Say what you will

My dogs are my children. Ok...so, I don't have any two-legged children, and -- as so many of you say -- the feeling is going to be different and things are "going to change" when I have little humans pitter-pattering around my house. But today, as things stand, Jake and Luna are my babies...say what you will...

I love waking up in the morning and seeing two sets of big brown eyes staring up at me. I love that when I come home, they jump and wag and twirl like my return is the one thing they have been looking forward to all day. I love that they're always happy to see me, whether I've been gone 5 minutes or 5 days. I love that when they're scared they run to me. I love that when Mario and I sit on the floor to chat, they sit right in the middle, watching and listening to our conversations intently.

And alright, I may go overboard sometime dressing them up for Halloween, planning play dates and caring more about their diet than I do mine, but just like human babies, these two furry ones depend on me for everything in their lives. Their vulnerability overwhelms me sometimes and it makes me strive to provide even better for them.

So, yes. Perhaps the day a "little me" comes along things will change a bit...Jake may no longer be able to jump up with us in the bed in the mornings, or I'll be singing songs about fingers and toes instead of Luna-princesses...but for now, I revel at the lessons of unconditional love and never-ending joy I receive from Jake and Luna every minute I get to spend with them. I can't imagine a better way to prepare myself for little ones than learning to appreciate how much someone or "something" depends of you.

Say what you will...I have two beautiful furry children... and when you pull out the pictures of your little baby at the pool, I'll show you the one of mine at the lake...when you tell me your nursery-stories, I'll be happy to give you my report of their last day at doggie-day-care...when you boast about the great deal you got at The Children's Place, I'll make sure to let you know of all the sales at Petsmart...and if you want to schedule a play date, let's make sure there is a fenced in yard!

and then there were four

From the first day he came into our lives, Jake became our best buddy. We spent every free moment loving him, training him, and learning from him. However, every time I looked at him I felt something was missing. Dogs are pack animals and I hated that he would spend the days alone while I was finishing school. Besides, I still wanted my little girl!

Mario wasn't so sure, though. First of all, having Jake was a big responsibility and second, he was terribly afraid getting a little dog meant having a "girlie" dog.

Now, if you know me, you now I'm about as persistent as it gets. Getting a second dog, a little girl-dog, became my mission. I spent every free moment on Petfinder.com. I was so obsessed I had to give Petfinder up for lent!

And it was right after Easter that I found Save-a-Pet's website and a litter of patterdale little girls. EXACTLY what I had been looking for. Patterdales, if you don't know, look a bit like labs shrunk after being thrown in a dryer, which means I get my little dog and Mario doesn't have to have a "girly" dog.

The litter had 4 puppies...all different...all too cute for words. Originally, I had chosed a black and tan puppy named Faith. She looked like a miniature version of Jake. But the universe had different plans. We arranged a time and place to meet halfway between Forsyth, GA and our house. This was going to be Jake's puppy, so of course, whomever would come home would have to pass the "Jake test."

The four puppies (Faith, Hope, Sissy and Joy) were all under 5 pounds and 5 weeks old. We put them all down on a grassy area and brought Jake out to meet them. Jake, at 70lbs, looked like a tank next to them, so naturally most of them weren't so sure what to make of him. Hope (Luna) didn't seem all that interested...and when he came up to her and startled him from behind, she turned around, and with all of her 5lbs slapped Jake accross the face. Without even looking at each other Mario and I said, "That's the one!"

That afternoon, we also learned why her name was Hope. You see, black puppies are the hardest to adopt, which subsequently means, they are the most likely to get put down. The bigger and blacker the dog, the less its chance for survival. Her name was Hope because the rescue group really "hoped" she would find a home. Well, Hope...which became our little Luna, didn't have to hope anymore. We left her with her sisters until she was 9 weeks old...and then, she came to our house to complete our little family of four!

So it begins...

Jake, our first dog, came into our lives in November of 2007. We had talked about getting a dog but it was just that...talk. Then one day, my then-boyfriend-now-fiance Mario came over to my apartment and said, "we've got to talk." Now, everyone knows those are 5 dreaded words...and I had no idea they would change my life forever.

"Please don't be mad," he said. Uh-oh, I thought. "I know we've discussed getting a dog and I told you we weren't ready for one...but I've been looking...and I've found THE ONE." Double uh-oh. "I went to visit him earlier today and I fell in love...but if you don't like him, I can deal with it." -- Yeah, right!

our first picture together

Lucky for both of us, Mario's new love was a beautiful black and tan rescue dog named Echo. The people from the rescue group told us we could "try him out for the weekend," but I knew what that meant...if that dog got in my car, he wasn't going back. I took a look at Mario...and I took a look at that 35lb pup with long ears and sweet eyes, I closed my eyes and I said "let's do it."

Echo wasn't what I had imagined for a dog. I wanted a little dog, tan or white, a female -- he was a black, male dog with lion-sized paws. But through those big brown eyes I could see the most loving heart.

So it began...on our way to Petsmart to get him a collar and a bed, I named him Jake. That cool, laid back dog was definitely a Jake. In that 15 minute car ride, we knew we had made the most perfect decision...and just like that, Jake became the glue that holds our little family together and our best friend.