I am a 38 year old daughter, sister, step mother, Aunt, wife, friend, employee and... fur mom to three, very large, very encouragable love beasts. Being each of these things has it's own story which, is some days monotonous and others, very unique. I can't say that anything I've done so far in life has been normal. I never planned the picture perfect model for my life. I often go where I am pulled and for me, this gives great purpose. Having children of my own was never a thought for me in my younger years. I've always been a workaholic, on a quest for greater knowledge, suffocated at times by "the RIGHT way" to do everything. It wasn't until after I was married and my nephew was born that I realized that just maybe there is something to this whole "being a mom thing."
But, I am a fur mom. My three lovely, adopted canines; Murphy, Gidget, and baby Lucy. A Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, an Australian Cattle Dog, and our own little (not so) terror Lucy, a Saint Bernard. The dynamics of these three personalities can be trying. Though they tend to follow one another's lead, they are each unique in their desires and communications.
Murphy is my lover boy. He can do no wrong in his mother's eyes. I adopted Murphy after three trips to the pound to warm up to two Newfoundlands who, simply put, were not meant for me. On the third visit, the director of the pound, Tina, invited me to visit the other wing. It was there, among all the chaos of dogs barking and jumping, that I noticed one sweet, handsome, red, boy outside of his pen, just sitting, calmly with his chest out and head pointed to the sun. I stood for some time just starring at him and, when he finally noticed me, he walked slowly in and stood in the same, calm, confident demeanor in front of the gate. I took Murphy for a brief walk around the outside of the building. When I sat under a tree, he sat handsome and protectively beside me, with his back to me. I asked Murphy if he'd like to go home with me and he then turned slowly, looked me in the eyes and licked my face. We are inseperable. My simple, head strong, gentle hound dog got me through some very lonely, unsure times.
Gidget is my sweet, motherly Australian Cattle dog. She came with the husband and was perfectly suited for a companion for my Murphy. Gidget is the wise one. She is a well mannered diva... she even wipes her paws before coming in the house! Gidget has claimed an entire couch in my house as her own and, because she is getting older, I let her have her few luxuries.
Then there is Lucy. Ahhhh Lucy. Lucy is a three year old Saint Bernard. She weighs only about 96 pounds which, is small for a sainty. I have always loved St. Bernards as, I grew up with one (another Murphy) who I loved like a best friend. Lucy is a handful though. She came to us when a friend could not keep her. Though we didn't need another dog, I could not let her go to a pound to potentially be rescued by a breeder. She is perfectly marked and imperfectly a pain in the ass! When she came to us, it was obvious that she was mistreated by a man. She was petrified of my husband at first. However, two weeks later, they fell in love...evidently. Now, she lives for my husband. When he lays on the couch, Lucy lays her entire body accross his. When I kiss my husband, Lucy gets right in the middle. She has a look in her eyes of contempt for me when I come near him but, when he is not here, she follows me, every step, underfoot, curious and antagonizing. I now have to keep food put away. Lucy will knock an entire pizza off of the backside of our counter and devour it in less than 5 minutes! She is a pirate, constant burbing and farting. Though she does not have a drool pouch which, is her only saving grace!
I love them all, just like they are my children and... there is little difference in the work involved except... they don't talk back! We communicate very well. They tell me when they need something and remind me when I've left one of them outside! Like children, they get jealous for attention and sometimes this becomes a bed full of fur and slobber.
Being a fur mom is a blessing. As is my life journey. With a new, 18 month nephew who I ADORE! I'm hoping this blog will be a place he can visit someday to learn more about the dynamics of our family and memories of his childhood. No matter what your story, it should be recorded. Someday, someone will need it to grow!
