a damn good dog

When I met Ross, I knew he had a dog he loved. When I met Monty, he jumped on me and ruined an expensive Free People sweater, making our love affair a little more, well, gradual. He licked and jumped and shed and shed and shed. But somewhere along the way, probably when Mary Kate got a little older, he weaseled his way into my heart. He let our girl climb over him, pull his collar, slap pet him. He cleaned up all the food she threw on the floor, leaving me only to mop. And sadly, it has only been these last 3 days without him, that I realize how good he really was. I miss him. So, so terribly. There is less to do without the constant need to vacuum and one less person to feed. I have gone to the back door twice a day since Monday only to realize there's no one to let out. Mary Kate cranes her head out of her crib each morning, expecting to see her boy. Ross wants another dog pronto. And while I'm a little less eager, I know another shedding, jumping, licking dog will soon be a part of our family. Seeing the hole Monty left, I am happy to welcome another. Rest in peace, Monty boy. Oh how we miss you, so, so much.

The first face MK looks for when she gets out of the crib

A happy day in the park

everyone happy in the grass

an afternoon on the back porch while mom cooks

happiest with his dad

you and your sister ruining a family picture

at the Hinton Center, lounging in the sun