Creating Lasting Memories of Loved Ones with SmartSign

We received the mentioned product in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts contained within this post are ours and may vary from the thoughts of others.

While I have not officially blogged about it which is quite rare for a big event to happen in our home and I totally let it go “unblogged” the last few weeks have been really quiet here. Our first fur baby passed away at the age of 9.

Riley was here with my husband in their bachelor pad before I came around. He was a Daddy’s Dog… until he met Mama. With long nights here by myself when I first moved in Riley was my companion and true protector. He welcomed new pets, babies and guarded against strangers no matter what the cost might have been.

This beautiful soul was more than “just a dog” and his impact on our home is missed. Riley didn’t go down without a fight and his last hours he struggled to grasp the end. Our final moments with him were times I will never forget. I held him, talked to him, calmed him and cried. Jack joined me when he awoke sometime near midnight to say goodbye as well. We also cried together. Patrick was hit hard because as I said before, this was Daddy’s first boy.

We were fortunate to be able to lay Riley to rest in our own back yard thanks to some amazing friends and neighbors and their tractor. Don’t know what we would have done without them.

In the days following we received messages from people about our loss, received memorial gifts and even flowers but I wanted to create something in memory of Riley. I decided to go WAY back in the Facebook files and pull out a photo that I took of him that really meant a lot to me; the first picture I ever took of him. As you can see above, the happy boy young and spry was enjoying a treat in our kitchen. The memories just flooded back like they had just happened yesterday.

SmartSign not only allowed me to create this beautiful memorial that I know will last because it is made of metal, but they emailed me a proof to make sure it was just right. I loved that. A company who took time to make sure things were squared away before the final product and shipment.

Our sign arrived in great condition just as I expected and just how it was designed. We now proudly display it on our TV shelf with other memorial pieces for Riley.

Thank you SmartSign for helping us remember our beloved Riley!