Nineteen days before we leave on vacation – in our van camper named Second Chance. But who’s counting? Me, oh yes – I am counting as I’m really looking forward to time away. It’s been three years since our last vacation.
Last night as I crawled into bed to read for a while, Kylie was curled up next to John. It’s their nightly routine. I read for a while in the living room, but then love to read a chapter or two and snuggle with Kylie, John, and Gidget for a bit before I drift off to sleep.
Normally Kylie sleeps in her kennel in the kitchen overnight because she snores quite loud. But lately she has been lucky because John has been letting her stay in bed all night. Well, that is unless I tell her to “go kennel” when she wakes me in the middle of the night with her snores.
But John says she is “practicing.” Meaning, by sleeping in bed she is practicing for sleeping in the van. It’s kind of hard to not smile at his “logic.” And it’s really hard to ask Kylie to leave the bed when she is all snuggled in as she was last night.
So often lately, when I see her sleeping, I see her in a different way – my sweet girl who is getting older – sleeping deeper. It’s hard sometimes to think about her time with us as so much more limited now than when she was a pup. She will be eleven on the 24th of this month.
But with this, it brings a deeper appreciation and love for the dog that has truly been one of the best dogs we’ve ever had. Don’t get me wrong, all my dogs have been wonderful and you know how I love those dachshunds – but Kylie has been an angel here on earth in a dogs body for us. Always going with the flow, never making much fuss, content to just be, and there to comfort us in her own special way when needed.
We’ve truly been blessed with a great dog in Kylie. So “practice if she must” – we will in turn go with the flow for her.
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