Dear Peanut,

I know you may be confused right now and I know this is not easy for you either. You have been very good all week and have resisted the urge to chew on all the shoes laying out. You walked away when you could have easily sat in a suitcase. But no, you took your place on the sofa and watched us pack clothes after clothes after clothes. You cocked your head to the side wondering why I sat on the zippered bag so many times, bouncing up and down like your tennis ball.

I thought this letter would be a good way to tell you, to tell you that I am going away. But worry not-perk up your ears! Alas, I will be back in mid-May when the grass is growing and the Earth is becoming warm. You will most likely be running outside in the back yard, chasing the squirrels that run along our fence. I will return with my hair a little longer, my heart a little fuller, and my arms opened a little wider so you can run into them. You can greet me with slobbery kisses and monstrous tail-wags.

You see, I am going away but it is only temporary. I will be in a far-off land (much farther from the land where you were born, the land of Kentucky). No I am going to a place that not even you in your mighty dog paddle could swim to. It is far across the ocean where only the fanciest of pouches travel.

I will be dining on one of your favorite delicacies: sausage. Where I am going, there will be lots and lots of sausage. There will also be lots of hills and streets to take walks on (except my walks will be without a leash). I do not think there there will be any squirrels there, but if there are, I will certainty chase a few for you.

This trip to me is the equivalent of your Saturday morning. Your Saturday morning is the time when you are most happy: the whole family is home and most of us are sitting eating breakfast. You enjoy this of course because you receive a small portion of scrabbled eggs and whatever table scraps dad drops. You can lie on your back and receive endless belly rubs. Just like your Saturday mornings, I too will find my happy place during this trip. Like finding your favorite fire hydrant in town, I will make my rounds finding just the best spots. I too will get to leave my mark on previously unfamiliar territory.

It's true, this will be a little scary for the both of us. We will be away from each other for a very long time. My scent will still be in the house and you can go sleep in my room whenever you should please. And we will still have our Facetime sessions where you leave a little booger from your nose on mom's camera.

I hope you have fun these next few months until you can Fetch me from Austria. It may be ruff but we'll get through it.

Love,

Isabella