Sunday, November 23, 2014

10 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 6

10 Days of thankfulness isn't actually all that hard.  This weekend I've spent some quality time with people I care about and gotten to be really thankful for my life.  So let's continue!

10 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 6

Day 1: Me!
Day 2: My Hubby!
Day 3: My Immediate Family!
Day 4: My Extended Family!
Day 5: My Friends!

Day 6: My Dogs!

Today I am going to be very thankful for Lola and Teddy.  At first I thought, "That's lame.  You should move on to your thankfulness for more important meaningful things."  But honestly, my dogs, Lola especially, are part of my family in a different way.

Before the hubby and some of my friends, there was just me and an eight week old puppy I adopted (and my best friend and her cat - whom I was sharing an apartment with at the time, but I digress...).
Lola was a level of responsibility and love I had not experienced at that point in my life.  I had both my parents still, had lost some grandparents (which I considered normal progression of life events) and was well employed, etc.

Then came this little bundle of love and need.  I was her whole world.  I trained her in everything and gave her all the attention and guidance I could.  She is, to this day, the best dog in the world.  (You can say whatever you want, I can't hear you.) As she grew older, I considered her like my own child and my decisions always put her first.

Then... I fell in love, got married, gained step-children, moved a few times, and lastly brought in a sibling (8 years later) for her.  A neurotic loving fluffball of stupid named Teddy.  Seriously, where Lola is almost too smart, he's just... not.  But he is the best playmate for her.  Where I started slacking off in attention and love, Teddy has bounded in with full energy.

Lola has been my comfort when the grief of losing my father unexpectedly too soon brought me to my knees, literally.  She has been there for the highest of highs and lowest of lows.  She's fallen in love with the same man I did.  (Totally understandable.)  She adores the kids and has begrudgingly accepted every move or schedule change I have thrown her way.  It's entirely understandable that I don't think she will forgive me for Teddy, but it will all be fine.

Teddy has only been with us about 9 months.  He soothed a broken part of me after my last miscarriage and restores balance by just being happy to be with you.  I spend a lot of time, when possible, loving up on Lola - but Teddy has his daddy that he is quite attached to so now the hubby has a puppy too.

They are our constant joy.  They have short memories of the bad (in Teddy's case, of everything) and love wholeheartedly.  I cannot imagine not having them greet me, love me and allow me to love them.  I wonder what the Creator was thinking when he (or she) designed the canine and feline species.  To put in them the empathy, trainability, and affection required to not only be pets but true companions?  I have no idea, but I'm grateful for it.

What are you thankful for today?

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