Today’s Thankful Thursday post focuses on the hairiest member of our family.
8 years ago, on December 6th, Fluffybutt became a member of our family. (No, that’s not her real name, just the name I use on here to protect the innocent, or not-so-innocent.)
When my husband and I married that August, I moved into the farm country, away from the suburban life I had grown up in and was used to. With no family and no friends nearby, life was pretty lonely when I came home from work and the husband was working late.
Growing up I had a cat, but since the husband is very allergic to cats, I had left her with my parents (well, that, and she was really attached to my dad). I decided a dog was the answer.
I tried animal shelters in the area, finding several dogs I was interested in, only to be turned down. Why? Because we did not have a fenced in yard. (We’re talking farm country, acreage… NO ONE out here has a fenced in yard, but the shelter wouldn’t budge.)
Then I turned my search to the paper. The beagles I considered at first were sold out before I even called. We went to see sort of mixed-breed pups and went home to look up a little about their breeds – would they be good with kids, etc. The next day, when we called, they were all gone.
Every possible pup turned into a heartbreak it seemed.
And then I saw the ad: “German Shepherd mix pups, $100.”
When I called, the lady was very helpful. She told me the mother was a German Shepherd and Husky mix; the dad a Black Lab. There were 13 pups in the litter. (Shouldn’t that be a record? Wow!) Two pups were girls. (I was hoping for a girl.) She described both girls to me: one was solid black and one was a mix of colors.
I was hoping the black one would be there still when my husband and I went to see the pups that night. I looked up all the breeds in the dog breed book my husband had bought, marking the pages to show him later.
Then I gathered a small box, old towel, and stuffed animal to take with us. I was NOT letting this pup get away – we’d be bringing her home that night.
Heading to check out the pups we got lost on a few back roads. We wound up at a small farm. Two girls in long dresses and bonnets met us at the truck. When I asked about the black female pup we learned that someone had just picked her up. Then the youngest little girl picked up the remaining female – holding her tummy out to show us she was indeed a girl dog.I. Fell. In. Love.
I held that little ball of fur close to me and asked my husband to get the money from my purse. (Nope, I wasn’t even sitting her down to open my own purse.)
We took her home, stopping at the in-laws long enough to pick up the dog crate they had. We let her run around the kitchen floor for a bit, and she started whining.
“What’s wrong with her?” my husband asked all concerned for our new pup. We learned soon enough when she left a little yellow puddle behind.
And thus began our life with little Fluffybutt……who didn’t stay so little.
Sometimes God has a reason for all those struggles we go through. Had we gotten a dog from the shelter we never would have found the perfect dog for us, and for that I am so thankful.
This post has been shared on Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.
Rach says
She is gorgeous! 🙂
admin says
Thank you! She did turn out to have some beautiful markings.
Kristen says
okay, I am totally crying. I love what our furry children bring to our hearts! What an amazing story on finding her. I sooo get why you wouldn’t put her down to go into your purse. It was love at first sight! She’s just as beautiful today ( a heck of a lot bigger but beautiful all the same).
admin says
Oh, yeah, a heck of a lot bigger now! 🙂 But thankfully not as big as some people told me she’d get; she’s more on the husky size there. And she is a sweetie.
Kim says
She’s beautiful!
admin says
Can’t wait to read yours!
shari lynne @ Faith Filled Food For Moms and Grandmothers says
AAwww love this! God does know and CARES about the perfect animals in our family! Great story..and wow that doggy is big 🙂
Blessings
OneMommy
admin says
Yes, I really think we were meant to get THAT dog. It made me see things in a different light once we found her.
Patrice P says
What a cutie! I love how shelters have so many rules – we ran into the same thing!
admin says
Crazy, isn’t it? They act like they want people to adopt the animals in shelters, but then there are so many rules, it’s hard for people to actually get one.