Toby is another name for love....

Have you seen Marley and Me, and thought it was the greatest movie but the ending was a little sad because you really fell in love with Marley. On Monday (Memorial Day) our family said good- bye to our dear old lab "Toby". He was 11 years old. We were all with him when he passed. He has been with our family since he was 6 weeks old. It was a warm day in April, Mark was on a business trip and the night before our car had been broken into and I was feeling nervous being home alone with 3 small kids and wished I had a dog to make me feel safe. I had taken the kids to the mall and in the parking lot was a truck with a sign that said "Lab puppies". We just had to take a look. Well of course we fell in love and Tiffany's birthday was just around the corner and she cried "mom, the puppy is all I want for my birthday". He chewed our shoes, fingers and toes, listened to our tears, always up for a cuddle, tended many puppies, went on the boat and the water tube, climbed slide at the park, and couldn't wait to go for a walk. He always offered unconditional love and was always happy to see us come home. We will miss his smile, and his love.