April 11, 2010

We have had a wild couple of weeks. Unfortunately, we lost one of our family members on Friday. Chops left us for doggy heaven. We are so sad that she is gone but are trying to focus on all of the great times we had with her. I'm sad that she and Ben only knew each other for about three years. I remember the day Ben came home from the hospital, Chops was cautiously interested in him. When Ben was a newborn, we didn't need a baby monitor because Chops was the first to let me know if he was crying or even fussing. I'm not sure if her diligence was due to being a great "nanny" or if she was just trying to quiet him down so she could take one of her many naps! When Ben started eating solid foods, he became Chops' best friend. She would circle his high chair like a shark, waiting for all kinds of goodies to be dropped (or in some cases, thrown). As Ben began sitting up, the two of them would have starring contests. Not sure who won, neither one of them had much of an attention span at that point. Once Ben started crawling, Chops was always quick to get out of his way. When Ben began walking, Chops was always there to provide a soft landing for him. There were countless times he would wobble right into her and seek refuge in her soft fur, hanging on for dear life to his fuzzy friend. She was always so gentle with him. The real fun started for the two of them once Ben was able to run. Playing chase was one of their favorite games. The sound of Ben cackling never seemed to bother her. The louder and faster he was, the better for Chops. Even a week or so before she left us, she would still run a few laps after him, if only for a minute or two. Dave and I were fortunate to have Chops for almost ten years. A lot has happened in those ten years and we are so grateful she was there to share it with us. We all cuddled with her during her final moments and said our goodbyes. We told Ben she was going to heaven. Ben asked if she had friends in heaven, which of course she does. He also asked if she was allowed to jump in heaven, which I'm sure she'll be able to. We're really going to miss our "first born" but I know she's watching over us, and knowing Chops, rolling her eyes at us. We love you Chops!!!