for me. It seemed to be a way to say goodbye and have closure with her and with my childhood family. My parents have recently gotten a divorce this year, and I think this dog wash experience also represented putting some closure to what our family used to look like and begin to accept what our family will look like from now on. It was also a way to say goodbye to Patch in case she wasn’t around when I came home next. It was also such a fun moment with my sisters who I love so much. I look forward to the more memories for years to come with you guys!!!!

Stinky!

Start to brush...

and brush...

and brush...

Yes this is all the fur that came off of Patch! Gross!

Time to wash.

Patch is happy.

Patch is not so happy.

Almost done.

So clean!

Could be our last photo together with patch.

Here is a little video we recorded on the digital camera...not best quality in sound or image.