Gift Number 21 of One Thousand

Number 21 on my list of A Thousand Gifts is too big to not have a blog post all it’s own. This “gift” is just that – a pure gift!

The back story -

A couple of months ago, I took our family pet, Colby, to the groomer. He was in desperate need of a professional groomer’s touch! I can groom him well enough, but there is something about the professional touch.

So I took him back to his original groomer, after failed attempts at finding a groomer closer and/or less expensive. The original groomer also happened to be the lady we got him from.

We (my husband and myself) had been talking for a while about adding a second pooch back into the family. When I took Colby to the groomer, I casually asked if she was still active with the local Cocker Spaniel Rescue. She said she still had contacts, but was not active since her knee replacement. To which I mentioned that I was hoping she was active because we were looking to add a another dog to the family. She proceeded to tell me about Tyra, one of her retiring show dogs. Tyra hadn’t been able to be shown for two years because of some mysterious bald patches on her back side. Due to age and the bald patches, Tyra could no longer be shown or be bred. Tyra needed a home, would we be interested?

Would we be intersted??!!??

How much would the adoption/purchase fee be, I asked. To which, Ms. A. replied “Nothing. Just get her spayed.”

That sweetened the deal tremendously! We had been looking at Cocker Spaniel puppies in the newspaper ($200-$600), the pet store (which we know is a total NO! NO!) wanted about $400. We checked with a couple of other rescues that had listings for dogs on Petfinder.com. They wouldn’t adopt to us because we have children under the age of 10!! WHAT?? That’s ridiculous!

So…

Of course we were interested – Tyra is Colby’s full sister! They are from the same litter. The disposition of the dogs from that litter is unmatched!!

So, a few weeks ago, I brought Tyra home for us to “try on”. We had to make sure the dogs were going to get along. We had to make sure that Tyra was going to tolerate being a family dog in a large busy family with toddlers.

She worked out beautifully…

Then she came into season. So I called the groomer/owner/breeder/handler to see if she could board and protect Tyra until the “season” passed. I did not want puppies. It was agreed that I would bring her back and she would finish her season there.

Husband and I went on a bike trip. I got hurt. I spent the last couple of weeks recovering. I still have a ways to go, but I can type some with my left hand now. Progress.

I called on Monday to check on my girl. No answer – left a message.

Owner/breeder/handler/groomer shows dogs, so I wasn’t worried when she didn’t call me back that day or yesterday.

I called again this morning… hoping to catch one of the other groomers in the shop. To my surprise I got Ms. A. herself! YAY!

Could I pick up Tyra this evening?

YOU BET!

Got home about an hour ago.

Gift Number 21 of One Thousand…

Home to Stay!

One Thousand Gifts

The author of a blog I stalk follow had a give-away during Lent for the book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. (linked using my Amazon Affiliate link)

I’m a lucky girl, because I won!

This book is life changing. As I read (nope, I’m not done yet), I can feel my heart and soul stirring in a way I have not felt in a very long time. I’ve been struggling for a while to find all that is good, beautiful, and right with the world from the household bunkers of messy laundry, dirty dishes, and the clutter and clatter of 5 children.

Ann has a way with words! Her words, her expression of God’s words, are opening my eyes and my heart to the “little things”. “Little Things” are so important to me right now. They are the corner stones of the lives of two Catholic women I have been studying – Saint Therese of Lisieux and Blessed (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta. I’m still making all of the connections from this book to them to my life and faith as a Catholic Wife and Mother.

So, as a result, I’ve started my list. In the future, I will include photos or scrapbook pages when and where I can.

1. Able hands in substitution
2. bouncing giggles of tots
3. dark chocolate frozen dairy perfection
4. the unsteady reading of a child’s book
5. sleeping boys
6. health and wellness being restored
7. excited anticipation
8. willing risers
9. pig-tails in blonde hair
10. the smell of SPF 60
11. the hum and swoosh of a machine working
12. Three year old “magic”… TA-DA!
13. Two year old dressing self completely for the first time
14. Predictable lunch requests from youngest three children
15. Pineapple. YUM!
16. Gooey fingers after a cold treat on a hot summer afternoon
17. Skilled surgeons
18. Post-surgery telephone call from Dad, “Mom is doing fine.”
19. Math fact practice in the form of video game
20. Music in my ears

So you’re probably wondering where “big stuff” is from my list – like my house, my husband, and each of my children… they are all there in that list above, just in a small doses. Remember, I’m trying to appreciate the little things.

I’ll post these lists as often as I am inspired to do so. Not going to make a solid commitment to daily or weekly – it’s summer time and I need to “go with the flow.”