If you would have told me...

If you told me that I would be looking at the shelter's website with Brut whispering in my ear to think outside the box and that maybe an older dog would be better with the cats, I wouldn't have believed it.  As I had already looked at the selection of dogs and closed my laptop once, thinking getting a dog was never going to happen.  

And if you'd told me that when Mark said ," Let's go tomorrow and get him," then overslept that morning that it was another sign that it wasn't meant to be.  In spite of the message I got from Brut and Silver early that morning when both of their solar lights on their graves were still dimly lit in the morning dawn, I wouldn't have believed it.  

If you would have told me that a week ago today I would have a 10 year old Lab/Hound mix dog that I picked off the Humane Society laying on the floor next to me, I would have told you, you're crazy!  Or if you'd told me that when we went to the shelter after seeing said picture of dog only to find out they were closed, a friend whom used to work at our vet's office was working there, saw us and came out to see us.  When we told her we wanted Chevy, her eyes lit up as she had known Chevy for a while and even though they were closed, we met Chevy, and she made the deal happen. 

And if I told you that Chevy was great with the cats and the cats are warming up to him, it is almost surreal to believe.  When we took Chevy home, he walked right up to the door, ready to go inside.  And if I told you that it feels like he has been here all along, I would tell you that Chevy filled this dog mom's heart in every way possible.  ♥ 

Meet Chevy!

Meet Chevy and those huge paws!

The most awesome thing happened...we got a dog!  

Chevy is a rescue from our local Humane Society.   He is a 10 years old Yellow Lab, although we think there may be some hound in there.  He is in fantastic shape, very strong for his age and quite active. 

He is a very happy dog and a definite velcro  dog.  He took to Mark right away and slept with him on his first night here.  Chevy is loving, affectionate and a cuddle bug.  

The cats were my biggest worry with getting a dog.  And while the cats had the shock of their lives when a dog walked in, but Chevy paid little attention to them. 

I don't know any background on him, but he has beautiful manners. Doesn't beg, just sits quietly and waits patiently.  He knows all the basic commands, comes when called and is a dream come true.

He has the same color fur as Zappa.  Has Fiona's friendliness.  He is nurturing like Silver.  Loyalty of Brut.  Silliness of Chance and the spunk of Blaze.  Oh, he loves veggies!  

Chevy is the perfect match for us and a blessing in so many ways.  When we met him, it just all came together.  I'll tell you about that story another time.

Chevy is a total Godsend and we couldn't be happier! 

Silver's Yucca plant

You know that all the 24 Paws have their own roses on their graves.  They also have their own inside houseplants.  

Today I'm going to share Silver's Yucca plant:

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There's a little back story to this plant and how it became Silver's:

Two years before getting Silver (2001), Mark bought me 7 houseplants for Christmas.  We'd had a few plants around the house, but his presents got me hooked on the hobby.  

So in order to care for all these different plants, I found a house plant encyclopedia that covered a variety of plants.  One of the first plants I saw in the book was a Yucca and wanted it.  I thought it was so cool, but for some reason I never thought about buying one.  Strange?

Silver died in 2017 and that summer after her death, I found myself in the garden section, staring at a Yucca plant.  In all my years of plant shopping, I had completely forgotten that I wanted one, until now.  That's when I knew I had to get it for Silver.  It was so weird how that plant slipped my mind for so long, until I saw it.  Sitting there, ready to go home with me.  

 

Not Quite Ready

 I was online with our local Humane Society.  Just looking at dogs and possibilities.  When I saw a red Hound mix that was adorable.  I have always had a thing for hounds.  Anyways, I thought he might be the one.  He was suppose to be good with dogs and cats, which was a plus.  I printed an application.  And thought about this dog all day.  I went from the highs of getting a dog to fear of a lifetime commitment.  I made a list of pros and cons.  There it was in black and white, I wasn't ready and the timing wasn't right.  My mood plummeted.  My day felt shattered.  

I am struggling to accept where I'm at with getting another dog.  I am not ready and it isn't the right time.  And that just about kills me.  I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of a tunnel, looking out both ways, yet I can not move forward or backward.

Hubby, Mark and I have even talked about getting ducks to start, but that conversation faded as quickly as it started.  

Neither of us are ready.  Losing the 24 Paws made an impact on both of us.  And now we are here, with two cats and a very busy schedule.  It is a very tight circle, the four of us, that I have been fighting against.  

My whole world has been dogs.  I keep trying to make it happen.  I'm keep pushing.  But I keep finding I'm not ready.  No matter what I do, it isn't time.  It is just that plain and simple, in all forms and ways.  Sometimes I fear that I will never be ready and that scares the crap out of me.  

While at the same time, I told Mark after Zappa died that if I never had another dog, I would have not been cheated with the 24 Paws.  Maybe God will hold me to that, I don't know.  The 24 Paws is a powerful love and I'm not ready to break that bond.