Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. ~Roger Caras

Yesterday I got a call from my dad. It seemed like a normal little chat and then he asked to talk to Terry. In my silly mind I thought he was working up a surprise or something good but while they were talking I asked is Tipper ok? And Ter wouldn’t answer but just handed me back the phone where my dad went on to tell me that my best little bud for the last 12 or so years had died. (Thanks for making such a hard call Dad and making sure Ter was there with me when I got the news, you really are the greatest.) That was probably some of the saddest news I’ve ever gotten. I’m bawling now just writing this. I was and still am pretty attached to my puppy.

Tipper was the best dog in the whole world. She was the little queen bee in house of big macho hunting dogs. I think my dad really gave Tipper to my mom for Christmas one year but she was mine :) Oh my goodness did I love that little dog and did she love me. When I lived at home she slept on my bed every night and always knew where to find a treat. If you were cutting cheese it didn’t matter how sneaky you were she would be in the kitchen before you were done. I think she loved chocolate just as much as me. Pop tarts were pretty high up on her list too. Anyone who eats poptarts knows the corners are the best part-she always got 2 of mine. The little stinker liked to roll in horse poo (just 1 perk of my little farm dog). She hated the bath afterwards but then loved to be dried off-she fluffed up like a little fur ball. She let me play dress up with her and never got mad when I would pull her ears back and pretend she was the taco bell dog. When she would get excited when she was younger she had a certain path she would run, around the table, around the chair into a bedroom and back out. She was my little spaz. She was protective and got a little cranky in her old age.

Leaving my puppy was one of the hardest things about going away to school. She was always right there to welcome me back though. I loved the way she wagged her tail so hard when she saw me that her whole little bum would wiggle and she would whine because she was so excited. Terry probably thinks I’m nuts (I cried forever last night and have just been so sad today) to be so worked up over my dog but she really was my little best friend. Anyone reading this probably thinks I’m crazy too but I really am going to miss my Tipper dog. I wasn't there to bury her or tell her goodbye but I saw her at Thanksgiving and gave her lots of treats and snuck her in the house any chance I got. It doesn't make it easier but I know she knew she was loved. Going home next time my heart is going to break all over again with her not being there to welcome me home.  We miss you already Tippy!!

Oh and I had to take my glucose test today {yuck} and am still stressing/hoping/praying over the job interview. It's been a rough day. But I have a husband and family who love me, a healthy baby on the way and got to spend 12 years with the best puppy a girl could ask for...so I'm going to be ok. Just one of those days!