Goodbyes and Hellos

Tomorrow, I will wake up knowing Tia is beginning the rest of her life in the best home she could have ever found, with a new big brother she already loves and doting new parents who make their dogs the center of their world. She's allowed on the couch and beds, has a big fenced yard to run in and a beautiful, friendly big brother to play with. I couldn't have found a better placement for her. And, Tia's new parents were very tolerant of my difficulty saying goodbye. I even came home to pictures of my girl waiting in my email. My eyes are red and swollen and the tears are still coming, but I have a job to do; a whole house full of critters to care for and . . .

. . . a new, 12-week-old foster puppy. My fostering friend, Laurie, and I pulled her from a local shelter yesterday. A rescue group had taken the rest of her litter, but left her behind because she was injured. The huge gash on her little head is still healing and the scarring makes one eye look a little funky. She's a little funky altogether, with her ears half-up and half-down, and her little puppy bowed legs, but I think she's a keeper. Besides, once I saw her there was no walking away. After studying her picture and doing breed research on the internet, I'm calling her a shepherd/boxer mix.

She's at that gnawing, chewing stage with those little needly puppy teeth, but she makes up for that by being a total lap dog with the softest puppy fur I've ever felt. Now, to find her the perfect name . . .