Happy Story with a Sad Ending

So, this weekend was our 6th Annual Float Trip Extravaganza at Eagle Bluff Resort. It was, indeed, another FANTASTIC float trip weekend with 30(ish) of the most wonderful friends in the world! (Pictures to come soon!)  Despite a few rain showers, the weather was beautiful and the water was refreshing.  We made lots of memories to laugh about in the future!

Here's the sad part: on Saturday morning I woke up to my sweet Bentley boy licking his left front paw. No big deal, right?!  Then, he started limping....worse and worse as the day went on, until it got to the point that his daddy was having to carry him around. Picture Alan carrying around a 90-pound dog! :)  We ended up making the decision that I needed to bring Bentley home on Saturday night--he wouldn't even get out of the car on his own. I had to open up the house and carry my very large baby boy all the way upstairs to bed. He kept me up most of the night crying over his hurting paws :( Broke my heart.  We still don't know the exact cause of his injury, but were thinkin' he might have stepped on someone's hot coals from a campfire or grill. Both of the pads of his front paws are raw.  He is slowly getting better, and started walking again last night (verrrry sllloooowly).  He's had LOTS of family and friends calling to check on him, though! We are so lucky that everyone loves our little boy!

Now for a few random notes.  While we were on the river floating with our friends, Alan took so much pride in "showing off" Bentley.  Little kids LOVE to pet our big fuzzy dog....and of course, our big fuzzy dog loves to get attention.  Whenever we would see a family with children showing interest in Bentley, Alan would make a point to direct our raft towards the kiddos so that they could love on Bentley.  It *warmed my heart* to see this interaction with Alan, Bentley, and random children. :)  Alan has started warming up to kids and interacting with them in a way I'd never seen him be with children before. He was that awkward guy with kids in the past....just not sure what to say to them or how to hold them. I don't know what caused the change with him, but I LOVE it :)

Also, our good friends Rod and Tere Earnest delivered their first baby on Friday night. I got to go see baby Dean yesterday....and I got to watch him pee on Tricia, PRICELESS! :)  I'm so happy for them to be parents!