On a Roll

Day 2.  (Warning: this went from a one paragraph post to the 2nd longest post ever...with pictures)

So far I haven't missed a day.  I'm impressed with myself.

I'm thankful for my four legged chillins, both living and passed.  They have all taught me more than the 18 years of schooling I went through.  They've taught me real life lessons that you can't get from books.  They're always there when you've had a bad day and want nothing more than for you to be happy.  They've taught me patience, kindness, love, how to nurture, how to react in an emergency, how to compete, how to always try to better myself.  They've taught me to live each day to the fullest and how precious life really is.  They have taught me not to hold grudges, that most things won't matter in five years, or really, quite often, five minutes.

Just this morning, I was heading out to pick DJ up and help move them to a new field and I loaded the dogs up and MC ralphed.  Not just once, but three times.  In my vehicle.  (all in different spots, all of which had cracks/crevices for it to run down into...)  Instead of getting mad because now I was going to get in "trouble" with the boss man for being late cuz I had to stop and clean it up, I was more worried about the little guy's upset tum tum.  (Note: He is back to being his wild and crazy self, so I think he's over it.  And I didn't get in trouble for DJ having to wait on us!)

I had multiple pets growing up.  The family dog, CJ.  He taught me to get along with everyone.  That dog would have done anything for anyone.  He had his route around town that he would go on everyday, stopping by to say hi to multiple people.  He would go to work with Pa everyday and sometimes go watch the high school football or track teams practice.  Everyone knew Ol' CJ.
A random cat showed up and I named her MW.  She ended up having kittens.  We were able to give them away, but I kept LT.  He was so fat and fluffy.  I'm not even a cat person, but you couldn't help but love him.  And then one day Pa found him stuck between two railroad ties (that's what they told me anyway...).  MW left shortly after that.  They taught me to have an open mind.  Or that I'm a sucker for anything with four legs and in need...
MS had LR.  We thought he was a she until one day Ma spotted something between his back legs...  I wasn't fond of that old cat, but when I would get in trouble, he was there to comfort me.  He taught me not to hold grudges.  Even though I didn't give him much attention he was there when I needed someone.

I picked out Pony when I was 10.  He was supposed to turn gray.  ha.  He's as brown as brown can be.  The one color I didn't want, but I love him.  He's taught me soooo much.  I was the first one on him, and the only one for quite awhile as I was only ten and probably weighed nothing.  From then on, if I wasn't playing ball, I was probably out at the farm with him.  Some days we would work on backing, side passing, pivoting.  Other days we would just go ride around the field.  I showed him, used him to give trail rides to kids at camp, took him to petting zoos.  He's far from perfect, but I wouldn't sell him.  He knows my mood.  If I'm in a good mood, he might be a handful.  If I'm in a bad mood, he'll do anything I ask.  He knows who is on him and he knows when he needs to set an example for the youngin's now.  He's 15 now and makes me feel old.  Some days he still acts like he's a three year old, but that reassures me he still feels good!  He has taught me more than I could ever explain.  Horses will do that to a person!  He taught me to trust.  We have to trust one another.  He's had to get us back home before when we're lost on the trails (or off of them...) and if I ask him to do something new and scary, he has to trust me that it's gonna be okay!  Here we are last year at the competition I wrote about.

Scary spiders don't faze him.

MS gave me JDB my first year at ISU.  It was "a trial run," which to MS means, she's all yours now.  BM found out he is allergic to dogs so they had to get rid of her.  She taught me to have fun in everything.  She was hilarious.  She would entertain herself (and anyone watching) for hours.  She was crazy!!  She loved to run, so I decided to leave her home with ma and pa so she could run instead of being cooped up in my apartment.  Pa called one day to tell me that a friend was jogging and found her at the end of the driveway.  I don't know what happened to her, but I can tell you that she lived everyday to the fullest.  For being a dog, she never slept!  She was always going!!  That following Christmas, we were opening presents and a cast iron skillet was thrown and landed on my toe.  I was laughing so hard and then I started crying.  No one knew why I was crying until I was like I miss JDB.  And then half the room started crying too, because even though SH tormented her, he loved her.  She was a pistol, just like he is.  

What you lookin' at!?

The sisters and I went and picked up JW a couple hours away.  I found him online.  They had found him on the streets.  They said he was a puggle that was a little over a year old.  We got to him and I wasn't sure what I had gotten into.  He wasn't a puggle and he looked about 12 and ready to keel over, but I loaded him up.  He moved into my apartment ("illegally) with MP and me and all he did was lay there.  I would occasionally be able to get him to play, but not often.  And then one day the city tested their tornado sirens.  He went nuts.  He was howling at them and I was dying laughing.  We moved into DJ's place and he discovered that he loves to run.  He's like the Forrest Gump of dogs and for only having stubby little legs, he can move!!  He has taught me a lot.  He taught me to never stop smiling.  He always has his grill out smiling at the world.  He helped get me through when UC passed.  We helped each other heal.  

G-Ma calls it a snaggle tooth, I just like to smile

UC.  You've already read about all we went through.  I miss that dog alllll the time!  I'm still not used to him being gone.  JW isn't either.  That dog taught me to never leave a man behind!!  Seriously, JW got locked in the shed and UC sat there and waited.  MD pulled up and wondered why UC was there and not JW.  Then he opened the door and figured it out!  When JW got caught in the trap, UC waited with him for me to get there.  That's how I found him, I spotted UC's head sticking up out of the grass. 

Eating is hard work

Which brings us to MC.  Oh MC.  I think he is teaching me how to care for a kid.  It's like all those years of babysitting wrapped up in this little guy that I can't take back to his parents cuz I loooove him!  He's my first puppy and he is perfect.  We love him, but the 14 wake up calls a night are getting a little old!!  He goes goes goes and gets along with everyone.  He's learning so much and never gives up.

This is a lot of work but don't worry, I got this!!

So there you have it.  Another long post about the animals in my life!!  Have a great weekend!!