goodbye stella

After 8 1/2 long years, we finally said goodbye to our Stella.

This has been a long time coming.

Kent has threatened for years to get rid of her.

I laughed each time because it never happened.

After this third baby, I was done and finally gave him the okay.

Having three young kids and a dog is a lot of work. 

Stella isn't a BAD dog.  Her barking was extremely annoying and she ate every little piece of food she could but over all she was a good dog. 

But dogs are work.  They need to be walked, fed, need attention, taken out to the bathroom, taken to the vet, bathed, you have to find some place for them when you go out of town, and the list goes on.

I was just worn out and couldn't give her that love and attention any more. 

So, we looked for her a new home...for almost a month.

I had strict requirements.  I wanted her to go to a home with a family who has had a dog, who knows the min pin breed, who possibly even has a dog (preferably a min pin), and a person who will give her back to us if for what ever reason they can no longer care for her (I didn't want her being passed around and around).  We finally found that right person who not only has a dog but has TWO min pins and LOVES their min pins.  They seemed like a wonderful fit and so off she went with her new family. 

I cried.  I still cry thinking about it.  The boys cried (surprisingly) and they sometimes randomly will ask for her.

Our 8 1/2 years with a dog ended almost as quickly as it started. 

I will admit it is nice leaving out of town and not having to stress about who to have watch her and its nice not having to take her out to the bathroom and put her up each time we leave the house.  But I do miss the crazy protection you feel with having a dog. She may be little, but it's funny how much more safe I felt having her around to hear EVERY little sound (and sometimes, yes that did get annoying).  I also miss the constant vacuum that she was in our kitchen.  I never realized how much food got dropped onto the floor and how quickly it got dirty until she left!  I'm sure possibly one day FAR, FAR, FAR down the road, we will get another dog but for now, its one less stress in our lives with a family of three small kids.

 We love Stella and I only pray the people we gave her to love her as much and even MORE than we did.