IT was meant to be a de-cluttering session. A time to clear out unwanted items from our garage and the back garden - everything from old kids' scooters to flat footballs.
But what was set to be a productive afternoon soon became a trip down memory lane when lots of fond, and a few sad, memories came flooding back.
As we began to move the see-saw, an ageing play house and a storage box full of odds and ends, it was then that we saw it.
Our beloved pet dog's kennel.
The large doggie house had remained in the same place since we first moved into our home more than a decade ago.
It had remained there, in our back garden, despite our dog's passing three years ago.
It was then that the wonderful memories of our golden labrador Mac returned.
Mac had been our devoted, charming and often silly big dog since his birth in 2002.
Surprisingly, he had been a wedding present from our good friends and was like the child in our house before our babies came along a few years later.
He was playful, fun-loving, kind and a tad mad - but that's what made us love him even more.
When our eldest boy was born, instead of feeling like his nose had been put out, Mac became a protector and was often found lying beside our son's cot.
As our little one grew up, we were lucky enough to be able to watch the distinct bond he developed with our canine friend.
The bond of friendship they shared was strong, boundless and unconditional.
And when our second son came along, it began all over again. Our gorgeous dog's sunny, infectious disposition and enthusiasm for life rubbed off on both our children.
You would often catch the boys rolling around on the floor with Mac or keeping him happy by a constant game of catch the ball and at times just simply sitting stroking his head.
While he had suffered from ill health - from his creaking bones and sore ears - when he really began to go downhill, we knew we had to prepare the kids (and ourselves) for the inevitable.
As he worsened and the vet advised we bring him down to see her, we gently tried to tell the boys he may not return home.
We all sat on the back patio that Sunday morning in May and said our goodbyes before carrying him to the car, knowing that the inevitable was coming.
The 20-minute drive to Lisburn saw any decision we may have had to make taken away from us and our beautiful, energetic and wacky big dog quietly slipped away.
Telling our kids he had gone was one of the hardest things we have ever done and probably one of the most difficult times they have faced in their short, happy lives.
So finding his kennel on Saturday, realising we had never actually moved it away, brought all those memories to the forefront of my mind again.
Looking at my eldest son in particular, I could recall the heartache he suffered back then which was written all over his face.
Feeling emotional and happy all at one time, we cleared away the leaves gathered inside it and cleaned it out to look as good as new.
But it made me realise how much time it takes to get over the loss of a pet.
Some people don't understand the pain many face when they lose a pet, they don't realise some of us need time to mourn, just like when we lose a person we love.
While dogs may be like children, completely dependent on their owners for their wellbeing, they offer unconditional love and are wonderful and faithful in so many ways.
Many people think by getting another it will fill the void, but it just doesn't work like that.
We have never got another dog, perhaps the pain of losing him was too much to have to go through again. Or maybe we just never wanted to feel like we were replacing him.
But what we should all remember is that each of us who has loved, and been loved, by an animal can't fail to feel blessed.
