A Furry Farewell

First a disclaimer:  You are going to think I'm an awful person after reading the next few paragraphs.  That's ok.

 So recently Zeke and I had to have a conversation.  It started with "It's not you, it's me....ok, well you had a lot to do with it but mostly it's me."  That dog wore me out.  Literally.  I have new wrinkles under my eyes that will forever remind me of Zeke.  I made up my mind (because Dave told me I had to!) that if I could find a better home for Zeke then I was going to let him go.

 He is a great dog, a super-intelligent dog but also a super-energetic and attention-needing PUPPY!  I do feel like I should have better known what to expect back before we ever got him but I didn't.  No good explanation there.  We went in cycles where things were good, then I was about ready to open the front door and watch him run, then good and repeat.  The kids were getting in trouble for things that the dog was really responsible for and the dog was gettting in trouble (a lot) for things that puppies shouldn't really be in trouble for.  I was tired of being mean and grumpy. (Insert "amen" from Dave and kids here) 

I couldn't just let Zeke go to anyone but I really felt like he needed to go for his sake and mine.  I mentioned this to my mom last Saturday and long story somewhat shorter, by Wednesday she had me in touch with the perfect answer.  This past Saturday Zeke moved in with his new family - a super dog-loving, single lady with a huge backyard and plenty of time and love for him. She had a yellow lab that recently died and was looking for a new companion.
Here are a few of her own words from an email she's sent since Zeke has been at her house: 

I can't thank you and Kelly enough for sharing him with me!
He is so funny and so smart and so full of  happy energy.  What a wonderful, sweet puppy!  
I just can't get over the coincidence of how both of us were able to help each other out. 

 I say this is no coincidence at all.  Thank you God for answering prayers about silly black dogs.

We told the kids what we were doing all along but I don't know that they really get it even still.  When they came home and Zeke's crate was gone they asked where he was.  I told them that a really nice lady that needed a dog had taken him to her house.  Without missing a beat, Chase said, "Well that's great!  Now Zeke can't rule the house anymore."  Taylor was a little more concerned.  She's has asked when he'll come home many times and each time we come back in the house she immediately checks to see if the crate is back yet.  If she had cried I would have been crying with her.  So far, we're ok.

It was a hard decision but now that I've seen how it has all worked out, I know it was the right one.  This is an "open-adoption" :) so the kids will probably get to see Zeke some and I'll probably keep in touch with his new mother to see how he's doing.  I feel like I could seriously write an entire book about all I've learned from my 4 months with Zeke.  Now that I'm not chasing after a puppy I might have time to actually do just that ;)

And now, to make you forget about the sad story of Zeke, a picture of my fashionista.  It was painful, but yes, I let her go out in public looking like this the other day.  I made her let me take a picture so one day I can show her this when she's older.