Our family grew by one this week although it feels like two. We brought a new bub into the fold, a beautiful white shepherd/lab mix named Zoey. She’s a one year old terrorist that fits right in and gives Action Jackson a run for his money. She’s half his size and has all his energy, a good fit in my book. They haven’t stopped playing since the moment she hit the door. Girlie Sue, our thirteen year old white shepherd tries to play in the reindeer games but her old legs just won’t let her keep up and after the first day of running with the pack she’s content to retire to the couch and give that little growl all us old gals know so well when we just want to be left alone. Zoey’s parents did everything the right way. When they knew their circumstances had changed and they weren’t going to be able to keep the little light of their life they called the shelter and asked what is the best way to go about getting her adopted, and they followed those instructions to the letter. They had her spayed, vetted, heart worm checked and on preventative. Then they waited until someone came along looking for a white German shepherd mix because something was missing in their lives. In our case there was space because my best friend, Budward, crossed the rainbow bridge on August 13th. While I’ll never get past missing his loving presence I knew that was no excuse not to open my heart to another love monkey that needed a home and couldn’t wait until I decided I was ready. Who is ever ready after their heart is broken from the loss of that special love of our very best friend? So I got over myself at the same time Zoey’s picture went up on Petfinder.com, so it must be fate. Since she’s half Jack’s size I am confident we won’t have to worry about any aggression towards his seizures should he have any from his increased activity level, the problem we ran into when we brought Vinson into our pack. And for those who are wondering Vinson had a very happy ending. There was a shelter volunteer that walked Vinson every day and fell in love with him but didn’t have a fenced yard, so was not able to adopt him at the time we took him in. While she was heartbroken not to see him she was happy to know he went to a good home. After he was gone she had her yard fenced just in case she ever fell in love again, and just as the fence was done there was Vinson, back at the shelter. It’s funny how life works. He came to us while his forever home was being prepared for him, and as soon as he went back to the shelter the life he was meant to live was waiting for him. I will never forget his stopover as part of our pack, he will always have a huge place in our heart, and I’m grateful things worked out as they did. As I sit here looking around the room all I see are cats and dogs everywhere. One of our barn cats, Barthalomeow, decided he wanted to be an inside cat along with Booger, and he’s made the transition like he’s been inside forever. He’s the ultimate lap cat, a tiny thing, that purrs incessantly, always letting you know how much he appreciates everything you do for him. Since I suffer from chronic pain I am up at night frequently and it reminds me of the giant sleepovers of my youth, except there are dogs and cats everywhere, toys strewn about, nothing in its place. And it brings me comfort. There is so much love in this room, for me, for my husband, for each other. I wouldn’t give up this life for any other even if it meant all the riches in the world and all the beauty there is to see because I already have that right now. You can have it too if you just make that call today to adopt an animal from the shelter. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society is able to save lives, one by one.
Pictures with Santa is coming up again and will be here quickly on Nov 1st at the Movie Gallery in Sparta from 1-4 and Nov 15th AFSCME Union Hall in Chester from 1-4 so MARK YOUR CALENDARS or you’ll miss it.
