Don't Go Breaking My Heart

He did.  Major has taken a small portion of my heart and it still hurts.  Sunday I drove half way to Bloomington to meet up with Sarah for the exchange.  She has found a MCNC (married couple with no children) to be his forever parents.  I had to turn off I-55 onto exit 220 in Dwight and I seriously had to will myself to do it with tears rolling down my cheeks and landing on my Crazy Dog Lady sweatshirt.  Art was with me for moral support (so he says, I think he was worried I would keep driving) and Payton was there for the emotional support.  Both dogs were sleeping in the back seat the entire trip; we never heard a peep out of either one.  I had brought along a dog bed, several toys, several chews, and at least four days’ worth of food, a water bowl, a food bowl, two collars, a leash and his medical forms for the forever family. 

It was in the parking lot of an Arby’s that we did the exchange.  I can’t imagine what the people sitting in the restaurant must have thought.  We got there first and  just sat in the car.  Then Sarah pulls in and we both get out and hug.  I’m sobbing by now, my body physically shaking.  She is just hugging me tight.  Poor Art.  We are talking – and freezing – so we both go back to our cars to get coats and then continue to talk and hug and cry.  Then I unload his stuff into her car and give a litany of instructions.  If they don’t love him he can come home.  If they need a sitter to go away, bring him home.  If he is sad, bring him home.  He HAS to sleep with them.  He loves to watch TV on a lap.  Then I get him out and tears are rolling again.  He does his duty in the snow and hops right into Sarah’s car without so much as a see ya Mom!  What?  Where is the love?  Sarah did say there were tears in his eyes by the time she hit I-55.  I’m not sure if she was just trying to ease the pain or not, but it helped to know he loved me too. 

I’m very happy to report that the couple LOVES him to pieces.  He is allowed to sleep with them; they have a blanket and pillow on the couch for him when they are gone.  They play the radio for him when they are gone so he doesn’t get lonely.  The floor is covered with toys and Sarah has a key to the house to be with him the four hours they are both a work.  Yes – I’m happysad. 

The other day I put his crate away.  The extra-large metal crate that we had to put zip ties on to contain him.  I scrubbed it down stored it and got all melancholy again. My poor husband... he was like “did I do something or didn’t do something?  What number are you today? That is our level of happy and sad meter, 1-10 so we know how to treat the situation.  I reminded him I just put the crate away and was sad again missing Major.  He was like – clue me in next time because I just don’t do that kind of emotions.  Poor guy doesn’t know what he is missing.