Oh I understand so well what you are saying Kay. I think Glacier's post was really a wonderful outlook, I know I found it comforting. Instead of getting more sad as each year goes by, try to think of it as a wonderful thing that you are getting to share more and more of his life with him, making more memories, more pictures and precious moments. There's never any guarantee that our babies will make it to 1 or 3 or 5, and so when they do it is something to celebrate. When Willie turned 10, I was so happy that he made it to 10 and was still going strong, we still had more time ahead of us yet to treasure each other.

You know, another thing to keep in mind is that there is something special and unique about each stage of a dog's life, and their senior years have special things about them too that you will get to experience. For every dog it's different of course, but for me with my RB boys, they got more and more loving and affectionate and closer to me the older they got. We got more and more to the point where we just read each others' minds. Instead of thinking "next year he'll be 8" try to think "this year he has made it to 7 and we are even closer than ever."

It's hard to explain, and I'm sure you know what I'm talking about anyway. Of course honestly there will always be times when it hits you that he's older and you think about when he won't be there and it hurts so much, but that realization gives you a chance too to relish even more your time together now. And when that day does come that he crosses to the bridge, he will be a part of you forever and ever. That will never ever fade.

I know I was just watching videos last night and watched Tasha as a little puppy. Now she will be 6 soon and I can't believe how fast it has gone. I know after that recent bad scare I had with Tasha, I suddenly wanted nothing more in the world than the chance to be able to watch her live to a ripe old age. I hope and pray that we will have many many more years together, and that you and your boy will too.