Hi Friends –

We realize the blog has been really heavy lately; with that in mind, I thought I’d share a story that Dad told Mom after she got home from St. Louis earlier this week.

You’ll need a little backstory to appreciate it, so let’s start there. I have an adopted sister, her name is Wednesday and she’s a Staffordshire terrier mix. [Dad hoped she’d be an anxiety Service Dog, but she quickly washed out after her limited sight and anxiety were discovered – not really part of the story, just sharing…]

Wednesday sleeps in the eldest human puppy’s room every night, they like to cuddle together in her bed and they help each other’s anxiety. This also helps make sure Wednesday doesn’t get involved in the cat’s shenanigans that tend to happen every night after bedtime. She’s learned what “bedtime” means and after the last potty-break of the evening she waits for Mom to walk her to the bedroom.

Apparently, the next step in the process is that both puppies get in bed and Mom tucks them in under their own separate blankets and gives kisses. Wednesday waggles the tail and waits for them both to sing her a song. After that, Mom says “Bye Felica!” [Yes, from the ‘Friday’ Ice Cube movie(s).] Lily answers back with “Bye!” and they go to sleep. Who knows how long this has been happening, but it’s quite a while! If it doesn’t happen Wednesday is a bit sad, or so I’m told.

Fast Forward to This past Sunday. Mom drove the youngest puppy up to boarding school in St. Louis and was coming back Tuesday evening. This, of course, left Dad and me to take care of the others. Mom told Dad that she missed Wednesday, and he had to take over the ritual. Of course, Dad said “No! I don’t. I’m not doing that!!” Mom got him to agree to give her kisses after she goes out and before they trek to the bedroom.

I knew something was missing after we went out the first night, so I followed Lily and Wednesday into the bedroom to make sure they were okay. Dad thought I was being silly and just wanted to play, so he called me out to sleep in his room as I do every night.

Monday comes and after breakfast, we both hang out with him in the office while he works. In the evening we relax in the family room before bedtime, when Dad says it’s time for bed, we both go out, while Lily gets ready for bed. Then, Wednesday goes to her room and I followed to tuck her in and waited for Lily to say “okay, goodnight” Once they were settled I came back out to dad to make sure his coffee is set for the morning and walk him to the bed where we settle in (separately). I figured if Dad wasn’t going to tuck them in I had to.

The next evening Mom was home, so she tucked them in and Dad and I resumed the normal routine of waiting for Dad and greeting the cats in their room. Mom wanted to be sure we shared this. She thought it was hilarious, I just thought I was helping to get the chores done.