Must Love Dogs.

Yes, I know that's the name of a movie...


And if I do say so myself, a GOOD movie.  Seriously I watched it by accident one day when it come on TV and I fell in love with it. Cuteness!!!!

This is my little family.  Aren't we sweet?  Yes, I know we are, don't worry.  Honestly, it took like 15 picture attempts before I got this only slightly decent one...

I think my dogs are scared of me with a camera/phone/etc...  Like for real.

Say hello to Shadow.  =) 

 My "little brother" misses me.. Can you tell???

Back story on Shadow: 

Shadow became a member of the family by complete accident.  Well, maybe I kind of initiated it... but who is counting that? :)  Shadow (known then as Shiloh, I think...) lived at the house that is directly behind my parents'.  Now, this home was not a HOME, if you know what I mean.  "Shiloh" spent his days laying on the porch, being ignored, not fed, and basically abandoned.

My dad spends most of his days at his shop working on his "man toys" [Sidenote: post on this one day..] and he had been watching this dog and seeing all this play out.  So one day, the people living in the house suddenly decided they were going to move.. and leave Shiloh (as in to fend for himself).  JERKS.  Soon as I found out this, I immediately told my dad to get that dog for me.  Some of you know me in real life, some don't, but I am a BIG dog lover.  I don't care if its ugly, cute, smart, stupid, black, white, brown, sick, healthy, etc... I love dogs.  Plain and simple. 

My father is the reason I love dogs so he too was on board for this "rescue."  [Another sidenote: Tell this story...] So the last day the people were at the house, my dad walked up and asked the BOY (I will not refer to someone like this guy as anything but a boy since that's how mature he was/is...) what his plans for the dog were.  That is when he told my dad that he didn't have any plans and he was leaving the dog and hopefully someone would either take him in, or he would be picked up and go to the humane society.  This is the point when dad realized the dog we had been referring to as Shadow, was Shiloh.   My dad quickly told him that dog would not be treated that way and that he was taking the dog. 

Sooooo, Shadow came to live at my house.  I think he liked his new name better.  Shadow just fit him... and this was his new start!  Unfortuantely, my house was not going to be his forever home.  Reagan (who lives indoors obviously) could sense Shadow's presence outside and Shadow could sense Reagan.  Roxie was not even born yet..   It was war 24 hours a day.  My nerves were a wreck.  So after several destroyed flowers, numerous dug-out holes, a few broken flower pots, and drool covered windows, Shadow was loaded into my Jeep (you totally should have seen me trying to lift this massive full-grown, stubborn lab into my car...) at 7:30 AM and driven to my dad. 

Shadow AND DAD were happier than I had seen both of them in awhile.  Shadow needed the companionship (since I was at work all day anyway..) and dad needed it as much as him, I suppose.  The two were quite a pair.  Shadow became known as my "little brother" quick.  Yes, we are those people who think of our animals as children.. get over it.

Things were wonderful for a long time and then one day Shadow got out of daddy's sight and took the afternoon to "explore" and found himself hot on the trail of a dog in heat.  To make a longer story short, Shadow and his girlfriend were picked up and taken to the humane society.   By the time we realized this, Shadow was forced to spend the night.  Now, I am in no way bashing anyone or any place here.  I know the humane society deals with strays on a regular basis, I'm just merely stating a fact.  During his overnight stay, Shadow caught something.  Let me tell you- you don't want to know all the details of that story, but basically it boils down to not a single person believed that dog would live, except for our daddy.

I would get off work in the evenings and go straight to their house to check on him, fearing every day that it was his last or I had already missed the chance to say goodbye.  He would just lay there and I remember one day in particular he was barely breathing. I knew it was his last time for us to be together.  I just knew it.  I laid in the yard with him for a long, long time and cried on him.  He just looked at me with those true "puppy dog eyes" as if he were saying his goodbyes too.  I settled it with him and God that day that it was okay for God to take him, to relieve his suffering.  But God had other plans for Shadow. 

My dad, being my dad, did every thing he could for that dog.  He would cook steaks three times a day, cute them up, and hand feed them to that dog.  He knew the grease needed to get in his system.  He was beginning to become malnourished from lack of eating.  Again, a long story short- Shadow responded.  Daddy honestly nursed that dog back to life.  And since then, Shadow has not been the same.  He is better.  So much better.  He got a second chance at life and he is now healthier than he has ever been. 

Sadly, not long after this, Shadow got away again but this time my dad picked him up instead of the humane society.  It was then we knew Shadow couldn't live with dad anymore either.  He was getting too brave and taking this "roaming" to a new level.  So Shadow moved again.  But this time he went to live with my brother.  Kevin has a large fenced in back yard so Shadow is free to run and play as he wants.  (My dad does not have a fenced in area, and couldn't stand "hurting his feelings" by chaining him.)  Kevin is the duplicate of my dad so Shadow loves him just as much. And vice versa.  

So, Shadow is our precious angel.  He belongs to each of us and I think he has made our lives a little brighter just by being himself.  These photos were taken yesterday.  He was so excited to see me he jumped into the swing with me, something he never, ever, does.  So I, of course, let him lick me (Ick.) and jump on me.  It's what big sisters do.. Right? :)

I love you Shadow Ray.  :)  (Don't know where Ray come from.. but I called him that and it stuck... I'm good at making names for people/animals... my family is full of interesting ones..ha!)

Well, it's almost lunch time kiddos!  This gal is hungry and looking forward to eating up some yummy cucumber that a co-worker gave me.  Check it out.. but don't be jealous.. if you were here, I'd share. 


Cucumbers and Squash.  Yum to the tum!


Everyone have a fabulous Thursday!!!! =)

Oh, and during last night's family photo attempt I tried to get a good one of me and the baby girl... Guess she wasn't into it last night. :)


Mama.. please stop.

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face."