Sweet Moments
It happened this morning. I opened the door to let the dogs out (yes... dog with a "s") and it slammed into me like a child running full throttle with the greatest gift in her arms. Crisp cool morning air. It caught me so off guard, I caught my breath, my soul did a small back flip and the biggest smile covered my face. The first kiss of the promise of Fall. Oh joy. I just giggled at the thought of it... Fall is on her way. How it can be so HOT right now is JUST BEYOND me after such a fabulous and lush morning! Oh delight! I simply LOVE LOVE LOVE cool mornings! I threw the kitchen window and made coffee with a slight kick to my step!
Now... on to my "dogs". We are fostering! I am so excited. I have been wanting to save a dog for years now. Don says "no" every time I beg him to go to the shelter. If every one just saved ONE... can you imagine all the LOVE shared! Empty dog cages in shelters instead of dogs being drug down the hallway to be killed. Oh. The thought of what happens everyday in MASS QUANTITY just makes me want to scream and stay in bed for a year. Our world breaks my heart so deeply. Selfishness of man makes me grieve almost daily. Whether it is children being turned out onto the street on August 31 from orphanages because they have "aged" out, babies being killed in the womb in mass numbers every hour or massive numbers of animals being abused and killed every day... I just do not know how God can continue to watch His creation be so destructive and heartless.
So. I often try to "do what I can" and "do my part" knowing/reminding myself daily that I can not save the world. It is small things. But it is SOMETHING. And HOPEFULLY I am teaching my children to be loving, thoughtful, giving, compassionate, and aware. I stumbled across Angels Among Us Pet Rescue on facebook. You can see their website here. They do an AMAZING job finding and rescuing animals from high kill shelters in the ATL area! Right here in my back yard. I went through a process. The posts had me depressed for two weeks. I really thought I was going to have to "unlike" them because I was depressed like every other day. No. Really. I would see a picture of 6 dogs on the "kill list" for the day and would just want to vomit. I would cry. I'd cry on facebook. I'd cry in the shower. And then I'd cry in the car. And I could not shake them. So I started wondering... could I be a foster? Would Don let me? Would I be able to part with a precious baby I had saved? How would it affect my kids? How would it affect my dog? How would it affect our life? And I prayed. In a bad, depressed mood, for two weeks. I waited. It was SO hard to wait. I would see more and more dogs and more and more pleas for help/fosters/adoptions. So then one day last week, I was talking to Don about it. One dog had captured my heart with week before and there she was again. I showed him. And he said, call them... get it! That was my "go". That was what I needed. I had the foster application in that day and we had our home visit the next. For some reason, I am trusting in God in the details, we did not get THE dog that propelled us forward. It was weird... the way the whole thing went down... but I had peace. Friday morning, I saw four dogs on the "PLEASE help us NOW" list and I volunteered to foster any of them. This is who we got on Saturday morning...
Sassperilla is/was her name. On the way home, she told Taylor and I that she would love the name Chloe. So... that is what we are calling her. She is very much a Chloe. When they brought her to me and placed her in my arms, she was trembling like a leaf. Then she pressed her body into mine, snuggled up to my face, and starting licking me like crazy. She knew. We were there for her. And I started bawling. It was so sweet. Her ears were down and her tail was tucked. The kids were in the car waiting... along with our furry little man, Dusty. She met them all with kisses. We were all smitten. Her crate was in the back of the van and Abby sat back there and read books and talked to her on the way home. Abby has become her biggest fan. They love each other a lot.
She sits in Abby's lap and sleeps with Abby. She stayed by Abby's side last night and did not move. Abby talks to her and says, "It's ok little baby. I am here for you," and "It's ok little girl. I will take care of you." It has awakened a very sweet compassion inside of her. Precious.
So here is what I have made for this precious little one.
Isn't it a great little poster!
She has just started giving me eye contact on a regular basis. The first day, I would get down on the floor and lie in front of her and talk to her in my smoopy lovey dovey precious doggy voice. On several occasions, she would cover her little eye with her paw. Tears. So much sadness. Just made my heart ache. But I loved and loved and loved and loved her. And last night... her tail came out from her hiding place and was waving high behind her like a happy little flag! What joy! She looked at me when I talked to her and wagged her precious little tail. S-W-E-E-T. Just three days with her and she is already healing and trusting. I don't deserve such a precious gift!
So we are searching and praying for this little one to have a family soon. I know it will be someone special! Could be you... :0)
Much love...
Dawn
POST EDIT: She has stolen my heart even more. Last night, she played for the first time. I put on my shoes to run an errand and she ran towards my feet and popped them with her feet and then spun around in a little circle and crouched down in the "pounce" position. It was precious!! So I bought a small ball at the store and brought it home to her and she immediately started popping it around on the floor and chasing it like a little cat! What a sweet surprise to see such a sweet playful personality! I got down to try and get her ball and she gave the "growl" all the while wagging her tail and then dropped the ball into my hand. LOVE. She is going to be such a wonderful addition to a very blessed family! I will miss her like crazy. She brings the sweetest purest joy to my heart! :0)
