Ode to Abe

 This is NOT an Ode I thought I'd ever make, or at least not for several more years. And this is the saddest one. I've learned that I'm not good with reptiles but that was okay. But Abe is a part of our family in a different way that only a dog can be. But I'm getting ahead of myself. 

 The short version of the story is that Abe has really bad allergies. We've been trying to manage them for a few years and yet they kept getting worse and worse. We've gone to the vet for them so many times. Every time we felt we got them under control, they would flare up again. Part of this is that we have young kids who, despite our efforts, keep leaving trails of crumbs that he finds. But the other part that we worried about was the stress and believe that was adding to the problem as well. Our small house, young kids, no quick easy access to the yard, inconsistent exercise. On top of it all the allergies were making him go crazy and each out break he got more weird, irritated, lonesome, or aggressive. And that is not who he is!

 After some events we felt we had no choice anymore but to find him a better home. It was not an easy thing to do and was filled with sadness and tears but it was the right thing to do. We love him and we don't want to see him suffer or turn into a crazy dog when he is, by nature, so wonderful and loving. 

 We put up an ad online and that night received a call. A couple days later the man came to meet Abe and it was like it was always meant to be. He was a kind, sincere man. His kids are grown and he recently lost his beloved dog of 14 years to cancer. He loved taking his dog outside and to the mountains and has a nice yard. It's taken him the year to be ready to even have another dog since they loved their other one so much. But his wife had been searching the ads for a while and when she saw ours the other day she called her husband and said, "I found him! He's the one, I just know it! We need an Abe!" It makes me emotional to think about it! I could feel God's love for us and them and our dog. God knew this was coming and He had someone who was prepared for Abe. 

 So it ended the best way it could, but it's still sad. Abe was loving, loyal and so wonderful with our girls. He was our "doofus" and drove us insane sometimes! But we were committed to him for his whole life so this has been so weird, unexpected, and hard to do. But it is the right thing and we feel peace about it. Everyone but Hazel (she's too young to understand) took turns having a good cry about it. But the guy said that we could come visit and see Abe sometime. :)

 We love you Abe! I will miss you always getting in my way while I cook or clean or did anything! I will miss the way you curled up on the pillow by our bed every night, your brown fur blending you in with the brown pillow case. I will miss the security you gave us, I truly felt so much safer with you here, I knew you would protect us! I will miss your yawn you would do when you were annoyed. I will miss seeing you in your Christmas sweater. I will miss the way you smiled when we were all out in the backyard together playing. I will miss seeing how much you loved Buck more than anyone (and Buck's dad and Jade's husband haha.) One thing I think I will miss the most is seeing June lay on you, all cuddled up. She would lock you in her room with her and read books with you. You've been such a companion to her. It was hard to hold June while she cried when I told her the news that you had to move to a new home. 

 And okay, this is all still too fresh and I am about to cry some more. The house doesn't feel right, too empty. Too quiet. But I'm happy Abe will have a great life and that our good bye was one that had peace woven in. 

And don't worry, I kept the Christmas sweater to remember him by. :)