With our upcoming out-of-state move, we made the heartbreaking realization that we needed to cut down on our menagerie. Right now we have 3 beagles, 1 jack russell and 2 cats.  We decided taking two away from the equation would be something we could manage, albeit unhappily. The two that have been with us the least amount of time will be going to new homes.  Good homes. Homes we trust.

Ranger (cat) will be one of those to go. Bo, my youngest beagle, will be the other. He is going to a home in Utah with someone I completely trust and who I will have contact with. I'm sure he'll be extremely happy to be somewhere where he is the only animal - he deserves that, I know. I wanted to do a little Bo tribute.  A tribute to my favorite poop-eater, if there is such a thing.

This is a little long, so click below if you want to read more about my Misser Bo.  (There are cute pics!!)

Bo was born on October 1, 2004.  We had just closed on our new house the day before he was born, so everyone was sleeping on the floor in the same room. Around 2am, I woke up to Moxie howling like I'd never heard - the thought of that noise still makes me go and hug her. I knew it was time.

It was the first time I'd ever witnessed anything giving birth...and it was her first time ever having anything that large and squirmy come out down there.  We looked at each other with expressions of "holy shit!" for a long time. I called the 24-hour vet and yelped at them, asking what I needed to do for her to stop making that noise.  They laughed at me.

Moxie had three puppies.  Bo was the last one to come out.  And, once they had a little less goopy all over them, they were the cutest little things ever.  Here's Bo at 1-week-old.

Bo quicky became my favorite.  He was quiet and sweet and OH-SO cute.  His brother and sister went to their homes before he even had one.  I had pretty much made up my mind that he was mine...convincing Shellie of that was another story.  One of her friends jumped in and offered to take him - I reluctantly said ok and cried when he went to his new home.

The next day, we got Bo back. The friend apparently didn't realize the little beagle would be upset and howling the first night away from his home and his momma(s) and he couldn't handle it. One night of beagle pups will drive a man insane, I tell ya. And Bo certainly worked his magic.  So, despite our attempts at finding him another home, he ended up ours mine all mine. Here he is at about 5 or 6 months:

Bo flies out tomorrow afternoon to go to his new home.  I will be fine until I reach the airport.  When I take one last look into that kennel and know I probably won't see him again?  That won't be pretty.

Bye, my sweet little boy.  Momma loves her Misser Bosey.