I have tears in my eyes reading your post Aly, I know exactly how you feel, well at least when it comes to the shelter dog part, not the other stuff My Shaianne and I were the same thing, we could look at each other and she just knew I needed her. The day she died, she jumped off the bed and looked at me and I just knew something wasn't right, I was just in denial.
But I wouldn't trade those 2 years for anything.