My Life So Far. (By Summer.)

So here’s the deal.

I spent the first five years of my life having babies. Lots of babies. Fourteen of them, as a matter of fact.

And the way I figure it? Giving birth to fourteen babies should automatically qualify a woman for automatic retirement. 

And so I retired. 

I bade adieu to the family/breeders whom I had lived with (and loved) for five years and hopped into a car one day with a stranger. Although I have always told my kids never to get into a car with a stranger, I decided to make an exception to my own rule and, as it turned out, this particular stranger turned out be a good fella.  He and I drove six hours together through a long, black night until we arrived, a little after midnight, in the driveway of a particular house in North Carolina.

I was just lying there in my lovely pink bed minding my own business when the passenger door of the car gently opened and I saw a woman in her pajamas standing there, a woman who took one look at me and said, “Awwwwww . . . “  It was a sound that came all the way from the bottom of her mama heart.

I was such a cute, pitiful little thing, stretched out next to my new dad, in between families, a little lonely, a lot afraid.

Thankfully, this lady stranger and I clicked right off the bat.  Both of us women. Both of us mothers. Both of us grandmothers.

The first few days at my new house with my new Mom, Dad, and Sister were traumatic because I missed my old family and my old house so much. I stayed in my little pink bed (which still smelled like where I used to live) and pondered where my life had taken me.

A stranger?  A ride through the night? A new mama?  A new house?  What to make of it all?

Eventually I got up the courage to leave my place of pink repose and explore my new surroundings.  I quickly discovered that the couch was soft and comfy and  a really good place to hang out, especially when the sun hit just right and helped to warm my lonely little heart.

I also discovered that my Dad’s yard working clothes made a fine resting place for me.  I was comforted by his smell when he and Mom and Sister left the house for the day.

After I had been at my new house a few days, my new family sat me down and told me the story of Snowy. They told me that Snowy had lived with them for almost 13 years and that they had loved him very, very much.

They told me he had died of cancer and then they showed me his picture on the computer.

I thought he was a fairly good-looking dog but of course, not half as elegant or lovely as I. (Since I’m a lovely, refined female and he was a rapscallion-ish,stinky ol’ feller.)

But I digress.

Time went by and I started getting more comfortable in my new home.  Sometimes I even rode in the car with my mom when she took Sister to school.  I found I had a real talent for car riding.

The one thing that Snowy—whom I refer to as Mister Predecessor—and I both found out pretty quickly is that Mom is pretty much incapable of doing anything on her own. She can’t take Sister to school alone, she can’t write her blog without a small white dog right beside her, she can’t even sit in a chair alone. You’d think some day she’d learn how to get along on her own but at this point, it’s not looking good.

Here I am asking Mom, “So what’s next?  What do you need me to help you with now?”

As happy as I am to assist in the day-to-day running of the home, sometimes all that busyness gets to be a bit much and I have to put out my “Do Not Disturb Sign” and lie down for a little cat . . . er . . . dog nap. 

I’m telling you, people. This family works me so hard, I must have at least a dozen or two naps every single day.

Thankfully I always get up with renewed energy for the tasks ahead.

Tasks like helping my family with relaxation breaks.

Tasks like making my mom smile when she’s tired or sad.

Tasks like being Dad’s nap buddy.

Tasks like helping Dad finish his sermon.

Tasks like hanging out with my big sister who is quite a lovely girl. Of course, she’s not quite as lovely as I am but that’s okay. Not everyone can be a gorgeous canine.

Photo by Pamela Doughty

As you can probably tell  from all these pictures, a little bit of time was all I needed to get adjusted to my new house, my new family, my new life. Weeks turned into months and I stayed busy and happy. My family took very good care of me, including ferrying me to the groomer on a regular basis for my bath, haircut and blow dry. They started letting my hair grow out which allowed my natural good looks to blossom into even MORE natural good looks.

I’m trying to look humble here but it’s hard.

Here’s a glimpse of how all that natural good looking-ness appears from my mom’s vantage point. I am, once again, sitting with her in her chair since she can’t seem to accomplish even that simple task without my assistance.  I hope I don’t become that incapable of doing things when I get to be her age..

Now where was I? 

Oh yes. When I started this post about My Life So Far, I had every intention of bringing you right up to the present. However, it appears as though the rest of the stories I was wanting to tell you will have to wait until another day because I’m out of space, out of time, and out of energy.

Before I close though, I’d like to show you a couple collages I whipped up (in between naps) that show Mister Predecessor and I side by side.

And isn’t this one cool?  This is a good illustration of how Mister Predecessor and I made a very smooth Smith Dog Switch–only one month passed between his leaving and my arrival.

I’m so glad my family doesn’t have to sad anymore, the way they were the day Snowy died. 

I’m so glad I arrived at their house as a heaven-sent, heart-mending, smile-producing gift of love.

Plus, did I mention I’m beautiful?

I’m off to nap. More stories to come . . .