Our Belle Girl

An exact week ago today, we came home from our almost three week vacation. Our dog Belle stayed with my parents while we were gone. It just made more sense that way since it was her second home anyhow. They said she hadn't eaten well while we were gone and we all just figured she was sad that her people were gone without her. When we got home that night, I hand fed Belle some food that she ate just fine and taking note of how much food was in her dish, we decided to revisit the situation in a few days.

Belle is the best dog. She knows how to do so many things -of course the sit, roll over, play dead are easy ones. Fetch is one of her favorite, but she always impressed people when we said we couldn't reach something and she would bring it to our hands. Once I dropped the remote behind our bed and dang if that smart Belle girl didn't just run back and get it right away.

She was a daddy's girl- jumping in the pool with Don when ever she could- but she loved to play attack Don when we wrestled around and I would tell her to bite daddy's butt. She would nibble at his tush until he would jump and she and I would always win that way. She loved early morning cuddles and would scoot to Don's place on bed as soon as he would get out to work in the mornings.

We never not once had to worry about Belle with the boys. When they were babies they would just crawl all over her, pulling her fur and ears and she would just lick the baby food right off their faces in return. Not only off their faces though, I never had a crumb on the floor thanks to her help cleaning in the kitchen.

As the boys were between the ages of two and three Belle became one of their best friends, my mom commenting it was as if they were finally all of the same age mentality. The boys would hide Belles toys under their shirt and run through the living room screeching in suspense of her getting them and her tail wagging as she chased them.

Today it became clear to us Belle was not herself when Don tried to feed her a breakfast sausage and she turned her head. At the vets we were told she had a tumor and it had spread to her lungs as well. It didn't look good for her. We would have months at the most. We brought her home with the intention of just spoiling her rotten. To give her all the love and steak she could handle until she couldn't handle any more.

Unfortunately, a few more hours is all she had left to give us.

Our house is missing her already. My feet will miss her little body that I would normally complain was the cause of my funky sleeping positions. My face will miss her morning kisses. And my heart will miss the faithful, forever hopeful furry little girl that our Belle girl was to us.

Rest in peace, little Belle.