Panic attack at the wedding...

I woke up at 6 a.m. on the Saturday morning of Hannah's wedding and rolled over to check the time on the alarm clock. I was 4 a.m. Two more hours.

The next time I woke up it was to the shuffling feet of someone way too chipper ... the bride. I mumbled, only half awake:

"Hannah... I decided at 6:22 a.m. that I can no longer participate in your wedding. I am sorry."

It was 6:23 a.m., and I was running late.

She choked out a forced laugh, which indicated she wasn't too amused with my dry jokes this morning, then prompted me out of bed to get ready for the wedding. Time was a'ticking.

The wedding day fell into place perfectly. Hannah was a flawless bride who beamed in the morning light as she was united with her Ben. No, Linus was not included in the wedding ceremony. The arguments against his appointment to ring bearer ranged from "he could pass gas and make everyone sick" to "he'll creep everyone out." Fortunately, I can now admit that including Linus would have caused my stress level to rise, therefore, ultimately not being worth all the trouble and worry in the end. As cute as he may have looked in that little tux, I was dealing with enough on my mind that day already. I hate to disappoint our supporters, and thanks to everyone who pushed for his participation!

In the haste of adjusting my hair and tying my sash, the one thing I forgot to do did, in fact, impact Linus. With the chaos of adjusting the hair, finding my sash and getting a water bottle for the bride in the final moments at home, I forgot to ask someone to make sure Linus was in his cage. I ran out the garage door to make it in time for photos, and left him outside in the backyard.

Normally, I would not have freaked out about this. But Saturday's temperatures rose above 80 degrees with unbearable humidity. All the guests at the wedding were sweating down their backs waiting for the recessional. It wasn't until after the bouquet toss that I began to find my family members one by one and ask with hope that someone had remembered to put Linus in his crate. Panic struck when I realized he was outside.

Anyone who knows about bulldog health is aware that the breeds don't stand heat very well. I've heard horror stories about dogs being found suffering from severe heat exhaustion on airplanes and in back yards. I've heard a trainer say that English bulldogs will drop dead within minutes above 80 degrees (although I don't think this is entirely true, but still worth keeping in mind). During the reception, these thoughts crossed my mind. How terrible, I thought, if I lose my beloved dog on my sister's wedding day?

I couldn't leave the reception, this was my sister's big moment. And after she left, she would be gone to Florida then Colorado for the foreseeable future. I asked family members, but they were hesitant to leave and care for Linus as well, hoping not to miss the big exit. The most unlikely heroes stepped up to rescue Linus... my cousins Ellen and Aubrey.

I have to give some background on Ellen's relationship with Linus: she's frankly one of the very few people who would rather not have a relationship with Linus. She's utterly disgusted and repelled by the snorts, the snot, the gas, the slobber and the sight of my bulldog. Once his untimely gas sent her into a tirade of complete intolerance. I don't blame her for hating his flaws, but never did I expect her to offer to rescue him.

Below: Ellen and Linus.

Ellen hurried to the house to find a exhausted, but alive, little Linus in the shade. I am ashamed to admit he had been in the sun for more than 6 hours, but he was doing fine and in good spirits. A forgetful mother's mistake that I will never make again! Predictably, Ellen found his water bowl was empty. She gave him some fresh water then put him inside in his kennel where it was cool.

I called Ellen from my brother's phone to learn he was still alive and breathing, and this put my heart at ease until it was time to bid Hannah and Ben farwell. At that time, a different kind of grief came over me: the grief of parting with my loving sister.

Congratulations, Hannah and Ben (two of my first, and most dedicated, bullblog fans)! Linus and I love you very much.