Oh, I am sooo sorry Danny.  Our thoughts will be with you and your family as you go through the healing process.

We lost our beloved Rosie (golden retriever) and we were all devastated.  She was 12 years old and we had adopted her when she was 2 so we had her before we even had children.  It was a very difficult thing for all of us.  We held her while they put her to sleep (she had cancer and was very sick) and I don’t remember a time when I cried so hard.  The children came home from school to hear the bad news.

My neighbor was so empathetic and generous.  Her dog "Max" was Rosie’s boyfriend and they used to play together every day.  She knew we would be putting Rosie to sleep so she bought my children each a stuffed Gund Golden Retriever puppy so that they could hug them whenever they missed her.  I have to say that that was one of the few things that brought them comfort during their time of grief.

Believe it or not, another thing that they felt good about was having a funeral for her.  She was loved by all the neighbors and they all came and each child got to say what they loved best about her.  After all was said and done, they held hands and sang "Ring Around The Rosie" in her honor.  They still go out to visit her grave from time to time and get comfort knowing that they can talk to her whenever they need to.

Although there is no replacing a beloved pet, we waited a good year before adopting Lily.  It raised our spirits substantially when the owner told us her given name.  It was Rosie!!!  We didn’t feel that we could call her that without feeling sad all the time so we renamed her Lily-Rose.  God works in mysterious ways.

Danny, I know it’s too soon to think about right now, but there are millions of cats in the pound that are just waiting for a loving family like yours to come along and give it a home.  I’m sure Charlie would have wanted it that way.  It just might help change the focus from the of a loved pet to giving another pet a new chance at life.

I’m sorry I got so wordy, but I know just how difficult this time can be.

P.S. Just an aside, I have posted in the past about my friend who has cancer and whose husband had a stroke - her dog Flannigan died just the other day.  Can this family EVER catch a break? 

I will keep you ALL in my prayers.(:.<)