Today sucked hard.

My dog, whom I have had for 20 years, had to be put to sleep today.

When my middle son was 8 years old, he signed up for a fun run through his school that went around the Fort Worth Zoo. Before the run, there were booths set up, and one of those booths was the Fort Worth Animal Shelter.

While we waited for the run to start, we were looking at the animals that were up for adoption, and this little black and brown wiry-haired dog trotted up to us. We petted her, and I asked her name. ‘Zoey,’ the woman running the booth said.

We spent too much time at the booth with Zoey that we almost missed the start of the race, so my son and I had to jog to the starting line. One of the other moms there asked me, ‘Did you adopt that dog?’ That’s when I looked down and noticed that Zoey had followed us. I went right back to the booth and adopted Zoey.

That was in 2009; my oldest son was 13, my middle son was 8, and my youngest was one. They grew up with her, and she grew up with them.

She has helped me through some of the hardest times of my life. She used to lay her head in my lap when she knew I was feeling sad. I used to have to walk her in the rain, and she ALWAYS took forever to find that ‘right spot’ when it was raining.

There were at least three times when a McCreepster tried to creep on me while I was walking Zoey, and she barked at them so ferociously that they didn’t even try. She saved me more times than I can count. She was always there for me, through all my ups and downs.

Now she is gone.

I honestly thought that she would outlive me; she was such a tenacious little dog. She even survived eating a frog once.

Rest in peace, Zoey. I miss you, and I love you.

That is all for me. Give your pets a hug and a pat for me, and have a good Friday.