Gage E.

A few months back the kids and I decided that we needed a new dog to add to our family. We love our Barkley, but a 14 year old dog just isn't as exciting as he used to be. When we were thinking about getting a new dog, Travis was still recovering from his surgery and was going to bed around 6:30 p.m. The girl's were usually at their friends and DJ was either at the skate park or working, so it was usually me home alone in a quiet house.

Trav and I used to take a nightly walk around the track behind our home. That was our time to talk about our day without any interruptions. Travis didn't have the energy for a walk after surgery, and frankly neither did Barkley, but I missed the walks and decided we should get a larger dog. I planned to train the dog to walk well on the leash for when Trav got better and then we would all three go together.

We found Gage E. rather quickly, he is a beautiful yellow Lab, with lighter fur on his shoulder blades. The previous owners called them his racing stripes. Oh and he is a pure lab, he loves the kids, they each get a special greeting every morning and when they walk through the door every night. And the boy loves water, he is fascinated by the sprinklers and hoses.

And the best retriever you can ask for, he brings you things that you didn't know you had! He likes to go down in the kids' rooms and bring up all their garbage in their rooms and they tell me their rooms are clean. I don't think so! Gage's favorite things are empty water bottles and stuffed animals. Oh, and he has a lot of growing up to do, I think each of us has lost at least one pair of shoes, one weekend I lost two.

Our lives have been really turned upside down, but having Gage around has provided a little humor and some well needed distraction. The other day, DJ gave Gage a stick which started out to be five feet long and you would have thought Gage had the greatest bone in the world. He pranced back and forth with that stick for two days.

When Trav and I used to walk around the track, I used to beg him to go one more time around, but he usually said, "No, let's get home." We would also see pheasants in the field behind us and Trav would say, "I wish I had my shotgun." And now, when I am walking Gage as soon we do one lap he is pulling to get home and when he sees a pheasant, I know he is thinking, "Man, I wish she would let me go."

I'm still alone at night, but I have two dogs that provide a little comfort. And people ask "Are you sleeping OK?" Or, "You're not staying in bed all day, are you?" No, when you have this 70 lb puppy looking at you to start the day, how can you pull the covers over your head and pretend it was a dream, but I wish I could sometimes. And when Gage and I are taking a walk, it continues to be my time with Travis. I imagine him holding my hand while I tell him about my day. It usually ends with tears, but I feel better, and Gage doesn't seem to mind.