So sorry for your loss.
Grew up in a cat family. Had one when I was born, got another when it passed, and one more before I left home. Didn't really have a stable home as a young adult, so never really crossed my mind to adopt a pet.
Girlfriends apartment burns down, she moves in with me and brings her cat. Gets her own place which doesn't allow pets, cat #1.
Get married, wife wants a dog, get a beautiful, sweet, dumb retriever.
Find a litter of kittens on an investment property, adopt out 3, wife wants to keep 2, cats #2, #3.
Get divorced, wife takes dog.
Marriage #2, wife has cat #4. Have child, now 13. Feed neighborhood cat who is picked up by animal control, set for euthanization. Agree to bring it in, cat #5.
Wife finds puppy in dumpster at work, mom and sibling dead, dog #2
Tenant moves out, leaves dog in apartment. "We'll keep it until we find it a home." Daughter falls in love, dog #3
Cat #2, 16 yo and cat #1, 18 yo cross the rainbow bridge.
Driving down the highway and see a fluff ball staggering in the median, cat #6
Neighbor stops in front of my house while I am raking the yard. "Do you hear any crying coming from my engine compartment?", cat #7
As I write this, I can not believe how much happiness my two puppies bring to my life. I run/walk 3-5 miles 6x/wk in the morning. "Want to go for a run?" wife "No", daughter [laughter], I look at my two compadres and they literally start dancing. "Want to help clean outside the house", "No" in chorus and who's dancing. "Want to go for a car ride and walk around the park?", that's right you guessed it. At night, after getting the Heisman, I sleep on my side, one dog against my stomach, the other behind my knees. I don't have to worry about my showers contributing to my water bill because my dogs are happy to clean me, all I have to do is let them.
I have recently become aware of the homeless pet crisis. If, in the future, I find my household can accommodate another pet, I believe I will foster dogs. There are many agencies looking for homes to care for dogs until forever homes can be found.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XJO7zMQ3mk
I think any dog would be lucky to have you as its master! Best of luck!