Love came scratching at my door...

Sunday July 1st was like any other Sunday...quiet at home, sunny outside. A friend and her husband had stopped by to eat lunch while their kids were at Kung Fu practice. We had a nice, quick visit out on the patio in the shade. A couple hours after they left, I was in the kitchen cooking dinner...spaghetti. As I stood at the stove to drain the spaghetti, I noticed a flash of black jump up on the kitchen porch and sit next to the door. At first glance I thought it was our cat Murphy til it dawned on me, Murphy is not solid black. I yelled, "Hey, who are you?", thinking it was a stray cat. To my surprise, the little critter turned around, scratched at the door and barked at me...it was a puppy, an adorable black/brown (dark chocolate) lab. I yelled for Mark to come to the kitchen, opened the door and invited the visitor in. At first he semi growled and barked but then inched his way into the house (piddling urine on the floor, of course). I picked him up and was greeted with licks and sad puppy dog eyes. It was love at first sight! :) We immediately looked around the neighborhood for anyone searching for a dog. There were no posters, signs, etc. I checked websites, Craig's List, but nothing. I posted announcements and waited 10 days, but no claimers. We took "Buster" the Lab to be checked for a microchip and was told he did not have one. We were then offered a free health check up. We were officially parents of a healthy 17.8 lb 3 1/2 month old Lab mix. He is spunky, affectionate and as sweet as can be. On a day I was truly missing my Auntie (her birthday is July 4th) it was like he was sent from wherever he came from to comfort us and give us something to love. He even resembles George, the lab mix Hiroko had years ago, who she lost when her and her then boyfriend broke up. She adored that dog and was saddened when he was shipped away to live on a farm in Japan.

Luci, our cocker spaniel, had passed in April of 2007. Mark and I had discussed getting another dog, but felt we weren't ready nor was the house with 2 cats and an ailing grandmother. With grandma safely placed in a care facility, it was the ideal time to give dog ownership another try. We brought out our previous dog's toys and bedding, which Buster immediately took to as his own. The cats have put him in his place, hissing and swatting at him when he gets to close or bothersome. He knows this is their house and he is merely a new sibling/addition. And although I forgot how much work a puppy can be, he is a joy to have around the house. He gives us a reason to get up early for potty breaks and it has been easy to settle into a routine for dinner and nap times. I am fortunate to be able to be home most of the time to help ease him into house training. He did attempt escape the first time left alone for an extended period of time...by scratching out the kitchen window screen and jumping to freedom. However, when we returned home and entered the house, he heard the door close and came running to the front door to be let in. And this past Wednesday, we were expecting chaos when we got home from an 8 hour day at chemo treatment, but my loving mom came by to "babysit" with Buster. We were thrilled to find the kitchen was not destroyed and my mom and Buster napping out on the patio. I have already learned a few things...puppy teeth hurt, steam cleaners are a miracle when it comes to potty accidents on carpet, never buy dog food or treats with "cartoon dogs" on the labels and a loving pet can mend a broken heart. The pain of losing a loved one is something that can take a lot of time to heal, BUT the unconditional love of a little critter who will sleep by your side all night (while slowing nudging you off to one side of the bed...a California King sized bed, mind you!), lick your face and hands when he wants to show love, and give you the opportunity to love something and care for it from the moment you wake up in the morning til the time you lay down for sleep...all of these things give your the opportunity to heal your pains and allow you to smile again. That's what happens when love comes scratching at your door. :)