Dear Luke and Zoey (Dexter the Dog Edition)

Dear Luke and Zoey,

Since you were first born, you've shared your home with two boxers, one of whom is named Dexter. Dexter lost an eye over the past weeks...he also turned nine years old...and I've been thinking a lot about him and wanted to tell you...

When I lived in Santa Barbara with your Uncle Luke, I had a dog name Shaye that died one night suddenly and scarily. The next day, your Uncle Luke and I both took off work, got lattes at the Coffee Cat, drove north to Jalama, a beautiful, secluded beach. It was windy and cold, we both were so sad. I lay in the sand and drew patterns with my fingers, Luke poked around the tide pools, coming back to me occasionally to make sure I was OK.

On the way back to town, Luke said, "I think we should get another dog."

"No," I said. "Too soon."

"Well, I'm going to get a dog," he said. "We're set up for a dog. I think it's the right thing to do."

So we went to the Montecito Pet Shop (Montecito is the next town over...it's where Oprah and all the movie stars live) and they had boxer puppies and we sat on the floor and let the puppies crawl all over us and Luke started crying and not that I had any control over the situation, but I knew then that getting a puppy was the right thing to do. (We always joked that all of Dexter's brothers and sisters went to rich homes where the dogs had nannys and private doggie pools and tricked-out dog houses and poor Dexter had to come home to just a normal life with us. Although a dog couldn't have ever asked for a better life than the one Dexter had with Luke.)

Your Uncle Luke loved that dog, they bonded so strongly, they had a year together and then your Uncle Luke died and I got the dog, although he's never really been attached to me at all. It will break my heart when we lose Dexter, but I also know that he will be so happy to be with his true master again.

("Dexter's the only link I have to Luke left," I told your daddy one day when I was scared about Dexter dying sometime in the future.

"You'll always have a link right here," your daddy replied, patting his heart and making me cry.) 

Dexter loves you kids dearly, comes up to give you kisses all the time which he never does with anyone else, not even me or your daddy, lets you guys climb all over him, sleeps in your room in front of your crib. And he is doing fine with one eye, by the way...it's amazing how dogs just adapt and don't even care.

I hope Dexter lives long enough that you have memories of him; regardless, I will be here to tell you stories, to make sure you know...

Love,

Mommy