I don't really mind it. I've learned the value in being busy. Just like I've learned the value in downtime. Everything is only temporary. This, too, shall pass.
Kelly and I have devoted a large amount of time to our front yard over the last year. I love flowers. I love gardening. I love pulling weeds. I love watering. When I am an old woman, I imagine spending most of my time outdoors, tending to my roses.
Niko sure loved his great-grandma :)
It's always hard when we get phone calls about dogs. Usually, they only have a few hours of life left in a kill shelter and someone is desperate to place the dog because they don't want to see its life end because its owners were irresponsible.
We always seem to find a way to help. In fact, it's very rare that we don't help. When we received a call that a husky--under 12 months old--only had a few hours left, it just broke my heart. Puppies--good puppies--should NEVER have to have their lives ended because their humans can't get it together.
So, I just want to take a moment to reiterate what I've been saying since we rescued Niko: if you don't have the time, patience, and love to give to a four-legged fur child, PLEASE don't take it on. Don't chain it to the lawn as a lawn ornament. Don't neglect its well-being because you're too busy. Don't send it to a kill shelter because you "don't know what else to do". There are so, so many rescues willing to help place animals. There are so many people willing to help you take care of your four-legged fur child. EVERY animal deserves a good home. If you can't be a good home for an animal, don't bother bringing it into your home. Because I know for a fact that a dog--mistreated or well-treated--will love you unconditionally. And it will take years to undo the damage of being abandoned and mistreated. Take it from me: I've helped rescue six dogs. Each has their own problems. Each has needed patience and love instead of punishment and abandonment. Each has a troubled past that they've had to overcome.
Zoe's owners refused to pick her up from the shelter because she kept escaping their yard. They were going to put her down the following day when we received a phone call.
This dog is absolutely amazing. She's smart and sweet. She cuddles and howls. She sleeps on the couch quietly in the afternoons and I almost forget she's in my home. She loves chicken, tuna, peanut butter, and carrots. She races around the backyard and runs along the fence line with the neighbor dog. She gives kisses and loves to jump really high on her walks. She's terrified of laminate flooring, but she's working on her fear. She loves chasing cats and chickens. Every night, she crawls into my arms and falls fast asleep. And it brings me to tears. Tears that someone would just stop caring for this little furball who weighs 34 lbs. Who doesn't have a voice. Who can't tell anyone how much she just wants to be loved and give love.
It's not Zoe's fault. It will never be her fault. She did nothing wrong. She was probably neglected. And if you have any experience with huskies, you know they can't be left alone. They thrive in packs--even if their pack is human. They need interaction and patience. They need exercise and--preferably--other dogs.
I wish I could do more for her. I wish I could undo the time she spent in the shelter, longing to be rescued by her family. I wish I could take back the hours she was probably tied to a tree in the yard because her family didn't have time for her. Knowing all she needed was some love, a quiet place in the corner with an antler chew and blanket to claim as her own.
If you are considering getting a new dog, please think about it long and hard. It's a 15-year commitment. And these animals can't help but love you with everything they have. If you can't love back with the same ferocity, then maybe this isn't for you. If you decide it is, PLEASE consider rescuing. After rescuing six dogs--all with differing degrees of issues--there is nothing time and patience can't fix.
Some day, I hope I can save more. But for now, I'll just hold my fur-babies close and give them lots of kisses and head rubs. Because every dog--regardless of its past--deserves to be loved and saved.
On a less solemn note, Father's day was a FUN day. We had pulled pork, coleslaw, watermelon, corn on the cob, baked beans and banana pudding at my in-laws. It's always fun to spend time with family. I wish I could have spent it with my father, He was at the shooting range 1,500 miles away, so I know he spent his day doing something he loves.
Here's my dad, brother and I nearly 24 years ago. We've all changed so much since this image was snapped. Especially my father's hair :)
My father-in-law, mother-in-law, and sweet husband.
Looking at both these pictures makes me realize how fast time flies by. 20+ years really does come and go. And if we're not careful, we'll miss out on the good stuff--like family afternoons laughing about how much banana pudding my brother-in-law made.
I've spent a lot of time with my huskies lately. We walk, we play, we go for car rides. They're my babies and I love their company. I can't imagine my house without their howls, blanket of white fur covering EVERYTHING, and constant licks and kisses.
It's a good life, my friends. Even on the days it doesn't seem like it. There's always something good in each day. And most of my days are good because of my four-legged fur children :)
--Jessi
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