Rest In Peace Miss Carla

January 1996 - March 23, 2012

Carla passed away yesterday evening. I was holding her on the was to the vet, when she laid her head at the nape of my neck and then she was gone.

Carla was truly a part of the whole family. We adopted her way back in May 1996 from the Richmond SPCA, she was the WRVA 'dog of the day'.

I remember that day well, the kids had been told that they could have a dog as long as it was a small one. The description the kids heard over the was Chihuahua mix and that she would be around 10 lbs when full grown. Perfect! Sean, who was 4 at the time, and I made a beeline for the SPCA so that we would be there when they opened to check her out. She was so ugly that she was cute!

She and Sean got bonded and that was that! After all the adoption papers were signed we piled in the car and headed back to school. To pick up Walter & Danielle - they got a half day off from school so they could spend time with her.

On one of our family excursions out not too many months later, Carla really showed us that she was there to protect us. While the guys were fishing, I was sitting next to a big rock reading and she kept annoying me beyond belief. I finally got up and moved, which prompted her to quiet down. As we were getting ready to leave, I went to pick up a bag that was sitting next to the rock and she started up again. Turned out that there was a big copperhead curled up under the rock. She let us know right then and there that she was definitely going to earn her keep.

Her disposition has always been very sweet and gentle. She was housebroken from day one and was always ready to get in the car and go anywhere. She LOVED a good road trip. She especially liked to go out to Mom & Dad's house to visit. Mom would even 'babysit' her if I needed to be out of town for a few days.

Over the years she has travel with us virtually everywhere. Ocean City, the Outer Banks, Blue Ridge Mountains and the Southwestern part of Virginia. She liked to go to the beach as long as there were absolutely NO waves involved. One the last trips that we took her on was to Warm Springs.

A year or more ago we found out that she had an enlarged heart and there was nothing that could be done for her due to age. As her condition progressed she slowed down, but she hung right in there and helped us to bring the new guy, Bounce, into the family. She mothered him and never let him think that he was in charge for one minute. Even though she could walk under him he definitely didn't give her any 'lip'. We've seen her put him right in his place.

There are loads of stories from over the years that we will all treasure. She was just a few months over 16 years old. She was an awesome companion, loyal as the day is long, and was always there. We will miss her greatly.