Our Loss of Sierra

Sierra has been a member of The Film Family since before any of our grandchildren were home with their families. Nana worked with a woman whose daughter bred Labrador Retrievers. Kara and Emily's Mom and Dad had moved into their new house and were aching for one of "man's best friends." Well, they went to see the puppies. Of course, they fell in love with not one, but two of them. One was a brown lab; the other a yellow lab. When the time was right, The Film's brought their new additions to the family home. The brown lab was named Jake; the yellow lab Sierra. I still remember how tiny they were. And so cute.

Time passed and they were full grown. Jake was the biggest lab Nana had ever seen. He was beautiful with such a dark, shiney coat of hair. I guess I could describe him as over-aggressive. Sierra was the calmer, typical lab type dog. When she was young, she played right along side her brother. That was were you always found her. Actually, Sierra slowed her pace down shortly after she lost her brother.

When Kara and Emily joined the family, they immediately fell in love with both dogs. Zack would run up the driveway to see the dogs. When Alex joined our family, he fell in love with Sierra (Jake had already gone to Heaven). Both were truly best friends to The Hines Family grandchildren.

I had never had the experience of feeling love for a pet. Not until Jake and Sierra entered my life. Animals brought into a home are not just pets. They become family members. And so, when we lose them, that's what we feel; the pain of losing a family member.

I offer my sincere condolences to first, The Film Family, and secondly, to every member of The Hines Family, for their loss of Sierra, who was not only man's best friend, but a family member. We will feel her loss forever.

Hugs and kisses,