Along came an Abby…
If you know anything about me, you know I have a slight obsession with my sweet puppy, Abby. Alright, alright slight is a lie, I am all out crazy dog Momma for this babe! Below are some of the ways she teaches me how to be a better version of me. It's truly an honor to be her Momma, and my fellow dog mom's will really enjoy this one!
Who saved who?
If you don't know the story, let me give you the cliffs notes of how Abby came to be a part of our family! I had my previous dog, Roxy for almost 15 years, she was my absolute everything, I went through some of the hardest years of my life with that sweet angel by my side. I even had her before I met Germain and of course he quickly fell in love her too (Germain is like Dr. Doolittle, all the dogs love him!). When we lost Roxy, we were both gutted, it was as if all the sunlight was pulled out of our home. Germain was ready before I was to get a new dog, but I refused, over and over again. I didn't want to replace her, and if I was really being honest I was so heartbroken that I wasn't sure I wanted to put myself through it again. But we are dog people, if you have ever met any, so I let him practically drag me to an adoption event swearing we were not getting a dog that day! While waiting, Abby's foster mom walked by me with Abby sleeping on her shoulder and friends, I was a goner. I walked straight to her pen, didn't even look at another dog (and there were hundreds!) and she was ours in 15 minutes! She is the wildest and sweetest little babe you can have ever met (kinda like her Momma!) and she completely changed my life for the better.
Chase your goals... and squirrels
Abby is OBSESSED with squirrels, to my relief, she has yet to catch one but she spends hours in our backyard running around and watching the squirrels jump from tree to tree, and sprinting along the fence line. Abby has laser focus on these squirrels, it doesn't matter what else is going on. If there is food, other dogs, absolutely anything else, doesn't matter, she cannot be distracted from this mission! On the mornings she is up before the sun and whining to go outside to see them, I don't find this trait adorable, but when I think of it outside of that context I am amazed. She is such a great example of staying focused and chasing something you really want, even if it always seems outside of your reach! Her perseverance is something I plan to replicate in my own life in the new year! Scratch that, I am starting now! Who needs a new year for better habits!?
Zero F#$KS Given
Abby has no shame, that's probably true of most dogs but hey we're focusing on my baby today! Abby inspires me because she literally does not care what anyone thinks of her, even her parents. She obsesses over the squirrels, sleeps on our pillows, spits out the cookies she doesn't like because she knows we will give her the ones that are her favorites. (Side note, this is a a real thing and she ends up eating all of them, but she wants them given to her in a certain order, DIVA! ). She literally prances around the house like she owns the place, because let's get serious, she does! It's her world, we just live in it. Anytime I find myself getting caught up in what others think, I am going to ask myself what would Abby do? She would spit out the cookie and keep chasing the squirrels!
Take your rest days
Abby is the most energetic being I have ever been around, she seems to have endless energy that starts super early in the morning! While it seems like she is non stop, I noticed recently that when she rests, she is O.U.T. This dog let's nothing get in the way of her rest. She can find a quiet spot anywhere, she curls up into a tiny ball and snoozes for an hour or two. Germain and I refer to it as "reloading", because when she gets up, she is right back to the wild Abs we know and love! She also has a pretty strict schedule, Abby is asleep by 8-9pm every night, we literally have to wake her to take her out at the end of the night. If I think about it, she gets up so early because she is getting about 9-10 hours a sleep a night and even naps in the day! Hello, can I please have her life? Rest is important and if you are anything like me, you completely ignore that last statement most of the time. I make all kinds of excuses not to rest and even when I do take a day to "rest", I end up and finding things to do pretty much immediately. Just imagine what I could do if I actually gave myself permission to really rest and recharge. Abby is a good reminder, that if I allow myself to rest, I can also go at 100 when I am moving through the day! So next time you feel guilty for your day in bed with Netflix, remember you need to reload too!
Be the light
One of the best and most important things that Abby has taught me over the last couple years is to bring the joy to my everyday life. I credit her for helping to pull me out of the deep grief I was in when I lost my previous dog, and if once wasn't enough, she performed that miracle again when I lost my mom about 6 months after we adopted Abby. Being in her presence changes my whole mood, even just talking about her puts me in a better mood. Full disclosure, one of my closest co-workers and friends uses Abby as a reference when I am really irritated about something and it works like a charm every time! Abby is never in a bad mood, ever, she always runs to greet me with her huge smile and she is so excited to see me. She is pure sunshine and it is my goal to be that for the people in my life. There is so much negativity and stress in life, who's life could you change just being the light?
To my sweet Abby Roo, thank you for challenging me, unconditionally loving me, keeping me on my toes and being the brightest light in my life! I am so damn lucky to be your Mom, the starts aligned when the universe put you and I together my sweet love! Momma loves you to the moon and back and I am looking forward to many more wild and happy years with you my darling girl xo
P.S. Adopt, don't shop!