Saying Goodbye...

This past week has not been an easy one. On Thursday morning, I had to say goodbye to my best friend of 12 years through an iPhone. It killed me that I couldn't have said goodbye to my sweet pup in person, and that I was over 5,000 miles away from my family at a time that I needed them most.

Losing a family pet is never easy, as I know when I said goodbye to my sweet Charlie last summer. However, there is something terribly unsettling about not being—or even having the option to be—home during it. Although I am having an amazing experience abroad, now is one of those times that I just want to be home...

To my sweet little Katie Ann Van Whiskers,

thank you for letting me dress you up everyday for about 5 (or maybe 10) years straight.

thank you for being my guinea pig on the "slides" I used to create from our living room furniture.

thank you for being too smart and too much of a little human to play fetch. (maybe...)

thank you for hiding out in my room to comfort me every time I was down.

thank you for understanding when I had to move away to college...

and thank you for always giving me a warm welcome

and a "roo-ROOO" when I came home.

thank you for snuggling, cuddling, and loving me.

thank you for being the little sister I never had.

but most of all, thank you for growing up with me. 

a lot can change from 8 to 20...

but the two of us always stuck together :)

love always,

your big sis