Another Passion of Mine...the dog

I write about my dog, Millie, every so often in my blog.  Today I was taking pictures of her a lot and thought.  Wouldn't it make a good blog to tell about my first baby....

My mom and I got Millie in 2000.  It was just a few short months after my father died from cancer and we were dealing with my mother's terminal cancer at the time.  I had quit work to take care of my mother, so it was the perfect distraction to get a puppy.  Sorry no pics, since this was before I had a digital camera...but I'm sure you've all seen adorable pictures of golden retriever pups...so just imagine one here.

I can vividly remember the first night we had her....she cried in her cage just like a baby.  My mother and I took turns talking the other one of going to get her.  Between house training her and her propensity for eating this (sweaters, leashes, toys..whatever) I remember her puppy days well.  My mom passed away before Millie turned one and we moved back to my home in the city. 

Millie was the perfect companion, then and now.  She loves to cuddle, play and just hang out.

This is a picture of her in the chair she quickly claimed at my house.  Millie has blessed my life.  She helped me grieve and get through so much.  It sounds dramatic, but she saved my life on a daily basis in those days.  She was the reason I got up, walked outside, smiled...she was the reason to keep going.  Okay, enough sad stuff.

When I met my husband, three years later,  he told me he was allergic to dogs.  My first thought was..."uh, oh...this isn't going far."  But the two of them became fast friends. With a bit more cleaning (or in those days, any cleaning at all..ha)  and some claritin, it all worked out.  Yippee a husband and a dog!!!

Then a few more years and a few babies, who turned into toddlers and young kids.  Through it all, Millie has been by our sides.  Still wanting to cuddle and play and just hang out.

Millie puts up with headbands, toys that clutter up the floor and hair pulling.  She is forced to be the anything from a reindeer to a horse to a princess or a robot in their pretend play.  She's been a chair, a toy holder, a sprinkler partner and a true friend.

There are far too many wonderful Millie stories for one blog to contain (or maybe I should make a blog all about her).  So I thought a post was in order.  And maybe even a few more posts, just about how much I love my dog.   It seems fitting since it is Thanksgiving week to write about a dog who I am so thankful for.