Moments after I met Lyra, I could tell she was 'my dog'. She was the most loving creature I'd met and yet still independent and built a full identity of her own. She came to me at a difficult time in my life and helped me focus on something outside of that. She was my faithful companion for almost 15 years through my best and worst times. She was the most consistent loving force in my life through crushing breakups, the sudden loss of my wife and my father, a bankruptcy, and countless other difficulties. She got me outside, helped keep me active and was always 'there' when I was feeling alone. Over the years, we shared cross-country adventures including thousands of miles in our motorcycle-sidecar rig, our camper van and all kinds of amazing destinations in the PNW.

Lyra loved everyone and everyone loved her. Everyone in my circle knew her and that we were a package deal. She was a big part of how some of my most important relationships formed. The anchor in many aspects of my life.

She was known by many, loved by many and she shed all over so many! Losing her so quickly (yet mostly without pain) was both a blessing and the worst. Not getting to do all those intentional last trips/treats/meals was hard...but she also saved us so much anticipation and pre-grief. It helped that we had so many adventures together over her lifetime so the last ones didn't matter as much, we had a great life together.

As I'm now engaged to my soon-to-be second wife, I realize Lyra knew I was 'ok' and it was okay to go. Her job taking care of me all these years was done. I will miss her for the rest of my life and am thankful I got to spend some of mine with her.