Best ever

I have permission from a very good friend to post this letter. Kleenex alert.

Sometimes in our journys, we run across people who have a impact on us forever. Pam is one of those souls and I treasure each and every email and conversation with her. Thanks for being not only the best forever home for my Arlo and Leonard(and more cardi kids to come!), but a wonderful friend. Here's a letter she sent out and she's graciously granted me permission to post it here. Kleenex alert.....

From Pam:

I have to share this with all of you. It brings me such joy and fills my heart with faith and love.

I love my dogs, you all are well aware of that fact. A year ago, I never in my wildest imagination would have envisioned sharing my home with two Corgi brothers. They came to me for all of the right reasons and helped me to heal the holes left in my heart from both Sam and Owen's passings. I has been an amazing journey, one that has forced me to grow. But when we can find the strength to let go, wonderful new blessings fall onto our path.

Arlo was our first blessing. Grady needed him so very much! Grady had never been alone and had no clue why he all of a sudden was the only dog. I wanted to spoil him until the end of his time, to take him everywhere with me, to pour all the love I had onto just him. But that idea soon proved to be exactly what Grady did not want or need. He needed another brother to keep him company. In a few weeks, we will celebrate Arlo's one year anniversary with us. I am so happy to report that in that year, Grady has blossomed. His health has improved, he no longer had tummy troubles, he plays with both the bitty boys....... it thrills me to no end that we are looking towards Grady's 11th birthday. His arthritis is getting worse, but to be able to say that he is doing this well 2 years after undergoing the TPLO surgery, makes my heart sing.

Arlo is a funny little fellow. Kinda shy, very sweet, a snuggler........... this boy captured my heart in the first second that he laid his eyes on me. This little red dog was sent by another red dog in Heaven. He has so many of Sam's habits, it freaked me out at first. Sam's self appointed job was always to lift my spirits, she always knew when I needed a hug or a head to cry into. Arlo has filled that position and a few others of hers. And yes, one of them is to be the poop eater of the household. She could have skipped teaching him that trick! Right now, he is barking at the door to come in, just like Sam would.

But, let me get to the point of this story......... Its about blessing #2. That is our dear little man Leonard. He is such the goon! He is loud, he is naughty, he never stops, he never stops pestering Grady (its up to Grady to put him in his place, but he has only done that a couple of times), he loves EVERYBODY, he is an excellent guard dog, he loves to herd anything that he can, he is the apple of my eye! He is strong and fearless, agile, smart, and CUTE. At 5 months of age, he is way ahead of brother Arlo in his maturing. We're just waiting for one canine tooth on the top and his teeth will be in and he is already lifting his leg to pee, but he doesn't know why! He is going to be a big Cardi, that is for certain. If he fills out his skin, we are in big trouble.

I've been noticing familiar things with little Leonard. At first, I didn't put much stock into these things. But the other day, he did something to me that I knew was a message from above. I was out in the yard with the boys and they were all chasing around when all of a sudden, there was a cold, wet nose in the palm of my hand. I looked around to see who had done that but none of them would say who. I smiled and kept walking and got another nose bop to my hand! OK........ LEONARD, you little SHIT! :-)) First, I never would have guessed that he could jump that high or accurately but it was HIM! Owen would ALWAYS race past me and bop my hands with his nose. I had a good cry that day. But, it has continued since that day! If we are out and having fun, BOP goes the Corgi as he whizzes past me with a grin on his face, then he pesters Grady, he hoards all of the toys and bones, he greets everyone first, he barks his warnings first, he needs to have his belly wiped off first, he has to chew his chewie things on a "shelf" (Arlo's back, a rock, stair steps, a pillow, another toy) ......................... JUST LIKE OWEN DID!

Now I am not thinking that Owen came back to me as a Corgi, but I do know that Owen still walks with me. I can still feel him, I can still smell him (I spent a lot of time with my face buried in his mane) and at times, I know that he is in this house, playing with Leonard. Leonard sees and hears things that neither of the other two dogs react to. He has gone off frapping through this house and made our walls shake and cupboards rattle, which only Owen could do!

I find great comfort in this knowing. They still surround and guide me. All that love is right here, closer than I ever would have imagined!

Remember, WAG stands for What A Gift!!!

Enjoy the Moon
p


Thanks again Pam for letting me share this. It's not about the showing, the competition or the egos, it's about what our little cardi dogs bring to our lives---a purpose, hope and above all love.

Later gators.....
C