Breakups are hard. They are messy. They hurt. There are consequences. There are feelings. Lots and lots of feelings.

But there is a quote by Leonard Cohen that speaks to me: There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.

Luckily, there are even cracks in breakups.

One intensely bright spot that Devin and I still have is our love for Elsie.

As responsible co-parents, we have managed to reach a level of maturity in sharing her and in working with each other so that she can continue to thrive.

In the beginning, it was tough navigating, but nearly a year later, the change has proven to be healthy for all of us.

At this point [silver lining to the breakup], having a half-a-dog is kind of awesome. I think Elsie girl would agree. In our experience, it has freed up time to continue discovering what makes us thrive. For Elise, she now has two neighborhoods wrapped around her shiny, black paw.

I'm not even exaggerating, she is so loveable, when we are walking, there are a couple of neighbors who, when they see her, take her inside their house and give her a treat. It's so cute! If we walk by and no one is out, she will sit for a sec, with a big smile and her little nub tail drawing circles on the pavement, hoping. Additionally, other neighbors in both neighborhoods light up as she wiggles her way toward them for a polite greeting.

She's such a good girl....

Because of this change, she has made new friends, goes on more adventures, has double the playdates, and gets a gazillion more treats [from the neighborhoods. Dev and I spoil her a little bit more too, but she's still in great shape]. Most importantly, she feels our love and doesn't have to miss either one of us for very long.

She appreciates us so much. Devin and I feel joy when Elsie purrs and speaks to us. She always tells us that she loves us and is so happy we are there. When the girl is at my house, I bring sheets from Devin's to put on her bed so she can smell him. I sleep with her toys or stuff them against my skin for a while so that when she is at Devin's, my scent is still close too. And while she is away, I take deep breaths into her toy, so I can smell her and feel close.

Although it ended up that Devin and I had such different perspectives that our relationship ended, we agree 100% that Elsie is one of the most beautiful creatures, and we are so lucky to have her in our lives.