When Beau came into our lives during the COVID lockdowns, it was supposed to be temporary; he was a foster doggo. We picked him up, on behalf of a local rescue, from a shelter where he was going to be euthanized.
He was in rough shape: matted fur, a horrible skin infection on his belly, and a miserable ear infection that caused him to shake his head and bark trying to get the infection out. We nursed him back to health. We saved his life. When it came time to put him up for adoption, we could not say goodbye. We couldn't imagine life without Beau.
We moulded our entire life around Beau. We started calling each other Beau's mommy and daddy. When the COVID restrictions lifted, and we wanted to travel again, we realized we could not travel with Beau. He couldn't come with us, and we refused to leave him for extended periods of time. That's not fair to him to have part time parents.
We literally bought our motorhome and chose a nomadic life, instead of buying a house and staying in place, so we could travel with Beau.
Somehow, in the way we talked to him and each other, everything became Beau's.
Beau's house.
Beau's couch.
Beau's truck.
Beau's yard.
There is so much in our lives that would not have happened without Beau. We would not have found a second home in Vegas and met such great friends there. We would not have found Zoe. We would not have seen the Grand Canyon, boondocked in Utah, camped in Death Valley, or explored the forests, beaches, and mountains of the Pacific Northwest. We would not have experienced the absolutely stunning drive through the Rockies, in either Colorado or Alberta.
Beau came everywhere with us. On hikes, on road trips, on beach days. In the rare case we left him at home, we would joke and ask him if mommy and daddy forgot Beau at home.
And now, only five short years later, I realize his presence in our lives was temporary anyway. So much more temporary than I expected. I'm struggling with saying goodbye. I can't imagine life without him. How can it be Beau's house without Beau? I suppose we'll figure it out, in time.
Bye Beau. We never forgot Beau, and we will never forget Beau.
