What Puppy Love Can Teach us

We are smitten.  There is no going back from here.  This little guy entered our hearts and we are now in very, very deep.  So deep, in fact, that this little bundle who will probably someday reach a potential weight of one hundred to one hundred and forty pounds now sleeps on our bed in between us.  Sometimes burying his soft puppy neck into mine, draping his body over my heart.  Sometimes curling up on Mark's pillow, right up against his head.  Sometimes waking up from a bad dream only to look around to make sure that we are still next to him and then going securely back to sleep.  And sometimes getting the hiccups which makes me giggle in my sleep.  Micah entered our lives less than two weeks ago, but we already know that he will be a part of our hearts forever.
We were not looking for a puppy.  We were looking for a companion dog for our older pup, Becca, and also for me but somehow, after a long search through many of the animal rescue organizations we found our way to Micah, a nine week old puppy.  Micah and his four other siblings were found locked in a shed with their poor, emaciated, starving to death, mother.  I guess that the family who owned Pantera, the mother dog, moved from California to Hawaii and decided to abandon their three dogs.  They left two chained up in the backyard, and Pantera was locked up inside of a shed without any food or water.  About a week after these sick individuals moved, they finally contacted an animal rescue organization to say that they had left their dogs behind.  As far as I am concerned, there is a special place in hell for anyone who neglects or abuses animals.  When the rescuers got to the property, they only found two dogs which they took.  A day or two later, they decided to go back to see if the third dog could be located.  As they were getting ready to leave, they heard some whimpering coming from a locked shed in the backyard.  Inside, they found Pantera, a full-blooded Rottweiler nursing five puppies.  Nobody had even bothered to mention to the rescue organization that one of the dogs on the property was pregnant, nor had they said that she was locked up inside of a shed.  Obviously, she had given birth after their departure.  The litter contained two females and three males, one of which was Micah.  The rescuers decided to separate the females and the males, placing them in different foster homes.  The puppies were weaned and luckily, Pantera, was adopted immediately.  I am sure that she was placed in a very loving home with wonderful people, as the rescue organization is extremely diligent about where they will place their animals.  

Micah and his much larger brothers were placed temporarily with a very loving couple who lived in a small apartment.  They already had one dog, so they could not keep any of the puppies, but they fell in love with Micah.  He was the smallest of the litter and was considered the runt but he was active and loving and cuddly.  His foster mom cried when Mark and Angel Daughter Number Four went to pick him up.  Thank God for big-hearted people.

Becca, our ten year old dog, has not yet adjusted to the idea that Micah is staying.  Truth be told, he drives her crazy.  It has always taken Becca a while to warm up to new situations, but hopefully, as Micah grows and matures, Becca will accept him as she reluctantly did our kittens.  Disliking them intently, at first, but allowing them into her pack after a while.
This is a difficult concept for little Micah to grasp because he has never met another dog, cat, or human that he does not love.  Angel Daughter Number Four takes him on walks and then carries him when his wobbly puppy legs get too tired.  To Micah, it's all about love.  It's all about who to cuddle up with next.  It's all about pure joy.
And at the end of the day, shouldn't that be what it is all about.  Making it through the rough times, by hanging on and believing in love?  Knowing that no matter what adversities we might face, trust is what will eventually get us through.  Trust and faith and belief in kindness.  Believing that we can survive and eventually, thrive.  Believing that love is always stronger than hate.  Believing that if we continue to demonstrate love, even when others are not being as generous, that we will ultimately find a way to better days.
Micah's story reminds me that even with rough beginnings, we can still find happy endings.  He teaches me that sometimes, by rescuing someone else, we can end up rescuing a part of ourselves.  A part which still believes in the power of love and goodness and of a big hug.  A part which understands that, in the end, kindness matters.

So, at the end of the day, what is that you still believe in?

Learning New Tricks and A Very Special Welcome and Thank You

There is something about an old dog that makes my heart grow indescribably full.  Maybe it's the grey hairs that mysteriously pop up above the soulful eyes and kissable snout.  Maybe it's the expressions of absolute need, admiration and love which have been well cultivated and well used over the years.  Or maybe it's in the knowing that our beloved dogs are with us for far too short of a time.  That one day they are puppies romping around like they will live forever and the next, they are our closest, most loving companions holding onto our deepest, darkest secrets as if their lives depend upon it.  Whatever it is, an old dog can tug at the heartstrings just as strongly as any fluff ball of a puppy ever has.  

Becca, our lovely Dalmatian/Lab/who knows what else, just turned ten years old.  Thank goodness she is in good health and seems to be made of good strong stock.(although my family says she is WAY too chubby, but that's another story for another day)  My youngest Angel picked her out on her way home from pre-school one day and somehow, she instantly became ours.  She was four months old when we brought her home, and she came into our house full of spunk!  We had another wonderful dog named, Elijah, at the time and instead of having to worry about him attacking her, she went after him like nobody's business.  Poor Elijah who weighed in at about one hundred pounds just cowered under his daddy's leg waiting for the attack of the killer puppy to end.  Becca and Elijah went on to become great friends, over the years, and sadly when Elijah passed away last year at the age of nine, Becca kept watch for him for a very, very long time.  Not easy explaining death to a dog.  But Becca bucked up and decided to stick closer to me.  I can't say I ever really minded being that my husband is at work all day and my daughters are either in school or away at college.  She is wonderful company.

And as I sit here typing busily away, Becca is snuggled securely at my feet, deep happy snores coming from her beautiful grey snout.  I am learning to cherish the time now that my Angel daughters are fourteen, sixteen, eighteen and twenty-one.  Not that I didn't cherish the time before, I just had much, much more to distract me from the moments.  The moments when you realize that not only are your children getting older, but so are you.  When I look at my old dog, it makes me want to slow time down so that I can have more.  More moments, more gratitude, more connections that are lasting.  Something about having an old dog can do that to you.  I suppose you can teach an old dog(well not that old!) new tricks.
On a totally different subject, I must take a moment to welcome any new readers who have popped over from Melissa's incredible blog, The Inspired Room.  Melissa, one of my favorite and oldest BFF's, featured my blog as her "blog of the week" and I have received countless visitors from her site today.  Thank you, Melissa, for featuring my blog and for introducing new friends to me.  You are such a talented and beautiful soul and it shines through in everything that you do.  Even as I have witnessed your site evolve and grow, you have remained the same sweet gal that you were when your blog was just an itty-bitty.  If you haven't already discovered Melissa's blog, please pay her a visit.  You will be inspired to live a more beautiful life!  To all of Melissa's readers who have come over to check out my blog, I wish I could offer you a cup of tea and some chocolate!  Instead, I am giving you these cyber-flowers to brighten up your day.  Please feel free to leave me a comment and say hello!  I really enjoy connecting with new blogging friends and visiting new sites.  Please don't be shy!  I know that Melissa has the best readers.  I do hope that you will stop by again.  It's nice to have you here!

May the moments that cause your heart to flutter happen slowly enough for you to hold onto them.  May you recognize the things that make you feel safe and loved and connected.  And like an old dog, may you live for right now, not constantly worrying about what tomorrow will bring.(Because all we truly have is now, isn't it?)