With this pregnancy coming to term, I keep throwing hints to him about us becoming engaged, but he brushes them off. An engagement is the only way I’ll feel sure he plans on spending his future with me. What I can do is stress that should anything happen to him, you and the little ones will be left with nothing unless he makes a will that names you as beneficiary. [...] Doodles looks close to the end, and she’s in a constant state of distress. When her in-laws invited her and her husband on a cruise next spring, she burst into tears at the thought of leaving Doodles for a week. Thousands of dollars have been spent replacing carpeting, wood floors, urine-stained curtains, rugs and furniture. To her, Doodles is a full-fledged family member. When the inevitable happens, be patient, be understanding, be prepared to listen when she pours out her grief and, if necessary, go online to help her find a grief support group for people who are mourning the loss of a pet.