Heartache...

I will never forget it...

We lived in Billings at the time. 

My friend Lisa asked me if I knew anyone who wanted a dog. They had one show up and refuse to leave. They already had two dogs and did not want three. Charlie had been going to work with Mike for the past two years and now that was no longer an option. Getting another dog to keep Charlie company seemed like a great idea.

I asked Mike about it and he replied.."Well what kind of dog is he?"...some kind of hound dog.."I don't really want a hound dog" I replied in my ever smooth way "well lets just foster him until we find someone else to take him" 

The next day Mike when to his yearly Antelope Camp...and a 12 month old Matthew and I went to pick up our "foster dog". She told me when I picked him up that the vet had confirmed that he was a 9 month old Plott hound. 

It took exactly a week for all of us to be totally and completely in love with him. He was trouble! He loved to chew things up, he loved to dig, and he loved to run.

At the same time he loved us! He loved to cuddle, he loved to paw at us to get what he wanted. He was also the most beautiful dog I had ever seen. 

 He will probably always be the most beautiful dog that I will ever meet. 

He stole our hearts over and over again.
There are so many funny stories and quirks about him.
He had a thing for girls...He loved to tug on the pockets of them to get their attention. It was quite cute and comical.
He had a thing for ice cream and before he was diagnosed with Addison's 5 years ago he was an extremely picky eater and ice cream was about the only thing that he went crazy over. 

This is probably my all time favorite picture of him. 

It shows him in all his goofiness. 

This was his chair. He claimed it from them minute we brought it home. He always laid like that in it. If you dared get in his chair he would stare at you until you got up. Mike and I always regretted getting rid of it.

We have so many funny stories about him.

There was the time at the dog park that he fell in the stream and a stranger had to jump in and save him from drowning...he was no swimmer:-)

I had no idea what a plott hound was before him. I would bet many of you had no idea before reading this or knowing us. 

Turns out Portis is a picture perfect Plott. He is stubborn, quirky, intelligent, goofy, and amazing. 

He is in one word...unforgettable.

He made everyone around him smile...even Charlie

He hated the water, but loved to ride in boats! You can't tell me that is not odd. Who ever heard of a dog that was afraid of water and yet would sit in a row boat for an hour waiting for Mike to take him out on the pond?

Then there was Matt...

They grew up together. It is such a shame that the energy of Portis' youth was wasted on a toddler that could not put it to good use.  Portis has been there through almost all of Matt's first's. All of his first days of school, all his last days of school, and all the in betweens. The two of them have loved and teased each other much over the years. 

Mike may have not wanted a hound dog but he had not idea how much room Portis would steal in his heart. Portis loved Mike so much. In the last few weeks he was Mike's shadow whenever he was home.  At night Portis would even sleep right on top of him. Mike would chuckle at how uncomfortable he was but how he knew Portis needed to know he was there. 

This is one of my all time favorite pictures. I love it even more now.  It just makes me smile to see the two of them curled up together napping. Both in their happy place.

And then there is Charlie... 

He is probably taking this the hardest. He and Portis have had each other for so long. They were never alone. They were buddies and best friends. 

The last few days have been so hard. Charlie is so sad and I can't fix it.  

Hard to believe it was over a year ago when Chester and Portis met. Chester loved to pick on Portis...in fact I think he lived for it. Portis loved to tattle on Chester too. Despite that Chester too was deeply saddened by the loss too. 

Oh Portis...

You might not have always been a good dog, but you were always a great dog. You changed our lives so much. You taught Matt all about friendship, unconditional love, and obnoxious brothers. You also taught him about death. That last one kind of stinks though.

I know the day will come that I will laugh more than I will cry when I think about you. I know there will come a day when I will remember your goofy faces more than the pain and sickness you suffered on the last hours of your life. Until then I just keep reminding myself that all this pain is from the blessing of loving you so much. 

Yes, you were a dilly! 

I debated posting this picture but in the end I decided to post it. This blog is ultimately me documenting our life..."great and not so great...right" 

Mike could not be with us when we took Portis to the vet. I took this photo for him. I keep finding myself looking at it though. 

Rest in peace my beautiful boy.  

I know my Heaven will be filled with dogs. 

Portis will be there pulling on my pockets.