THE BOO, SHELBY ROO | HICKORY, NC PHOTOGRAPHER

I am up in the wee hours of morning, unable to sleep, due to a combination of late pregnancy, anticipation and worry. Yes … I am a worrier and we have a baby due in just under 3 weeks! We are so excited and I for one am anxious. This journey to bring another life into this world has been long and joyous with also a little heart ache here and there. I am ready for the next phase, life celebration and soaking in motherhood for the 3rd time. As I mentioned, there has been sadness along the way as I prepare to eventually say my so longs to my first baby. My dog baby, the Boo … Shelby Roo.

In November of last year we found out at a standard check-up that our beagle baby, Shelby, had a large tumorous growth on her rib cage. We were referred to a specialist and decided to pursue an MRI to learn more about the type of tumor and what could be expected with its growth, how far along it was and if surgery to remove it was even possible. We were hopeful that it would be, but alas it was not caught in time and was not. We found out that the tumor was invading her heart and lungs and possibly her brain as well as causing lameness in her left leg. So … we have resigned ourselves to loving this girl and spoiling her more than she already was, if that is even possible. The vet told us we could expect 4 to 6 months longer with her here by our sides. We are approaching that 4 month mark as we expect our baby boy. One goes out, one comes in …

I have thought for some time about sharing this and when the right time would be, if at all. I want to share her because I love her and I want anyone who has a desire to read this to share in the deep love our pets bring us. I am choosing to blog now because when the time eventually comes I know it will be too hard. The good news is … Shelby is doing fairly well. She is loving this season change to Spring and still up to her antics of stealing food from the boys and spending hours staring down the ground hog hole in our front field. She’ll roo it up with us still (literally … her greeting sounds like rootie roo, rootie rootie roo) and waggle her little beagle bootie on walks in the woods with a huge smile on her face. That’s what makes a dog a dog after all. We should learn more from them than we do.

Even with her trouble breathing and the fact that she is uncomfortable a lot, all her Shelby beagle ways shine through. She demands to be lifted onto the bed since it is hard for her to jump that high now. She sleeps, as she has since she was with me at 6 weeks old, under the covers in the crook of my leg. She barks at nothing to dupe Sandy, our other dog, off the bed or away from her “person” if needed. She steals food straight from the kids hands if they don’t watch it and is relentless if something is dropped on the floor. Always scouting and sniffing. She steals stuffed animals and throws them in the air then chases them down for the kill. She is by my side. ALWAYS! If I sit, she is there to snuggle. She will be 12 on May 25. We met when I selected her from her litter because she was the shy one and nuzzled right into my neck when I picked her up. Her black and white moo cow spots were precious. A love affair began.

She was tireless as a puppy and always up to her antics. She once chewed one of each of almost every shoe I had when I travelled away from her for work, only one of each so she could ruin them all in the shortest amount of time. We spent lots of time in dog training at Pet Smart and she went with me everywhere. She licked my tears during hard times and loves me relentlessly. She met Mike when he had to crawl through my tiny bathroom window after our first date because I locked myself out of the house. She greeted him with face licks and a happy smile even though he could have been robbing us. Early in our marriage, we took her canoeing, hiking, camping and we introduced her to her sister Sandy just before moving out to the country 7 years ago. They enjoy it here and get in lots of trouble rolling in stinky stuff and chasing anything they can find. They’ve had chickens to watch and an annoying basset hound visitor to contend with that almost lead Shelby to an early death. Yes, this beagle worried me to no end when I was VERY pregnant with Levi by disappearing for a week after being lead off by the basset. She returned with a few wounds and quite skinny but she made it home. She’s a trooper who had a lot of people praying for her. It is truly a miracle she made it home with as far as she had gotten. A determined little girl who WILL get her way, ALWAYS!

She has welcomed our Sons home from the hospital and although jealous has accepted them into HER pack. It all revolves around HER, believe me =)! I am excited she will meet baby Andy and I can only hope that her remaining time with us is the absolute best we can possibly make it. Shelby is one of a kind and will hold the most special place in my heart forever. When we have to say so long it will be the end of an era. It has gone too fast. Enjoy your moments everyone, they slip by. When the time comes to let her go … we will see her again at Rainbow Bridge.

Now a few images I have taken recently of Shelby as well as her Sister Sandy and that Mike captured of us together near the beginning of the year. I owe a special thanks as well to Heather Richard for photographing us together back in December. I am grateful and will cherish those images and memories of our romp in that wet field forever.