As most of you
know, I don’t write the blog until the last minute for Sunday morning. It is now Saturday night and nearly 9:20 PM
and I have just sat down to write about the dogs and “what happened this week”. I sometimes ponder about what I will write about
because it was a slow week or I will have enough stories for a month from that same
week. As I sit at the keyboard, I thought back to when I put the dogs in their kennel tonight.
Just this very
night as I said “Let’s go eat”, everyone mechanically goes to their own kennel door
and stands and waits for me to open the gate if it’s closed, but if it’s open
they will proceed into their own kennel and wait for me. Tonight, Doc was first and as I looked into
his eyes, he seemed so content and I took both hands and stroked his face and
while I was doing it, he closed his eyes and seemed to drift into a dream
world. He seemed so content, and so was
I. It was a dream for both of us.
Molly was next and
when I opened her door, as always she wilted to the floor on her bed and as her
eyes followed me, just the very tip of her tail wags and anticipates when I
will rub her head, which I do.
Meg just flops
down and waits for her food. She is the
smallest dog that makes so much commotion of any dog I have ever seen when she
lies down but will watch me for instructions.
The twins, Annie
and Gabby are about the same to each other, except, Gabby is the very last to go in, and always
needs a little extra coaxing because she wants every last minute to stay out
and play, she never gives it up willingly and always walks to the kennel with
her head down to the ground, but she lets me know she is not happy.
Abbie goes right
in and always looks weathered because she played so much and is usually limping
or has scratches here and there, but those eyes will pierce your soul and you can't help rubbing her head and like her mother as just the very tip of her tail
will start to wiggle for me.
Clancy and
Dutchess don't have to go in because early Sunday morning, we are heading up to
Indianapolis for some dog work and they are going inside, just so we can keep
an “eye” on them and they don’t get dirty or into mischief. As I sit and watch everyone eat tonight, each one has
their own routine and after they eat, they will usually make a “nest” and
settle in for the night.
Now... the hard
part. Who gets to come in tonight? Sometime the decision is easy. Who is wet or dirty and who came in last
night is sometimes a deciding factor, but tonight everyone is dry and
clean. Once, when Elaine had to make the
decision, all 8 of them came in and there was no room for me to sleep and I just gave
them my part of the bed. She just didn't want to make a decision, but tonight it is
Abbie, my little misfit confidante, it was the eyes that decided and the very small wiggle of her tail, nothing else.
There are many
times I wish I only had one dog because I don’t like making decisions and there
are times I wish I had a hundred dogs and a room and bed big enough for all of them. If you only have one or two, count your
blessings, most chairs and beds are big enough for all of you but in my case it’s
a little different and I must share.
As I say goodnight
tonight, I look at all the sad faces, sing them a song and close the door, but
they never know I peek in the window just to see them once again and only wish there was room…
Someday soon, and
as time marches on, I will lay in the "big meadow" and all of my dogs will
meet me and there will be room and time enough for the fun and love we
have to share before we cross together…Hopefully, God will have Frisbees. Ken
Heaven is the place of final and complete happiness that God has prepared for us...and if animals are necessary to make us happy, then you can be sure God will have them there. "Reverend Billy Graham
