So.  We suddenly found ourselves with a woofie dog.  He is a boxer and his name is Ty and he is 5 years old.  And I love him more than I ever thought possible.

I think a lot about how things happen, suddenly and without warning.  I am very intimate with this when it comes to death and catastrophe but am learning that really amazing things can also happen suddenly, without warning.  Of course they can.

We had toyed with the idea of getting a dog, we were thinking a labradoodle because they are supposed to be good dogs for people with allergies.  And I have a lot of allergies made more dangerous and tricky because I also have asthma.  We were thinking about the summer when we could take a couple of weeks of work to train a new puppy.  We have been thinking about it for years.

And then we got a phone call from my son, my big-hearted son who found himself suddenly semi-responsible for a dog who had been neglected and quite starved since December.  Did I mention the big-hearted part.  Of course, he couldn’t keep the dog because he lives in an apartment that doesn’t allow pets but he was looking for a good home and Ty was staying here and there and everywhere.  Of course, one visit and I and everyone Ty came in contact with, fell instantly in love with his big beautiful eyes that reflected a gentle and loving soul.  He had lots of offers of homes but I am happy to say that he is now a part of our family and the transition has been one of ease.  I can’t imagine what I did before Ty came to live with us and it has only been a week.  He fits in seamlessly.  And my allergies, the ones that drive me crazy .. not even an issue with Ty who even sleeps in our bedroom with us.  No troubles with breathing or coughing or sneezing and no reaction to my overly sensitive skin when I pet him, which is all the time.  Hee.  Sometimes things are meant to be and there are certain souls that belong together, fit like puzzle pieces easily sliding into place.

The word that chose me this year is ‘enrich’.  And I can say that its lessons are finding me early this year.  Ty definitely enriches our lives.