Have I mentioned my four-legged friends yet. No? Good thing they can’t log onto the internet and read (that I know of), they’d be disappointed to know that I didn’t mention them on day one. So let me say, another thing I’m grateful for every day is these guys. They keep me on my toes and are full of unconditional love.

All three are rescues of one kind or another. Daisy (upper left) was rescued from a puppy mill in Midland, Texas and came to us at just three months old. I call her “sofa wolf” among other things. She’s half Labrador retriever and half German shepherd dog (we had her tested). The rescue we got her from has since disbanded. She’s sweet and very tolerant and has a white hot hatred for racoons.

Gracie (upper left) was a rescue from the Humane Society. She and her litter mate, a brother were randomly dropped off at the humane society. I waited for a cat like Gracie to show up for a long time, but that’s another long story with a not-so-happy ending. Gracie spent the first couple of weeks hiding behind the curtains in the living room. She still likes to hide out, but in true feline form, when she decides to grace us with her presence we’d better drop everything and give her the attention she so justly deserves or be subject to the audio-harassment that is most often referred to as “yowling”. We didn’t name her Gracie because she so rarely graces us with her presence but because when they were handing out cat-like grace, “Gracie” obviously didn’t get her fair share. She is a Birman mix and was estimated to be about a year old when we picked her up. Birman’s are known for their gentle manner and the way they trill. They are the sacred cat of Burma and are said to have been companions to the temple monks there. Later, it’s said, they were bred with a white Persian queen to produce a new breed called the “ragdoll”, known for the way they flop like a ragdoll when picked up. Gracie is super sweet and her trill is absolutely adorable.

Lastly we have Lilly (bottom). Lilly came to us from one of the most hard-working and caring rescues in my area, National Mill Dog Rescue. Lilly was three when we picked her up. Hubby always wanted a British Bulldog and last October he got his wish. However, having been a mill dog she had a lot of hurdles to overcome. She had to lose a decent amount of weight before she could be spayed. She was afraid of everything. Doors, stairs, unfamiliar sounds, men, the grass, the sky, the airplanes coming and going from the airport a few miles away, birds, and more. We’ve patiently taught her that she’s loved and safe here, and trained her. Daisy helped her learn how to be a dog. She’s come so very far in a year and we couldn’t be more pleased. She’s happy, healthy, and her bulldog nature definitely shines through now.

I love them all to pieces! Believe it or not, the dogs and the cat get along. Do you have pets? How do they make your life better?