Einstein

Einstein Enron Pomegranet Osama Bin Pork Chop Esquire.

The best dog ever.  We got him before we were engaged.  I was moving back to Boston for grad school, Jeremy was staying in Spokane to finish residency.  "I want a dog who will go running with me", he said.  We went to the pound.  There were all sorts of athletic, catch-a-frisbee type of dogs and then, at the end of one of the lines of chain link cages, was a squatty dog with his stub of a tail wagging madly and his nose pushed through the chain link fence and his tongue sticking out trying desperately to lick our hands.

Before kids, Einstein as the stand-in baby, circa 2003.

We didn't know he was a pit bull.  When he found out we couldn't believe it - he was the dumbest, sweetest dog and to think about him hurting someone seemed laughable.  So Jeremy started telling people he was a Carpathian Wolf Terrier.  You know, from Carpathia?  He spooned with Jeremy in bed every night while I was in Boston.  He farted and snored and stunk our bedroom up to the point where I often chose the couch.  He was unable to walk backwards which lead to many hilarious episodes where he would get himself stuck in a corner, or behind something, and end up just lying down and taking a nap until he was rescued.  

He was a sweet and loving dog as he was displaced by first one, then two children in the household hierarchy.   He killed his fair share of backyard chickens and stole his fair share of lunches ready to be packed in lunch boxes.  He loved us and we loved him.

We had him put to sleep last week - his body was failing him, he had stopped eating, it was time - maybe even past time.  He lay in our laps and let out one big sigh before becoming totally still.  Walking into the house and remembering that he isn't just inside the door waiting for me is the saddest part of my day, every day.