Puppy Love

Meet Gracie. Gracie Lou. Grace. We brought her home on November 15 as an 8-week old puppy. We were so excited to get her and now we are so happy to have her. We fell in love quickly. We suspect she is also smitten with us.

Puppies are like babies in many ways—so we have had a period of adjustment to frequent potty breaks and toys and training and marveling at what she has already learned and how she is growing. What a good little teacher she is.

We have “a few” pictures already, so it was hard to pick ones for the collage above. The lower left photo is after her first puppy cut at the groomer. By all accounts it went well. The two larger pictures show playful Gracie with some of her toys. She has a nice selection and is good at entertaining herself and us. Like all puppies though, sometimes she likes to chew on things other than her toys.

I especially like the picture in the upper left of the collage. I have dubbed her “Gracie the Observer.” (And she likes her puppy jacket too—just in time for real Minnesota winter conditions.) There is plenty of activity near our home. She will sometimes just take a seat and pay attention to the happenings—a passing vehicle, an idling train engine, other people, maybe another dog. She’s curious and calm at the same time. I love that. I love her and this lesson for me—pause and notice what is happening right here, right now. Thanks Gracie!

It was hard to say goodbye to our dog Oliver, after almost 16 years together. That was nearly two years ago. Oliver came along when our son Sam was six and I was starting cancer treatments and surgeries. Now, Sam is engaged to be married and my husband Darcy and I are seeing retirement get closer. Gracie is a new puppy for a new time in our lives. Puppy love is alive in our home. What a blessing Gracie is! What blessings life brings!