Leaving Buffy Behind

[the following are my thoughts while away on a weekend trip]

Buffy had no idea that we were leaving her.

The only thing that she was focused on was the fact that I was taking her crate away as she barked and whined frantically. Diana and I took Buffy to the car with us, so she could see where her crate was going, but this really didn’t calm her down all that much.

We were going out of town for the weekend and she was going to stay with my in-laws. Buffy spends a couple days a week at their house when Diana and I are at work. She loves it there. Diana and I are lucky to have the support of her parents with this puppy adventure. They’ve been a huge help and its nice knowing that she always has a place to go when Diana and I need to be away.

The plan was to leave Friday afternoon, so we had to get all of Buffy’s stuff ready to take over my in-laws house in the morning. I was stressed and so was Diana. Buffy sensed this that morning as I tried to get ready for work and help with Buffy’s things all at the same time.

After helping Diana move her crate it was time to head to work, and I didn’t really say goodbye to Buffy as I planned to see her later. The plan was to head to my place after work, do some last minute backing, go over to the in-laws house, say by to Buffy and get Diana.

Things didn’t go exactly as planned.

After work, I rushed home, finished packing and when I was done to my dismay it was almost 4pm. I needed to leave from Diana’s house a little after 4 and I had planned to make it there around 3:30 to see to Buffy, but time had moved quicker than I had anticipated. By the time, I got to Diana’s parent’s house, I had about 10 seconds to say goodbye to my little girl.

Standing in the rain in my in-laws driveway, my mother-in-law handed Buffy to me. Cradling, her I gently rubber her stomach, leaned in close and told her to be a girl. In response, Buffy looked up to me and licked my nose. Then it was time to go.

I’ve seen Buffy every day since we first got her. For the first month and a half I spent literally all day with her since I was on summer break. When I went back to work it was weird being away from Buffy but as the school year progressed and I became more engaged with my students, Buffy moved from being at the center of my thoughts to be becoming another facet of my life.

Now after my first full day away from Buffy, the thing I missed the most was saying goodnight to her and seeing her first thing in the morning. My wife goes to work later than I do, so she usually puts Buffy to bed and I take her out for her first walk in the morning. When I say goodnight to Buffy, she’s usually cuddled in the corner of the coach. I pet the scruff of her neck, lean in so she can say goodnight by touching her nose against mine.

In the morning, I find Buffy curled up in a ball of fluff in her crate.

I reach in and pet her and half awake, she licks my hand. I pick her up, careful to keep her in her "ball form" and put her in my lap as I put her leash on. She yawns, and snuggles up into a tighter ball, often trying to fall back asleep. It’s usually not until we are outside that she remembers that she actually really needs to do her business and becomes excited for the upcoming day. There really isn’t a better way to start the day.

Am I wreck away from Buffy? Not really. While I don’t worry about her 24/7, I can’t help but be a little worried. Most of all, I’m looking forward to seeing my girly.

One of the things I miss from the early dating days with Diana is seeing her when I’d return to college after visiting my family in Seattle. When Diana would see me, she would literally run up to me (ala romantic movie cliché). With the most radiant smile on her face, Diana would hug me like she would never let me go. While I don’t miss spending time away from my wife, I do miss that feeling of relief and joy of being reunited with Diana.

I imagine seeing Buffy when I get home will be similar except there will be more tail wagging and face licking.

Miss you girl, can’t wait to see you.

[This is Buffy saying hello to Diana after work, it was pretty much like this when Diana and I saw her when we got home.]