Standing there with soap suds all over her shirt and water dripping down from every inch of her body.
A tearful voice cries out "Mommy Bessie wont let me finish bathing her."

I'm in the middle of cooking diner. We have guests about to arrive any second. Dad is doing a last minute check list so everything will be ready for our relaxing evening with friends.

When Bessie decides to run out of the bathroom,
down the hallway and jump straight upon the couch.
Soaking wet filled with doggy shampoo.

We had no idea that Angela was trying to bath the dog. We thought she was in the bathroom washing up and playing with her rock collection.

She has never helped us bath the dog. Why on earth would she try this now?

I looked at her and grabbed our digital camera. I could hardly be up set when she looked so sweet and sad at the same time.

I knelt down with a towel and began to dry her off.
Helping her get out of the wet clothes and rushing her off to get something dry on. We talked about why she wanted to give the doggy a bath.

As I cleaned up the mess in the bathroom and my husband handled the mess on the couch and, took our wet dog to the laundry room to dry her off. Her words kept ringing through my thoughts.

"Mommy Bessie needs to be ready for our company too." She includes Bessie as part of our family.
To her Bessie is not just a dog. She is a play mate
and a friend. Bessie is always near us and always
stays close to us when we have company over. We are her family and she loves us.

It doesn't matter that she walks on four legs and can't eat at the table. Angela knows she belongs near us. So just like we wash up and clean up the house. Bessie needed to be bathed and ready for our company too.

Tomorrow we will make plenty of time to bath our Bessie. We will make it a special family time so we can all help brush and dry her off. Angela made me realize just how much Bessie is apart of who we are.

For a long time Bessie and I have had this special relationship and our personal joke has been which one of us will make heavens door first. Bessie is 16 human years old. She has been with me for as far back as I can remember. She has nursed me back to health several times. With love and affection.
Just as she would lay by Angelas bassinet and alert me if the baby woke up or would cry.

She is as much a part of our family as I am. Here's to mans best friend. She is moms snuggle treasure and Angelas best buddy.