Something had woken me from a deep sleep.



I glanced at the alarm clock, which cheerfully informed me it was 3:10 a.m. Way too early, even for an early bird like me. I groaned and turned back over, pulling the covers up under my chin.

The glow of the streetlamp outside our bedroom window made it easy for me to make out the pile of covers on the other side of the bed where my husband slept soundly. I could hear the hum of his CPAP machine, recently added to our bedroom as a result of his sleep apnea. His beloved Ashley, a chihuahua/pug mix was curled up at the end of the bed.



There didn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary.



I sighed and tried to bury my head in the pillow, hoping to drift off to sleep again.



And then I felt it.



A gentle, loving tongue was caressing the back of my neck. No, not now, I thought. I have to work in the morning. Just give me a few more hours sleep.



But he was not to be discouraged.



I gave in, and rolled over to say good morning.



Charlie, our new five month old wire-haired dachshund, was awake!