TAILS WAGGING

Miles and Sandy have been around since the first year we were married. They are both 11 years old and some of the best dogs around. Both were rescued.....Miles from the newspaper ads and Sandy from the shelter. Both likely have a life better off than what they were destined for at that time. We raised Miles from a puppy of 6 weeks and he has been one of the most loyal, obedient, patient and playful dogs an owner can have. His hobbies include baseball and fetch....in the old days he never needed a leash to stay nearby. Sandy was 1 when we adopted her. Her owners were moving and gave her to the shelter. She had just delivered a set of pups a few months earlier. She was the only dog Miles tolerated during the interaction test that day. She is compassionate, inquisitive, loves the outdoors and very affectionate. The first morning after we brought her home, we thought a helicopter was landing on the house. Turns out it was her tail wagging under the bed where she had nestled overnight. What a sign of gratitude on her behalf! I will never forget that morning or that sound of her happy tail. In the month following her arrival, Miles taught her to play...something she had apparently not ever been taught. The two were perfect for each other. They lived in companionship and seemed to understand each other.

As kids have come along, the dogs have been amazingly tolerant. They are open to the kids hugs and love, but have the integrity to walk away when they need time to themselves. They both still love to play fetch, ball and frisbee with the kids and Miles is always the first one on the field when baseball is in action.

If you know me well, you know I love animals. I think they have a language of their own used to communicate with each other. I also think they have an enormously positive impact on us as humans. I have seen it first-hand. Our dog, Sandy, and I participated in pet therapy at a local hospital for a few years. The interactions I witnessed proved that animals continuously bring joy and love to humans. A special kind of love. An unconditional love with no strings attached. An unexpecting love that does not require anything in return. Hmmm......we could learn a lot from an animals love.

So you are wondering why I post about our dogs when this is a blog about my kids? You guessed it....they are a part of the family too! This whole post stems from the picture below:

This is Miles, falling asleep, next to a softball and toy dinosaur, ready to play! He might be old by age, but he is still young at heart! And this is Sandy who makes her "mark" with her unusual markings. So there it is. Now you have met the whole family!