Koda, Bo (my mom's dog), Rizz, and Bruno (my sis's dog)Koda is so wonderful with my children, they adore him..........as do I.
My First Baby
If you are not a dog person, you might not get the following:
A person is either a dog person, a cat person, or neither. I am a dog person, always have been. Since I was a little girl, my best buddies have been my dogs. First, there was Dandy who would walk me to the bus stop and be waiting there when I got home from school to walk me home. We did everything together. Then there was Rallie, my dog through high school. She became my parents dog when I moved out, but I loved her fiesty old self just the same. And then there was my first baby, Dakota..........more lovingly called Koda, Kode, or Bubba. Koda and I found each other 5 years ago, pre-married life. He was my family. I thought he would make a great protector, but I usually end up protecting him. He is a lover, not a fighter. Kode was a rescue dog and came to me quite beaten down and afraid of most things, including men. I loved him for all of his little crazy antics, (well maybe not the whining). It was Koda that first made me take good notice of Rizz. The first time Koda met Rizz, he licked his face off.
Now why do I go into all of this....especially before I move.......I wanted to make sure that in my journaling, I documented how much I love my Koda Bear. He has been by my side, literally for the past 5 years. Whenever I am in a room, he comes into the room, (yes, bathroom too). He knows when I am sad and comes and licks my cheek, he LOVES to play outside and especially to hike. Koda and I have had many quiet moments sitting atop a mountain. I LOVE that he loves (well tolerates my children). His only defense is to lick them to death. Koda's only goal in life is to please those that he loves...........what a gaping hole this will leave; you see Koda has been diagnosed with lymphoma. I am not sure how much longer he has to live, but each day I get so sad at the thought of not having him by my side, not being able to look in the rear view mirror and see his goofy head, not being able to cuddle him or to telling him to stop whining, not being able to go running or hiking again.....I will miss watching him be with my kids. Abbi told her dad the other day that "mommy is sad because Bubba is sick". How will I explain to her when Bubba doesn't come back. How will I not cry when she asks me where he is? This is the first time I have had time to prepare for the death of someone I love......it is a strange existence. Denial helps. For now, he is well, getting spoiled, and loving us as always.......as we will continue to love him.
