Dear Loki,
This is day 4 of 11 that you are in Minnesota and I am in Wisconsin. Yep, I've been counting. This is the longest you've been away from me since you became "mine." I think we were gone longer when we visited China but you didn't really become "mine" until later that year when we moved to Milwaukee. I'm sure if you could reason, you would agree. You are one of the best things that happened to me when I married Christopher but it took us awhile to really get to know one another.

I miss being greeted by you at the door and the little dance you do right before you get your food. I miss your warm little body on our bed when I'm sleeping and giving you apple cores. But I have enjoyed taking walks around town and going into the coffee shop and the library and sweeping without you walking through my pile of dirt. While the house seems way too quiet, I have slept really well without you prancing around or shaking your collar which I believe is usually an attempt to wake me up.

I am thankful that you can stay in Rochester with family while we do a wee bit of traveling (that isn't Loki-friendly) and a lot of working. And I know that since you will be at my in-laws when the rest of our family is visiting with their dog, it will probably be a little chaotic and that makes me appreciate it even more. And I know your little introverted personality will probably be a little overwhelmed. We will see you in a week and I think the saying will be true: absence will make our hearts fonder.