Rest in Peace, Ava.

My five year old yellow lab, Ava, was hit and killed by a bus today. Although I'm sad, I want to remember the good things about her and all of the things she taught me that I would never have learned had she not been in my life.

1. Life is too short to skimp on an extra treat, even if you are a little pudgy.

2. That even if your tail wags a little differently (say, in circles), you'll still have a family that loves you for it.

3. That even if your body hurts when you wake up because you have premature arthirits, it's nothing a game of frisbee won't fix.

4. That you should never let someone else's (especially the cat's) food go to waste.

5. That your parents bed is always more comfy than your own.

6. That you must never stick your head in someone else's business, or you might get bitten.

7. That things, like chew toys, are always more fun when you look at them from another angle (upside down, for example).

8. That you'll never look bad if you're wearing purple.

9. That you should bask in short naps and strech your legs before getting up (see: number 5).

10. That you should love all your neighbor dogs, and you'll never be lonely.

Rest in peace, Ava.