Bubba cannot every be replaced. He was one of a kind, wonderful, amazing, and there are no words to describe the hole in our hearts that were created when he so suddenly left us.
The past two months have been hard. With every knock on the door, every step outside, every glance to where his food dish sat, I felt an ache because he wasn't barking, or wanting to go outside, and his bowl is no longer there.
I can't bring myself to do our walks to school on my work from home days because I don't want to answer the inevitable questions from the people we used to pass, who would always say something sweet about my dog. Bubba was always eager and ready for a pet from a stranger.
I tell Boy Pop that we don't walk to school those mornings because he has had such late nights with baseball and he needs the extra sleep. It's only partially true.
About two or three weeks after Bubba died, Dr Pop started researching breeders. We went online and exclaimed over beautiful puppies (Golden Retrievers only, of course) just about every day. Then he briefly broached the subject with Boy Pop.
He was met with resistance. Boy Pop hasn't cried over his loss in a couple of weeks now, though. He knows that Bubba is not being replaced.
On Wednesday, Dr Pop went up to the school to have lunch with our son, bringing along pictures of two bundles of joy. We couldn't decide, you see. They are brothers, virtually the same. We let Boy Pop decide.
The above picture was the deciding factor. Our new baby arrives on March 31st. We are thrilled. Bubba would have been, too.
