our weekend...

Well, this weekend was a tough one for us.  My husband and I had to say goodbye to our sweet chocolate lab, Henry.  I just recently wrote about him here.  He was such a part of our family, marriage and life.  He went out strong, the only thing he would eat was barbecue and he was wagging his tail the whole time.  He had cancer, that had no symptoms until it was too late, it was all very unexpected.  We will miss him so much, he brought joy and laughter to us everyday.  It is pretty amazing how quickly he and I became buddies.  My husband had him for seven years before I became his mama.  But, working from home meant that Henry and I became fast friends.  We had a routine, looked out for each other and we both loved each other well.  

Thanks to my friend Holly, for this incredible picture

We really loved you, Henry. 

I get on here everyday and write about all these beautiful things that I dream of or want to share with yall.  I in no way dream of those things all day long.  I hope yall know how grateful I am for what I have been given.  I am going to have to find a way to incorporate all of the sweet things in my world that I am grateful for way more often.  I have so much.  To name just a few: time with our great dog henry (even all of his shedding hair), the ability to get medical care not only for ourselves but for our dog, our sweet one bathroom house, my wonderful husband, friends and family in abundance and a wonderful church.  I will be sure to add my blessings and thankfulness more often...

what my dear husband wrote about Henry:
Was a hard hard weekend. On Saturday, Becca and I buried Henry out at the hunting club. It's crazy how much I loved that dog. Knew he was getting older and wouldn't be around forever, but the suddenness of it has been hard. He had a tumor that we didn't know about that ruptured sometime early Friday morning. We took him into the emergency room vet they took him back and he was gone. As my wife will attest to, I'm not the most sensitive or emotional man, but this weekend has been a lot of tears, lot of laughter and a lot of story about a big hearted, quirky and lovable chocolate lab. When you've owned a dog as a bachelor for 7 years you wonder when you get married how will your wife respond to the relationship between and guy and his dog. It's pretty amazing how quick Henry wormed his way into Becca's heart and how she quickly became the center of affection in his. That crazy dog adored her! I spent months before we got married breaking him from getting on the couch assuming Becca would not want his brown hair all over it. Shortly after we got married, she slyly requested to allow him to get on the couch and from then on that was his spot perched up next to her with his head in her lap. He got 1/2 the couch, we shared the remaining 1/2. Every sunday I spent by myself in my leather chair while they cuddled up for a Sunday nap on that couch. I am going to miss boat rides with that crazy dog, who loved the water so much he would jump out anytime, anywhere no matter how rough or fast we were going, loved looking out the side mirrors and seeing his eyes wide and his humongous jowls flapping in the wind. I will miss seeing how he knew when Becca needed an extra dose of love or cuddling and when I needed pick me up from a long day. We buried him without ceremony on Saturday night under a tree at the hunting club near the cabin. While we were emotionally and physically drained and exhausted we wouldn't have traded the experience or time with that dog for anything in the world. We buried him in his favorite grey blanket. The house seems bigger, quieter and lonelier without his paws tapping on the hardwood floors, his wet nose and jowls pressed up against you and his goofy gait following us around the house. We will miss you buddy!