bentley

Bentley and Auntie Pam.

On Monday morning when I was driving Addie to preschool, I knew that the topic of the week was going to be pets. So I started to engage her in conversation about pets. I asked her what pets we have and the first pet out of her mouth was Bentley.

A year ago, when we found out Addie had an allergy to dogs, we asked Aunt Pam to take him for a trial to see if that would improve her eczema. It didn't. But ironically what did improve was Bentley's skin. Long story short, Bentley is no longer the miserable, itchy dog with nasty little bumps all over him. And he is even off his medicine that was used to control the skin flare ups. We all concluded that there is something in the air up here that isn't down in Southern California. So Kevin, Aunt Pam and I made the decision that Bentley would stay with her permanently and as I was driving Addie to school that day, I realized I hadn't explained this to Addie yet. 

I had spent my own time grieving about this decision but I admit, I wasn't prepared for my little girl's reaction when I told her that Bentley was going to stay with Aunt Pam for good. I started to explain that we could go visit him and that's when I heard a lump in the back of her throat as she said, "But we need Bentley back! We can get Auntie Pam another little white dog." I will never forget her four year old voice pleading with me about our dog and before I knew it I had a lump in the back of my throat and we both had tears in our eyes, as the realization set in that Bentley was no longer considered our pet.

And now I'm crying writing this...Bentley we love you. As I've said before, you were my baby and source of comfort, when I didn't know if having babies was going to be possible. Loving and caring for you, trained and prepared me for the day we brought our first newborn home. And now she loves you. You taught her that dogs can be gentle and loving companions. You made her giggle countless times. You tolerated (for the most part) your hair being pulled, smothering hugs and many, many changes, that were not always in your favor, as we welcomed two new human beings into our home. You are a good dog Bentley. We miss you terribly but we are so grateful to know that we will get to visit and love on you again!