Our Name

STORM\

I knew this day would come and yet like most I didn't think it would be this soon, however I always knew it would be this hard.

In 2016 I decided to re-brand our business. I enlisted my good friend Jacob Reinholdt to help think of a new name and begin a marketing strategy. I knew I wanted the name to be strong, relevant, and stand the test of time. I wanted one word, one syllable, that could be used as a foundation for our company. Of course Storm came to mind and it stuck. I knew she wouldn't be in our lives forever, and I wanted her legacy to live on. She taught me grace, forgiveness, resilience, and strength, and most of all no matter what bad is going on in your life to always live in the moment and enjoy the little things.

She liked car rides, walks, runs (when she was younger), the dog park (she was the fastest dog in the park even at 10 years young), she liked cuddling on the couch and most of all she loved humans. She didn't care who you were she wanted to be your friend, she wanted to love you and her belly rubbed in return. She was also protective of my wife and our home, she had a bark that would scare even the most determined criminal and I felt safe leaving my home to go protect others.

I sacrificed a lot of time over the years following my dreams and trying to make a better life for my family. The biggest regret I have is all the broken promises to her that I couldn't keep, because of the long shifts, forces, second and 3rd jobs.... I always told her I would take her on more runs, to the dog park, to play fetch, I won't get to do those things with her, and in the end she still loved me the same.

She was the most beautiful dog, with her shinny black coat and strong features. She loved Caitlin Anna and Tux more than me and I was ok with that. You see she had no reason to love me, I was a pretty rotten dog owner in the beginning. Brandon Cruse and I adopted her when we lived together back in 2007. Prior to us she had been abused and a lot of the damage and behaviors carried over, being a young kid I didn't know to deal with that. My parents took her in after I moved back home and I will forever be grateful for that. She got plenty of love and was around other dog friends too.

We were finally able to move her back in with us about 5 years ago and it was one of the best days of my life. I have always been proud to call her my own, and of the dog she turned out to be. She had issues just like any other dog but she seemed to have an affinity for rare diseases like they were her version of getting a fine wine. She was diagnosed with Horner's Syndrome (yes that would be Caitie's Maiden name) a couple years ago, she recovered and was fine. She had a large lump on her back that always tested negative, yet just kept growing and the vets never had a definitive answer. Almost every time we went to the Vet we would hear, "you know this is a first for us, we have no idea what's going on". Caitie and I would look at each other and smirk because well that's Storm.

This last time was a little different although the vet had no idea what was wrong, I had to carry her in and out of the Hospital because she was just to weak to walk. You see Saturday we hosted Mother's day at our house, My sister Chealsea and niece Charlotte came up from Troy to surprise my Mom, it just so happened all of my sisters, and Mom and Dad we're able to come up last minute to celebrate, Storm was was able to spend her last day on earth with the people that loved her and she loved the most. I know that's all she ever wanted!

I had taken off yesterday to be with Caitie on a day that's hard for her every year. We didn't have plans she just asked if I would take it off to be home, and I was more than happy too. Looking back now everything worked out better than we could have imagined.

Storm passed away early yesterday morning, one of the hardest days of my life so far. We we're lucky to have my parents come help us. We were also blessed to spend the day with Caitie's Dad and Joni, My grandparents, parents, sister, niece, and then end the night playing some games and eating Culvers custard with Caitie's grandparents Bob and Donna. You see that's what Storm would have wanted, us to go spend precious time with the ones we love not sit around a grieve her loss, she was selfless like that.

Thank you for being My Dog!

Storm\ 05-12-19