My Best Friends

I was listenting to the Summer night sounds last night as i got into bed, and had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for all the love i have had in my life. I am so lucky to have a very large, loving family. My Mom and Dad are still with us, and both enjoying life. I have much loved sisters and a brother, and their families too. I have a loving husband, and two beautiful daughters that we are very proud of and love very much. And now they have families, and we have beautiful grandchildren. While i was thinking about all this and welling up with emotion, i felt a little nudge at my hand , and wrapped my arms around my constant companions...my dogs. (Yep...they sleep with me) I have had dogs all my life. But in the last 15 years, i have had my strongest bonds with the dogs i live with now.

Here i am with my puppies, about 13 years ago. We were all much younger then!

And here are "The Boys" my original three, all grown up

Amos Moses (Mozie) on the left, Gipetto (Geeps) in the middle, and Zebedee on the right (Zebbie)

Please don't tell the boys, but Zeb was my favorite. He was the oldest of the three and was so young when we got him that we carried him around with us a lot. (His mother rejected his litter at about 5 weeks) I don't think Zeb ever really believed he was a dog. He was more like a human. We lost Zebbie at the age of 13, two years ago this August, to cancer. This is my favortite picture of him, and whenever i think of him (which is every single day) i see him this way. Young and happy. I miss you Zeb....

Gipetto came next. He is the lover boy of the dog world. Whenever anyone comes in the door he cuddles up to them and begs for a tummy rub. And as soon as they sit down he hurls himself into their lap, even at the ripe old age of 14. Geeps still acts like a puppy for the most part, tho arthritis and a bad back bother him...

This is our Mozie at the age of 13, the youngest of the three original boys. Even tho he is the youngest of the group, he was the one who lived the "hardest" and so he now seems like the oldest one. He was always the top dog around here, and let everybody know it too. He can't see very well now, and doesn't hear so well anymore either, but he still loves his naps and his food! Moz sleeps most of the day away now. I'm sure he is dreaming of his younger days when he was the king of the house.
When Zeb passed i had a real hard time saying goodbye. But after the first weeks of grief, i felt the best way to honor Zeb's memory was to go out and rescue another little dog. So that is when we found Zinnia. And boy, is she a firecracker! Don't let this sweet little face fool you! She is a hand full! I think she is the most intelligent, most hyper dog i have ever had in my life. But she is going to be two years old soon and she is calming down quite a bit. She never, ever leaves my side. So as i type this, all three of my dogs are laying in the dog beds at my feet. With friends like this, i am truly blessed.....