Reunited

I wasn't the only person in our family who had a rough time with Matt being gone for so long. Rhapsody missed him too. Typically, Rhapsody prefers Matt over me. He comes home for lunch everyday so he usually spends more time with her than I get to during the week. I noticed some subtle changes in Rhapsody while Matt was out of town. In general, she seemed more needy and attention seeking. This is what our living room looked like on a typical day:

I don't know how many times a day I picked her toys up, but she was constantly getting them out and wanting to play.

She was also extra clingy. Every time I went to a different room, she was at my feet following me. She spent a lot of time sleeping under the desk in the office when I was on the computer. But as soon as I got up she was at my feet. She cuddled on the couch with me when I watched TV, followed me in the guest bedrooms when I was cleaning, and lounged on rugs in the bathroom when I got ready in the mornings. She's usually pretty clingy, but I definitely noticed an increase during the weeks Matt was gone.
One time, I was sitting on the couch when the phone rang. Rhapsody was sleeping on my lap, so I picked her up with me as I ran to answer the phone. I sat her down on the desk while I was talking and she just made herself at home by the computer. She laid there for probably about 15 minutes.
And of course Rhapsody is just as ornery as ever. I had company over one night when Matt was gone and went outside to check on Rhapsody (usually she doesn't stay outside very long when people are in our house), and this is what I found:


As much as Rhapsody wanted to be around me when Matt was gone, she went nuts when he walked in the door on Friday. He immediately got down on the ground with her, and they shared a moment together :). I don't know who was more excited to be reunited.


It might seem silly to anyone who isn't a dog owner, but having Rhapsody helps so much when Matt is gone. I never had to come home to a completely empty house, and she was ecstatic to see me no matter how short of a time I was gone. She slept with me at night and served as a great distraction and entertainment when I was lonely. Matt missed her a lot. There were times we were talking and he would say, "At least you have Rhapsody with you. I'm all alone here." I'm glad they're together again :)