Happy Mother’s Day to all the momma’s out there! I hope you all are spending it with the ones you love the most. My mom is currently in the sunny state of Florida, but she’ll be making her way up to Ohio for the summer this coming weekend, and she and Gerry are making a pit-stop in Charlotte along the way. I am so excited to spend time with them!
Mi Madre
Today I’m going to put a fun spin on today’s Oh, Happy Day post, so if you’re interested in why my mom is one of the most amazing women I know, check out this post.
It’s pretty obvious that I’m not a *baby’s* momma, (heck, I don’t even have a ring on my finger!). However, I do consider myself a doggie-momma to the cutest furball in the entire world: Little Miss Happy.
Mommy’s little girl
Come hold me?
Like many, I grew up with a house full of animals. (Okay not really, my mom only allowed us to have 1 dog at a time, no matter how much I begged!).
My first family pet was an old black lab (Flowerpot) who passed away right after I was born. Soon after, my parents adopted another black lab—Poppy. I grew up with Poppy as if she were my sister, me — 6 months old, and her– 3 months old. I always love hearing my mom tell stories about how Poppy and I teethed on each other toys (mmm yeah, don’t judge…), and chased each other around the house. My mom always said that we were quiet an adorable and mischievous team.
Two weeks before my 13th birthday, Poppy passed away from old age. That was one of my first experiences with death, and I was absolutely heartbroken. I still tear up thinking about her… as she was *such* an integral part of our family. Nevertheless, my 13th birthday rolled around and my mom was able to introduce a new puppy into our family – this time, a white fluffy little Bichon Frise pupsqueak named Chance.
Chancipoo
My mom named her Chance because she “took a chance” and bought her from a breeder in Oklahoma. The first time we ever saw her was when the Delta attendants carried her off of the airplane at midnight (she had missed her connecting fight in Texas and caught the last plane into Cincinnati!).
Chance and I got to spend many wonderful years together before I headed off to college, and whenever I returned home for a break, she was always *so* excited to see me! Seriously, there is nothing that rivals the love a dog shows when they see you for the first time in a long time. When I returned home from my year-long study abroad trip to Australia, Chance peed on the spot the instant she saw me come through the door. That, my friends, is love.
Sadly, Chance died suddenly three years ago this past March (you can read that story here), and once again, I was completely heartbroken over the loss. It only took my parents a few months to bring another bundle of love home, this time… a Bichon Frise puppy named Bella.
Baby Bella
I missed a lot of Bella’s “growing up” stages because I only got to see her when I went home to visit my parents. As a result, I feel like I don’t have the same connection to Bella as I did with Chance. I’m okay with that, though… because now Ryan and I have a little pupsqueak of our own now — Happy!
This is the life
And you all know how obsessed with her I am 
I’m saying all of this because I’ve learned that owning a dog of your own is a whole different experience than just being a child in a family that has a family dog.
The new HappyTales famjam -- bringing Happy home from the shelter!
Graduation from Puppy School 
I’ve learned *so much* since the day we adopted Happy this past October, and I cant even express how much joy she has given me, and continues to give me each and every day. If I come home from a rough day at work, she can instantly put a smile on my face by tilting her head to one side. She always finds the perfect way cuddle up against my side, even if there seems to be no room at all. Despite her no-nonsense facade, she is quite the snuggle-bunny. (She will only admit this if she’s tired, though…otherwise it’s all fangs on deck!!)
Don’t be fooled…
I am not a snuggle-bug!
I am Sasha FIERCE
Not only does Happy keep me company when Ryan goes away on business trips, but she also keeps me company on my (shorter) runs. I love having such an enthusiastic running buddy who loves the outdoors just as much as I do!
I came across this poem and thought it’d be fun to share to other dog-owners/lovers out there…
Before I Was a Dog Mom
Submitted by: Pennywishes
Author: Unknown
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I made and ate hot meals unmolested.
I had unstained, unfurred clothes.
I had quiet conversations on the phone,
even if the doorbell rang.
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I slept as late as I wanted
and never worried about how late I got to bed
or if I could get into my bed.
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I cleaned my house every day.
I never tripped over toys, stuffies, chewies
or invited the neighbor’s dog over to play.
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I didn’t worry if my plants, cleansers,
plastic bags, toilet paper, soap or deodorant
were poisonous or dangerous.
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I had never been peed on,
pooped on, drooled on,
chewed on or pinched by puppy teeth.
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I had complete control of my thoughts,
my body and mind.
I slept all night without sharing the covers or pillow.
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I never looked into big, soulful eyes and cried.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn’t stop a hurt.
I never knew something so furry and four-legged
could affect my heart so deeply.
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I had never held a sleeping puppy
just because I couldn’t put it down.
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was well.
I didn’t know how warm it feels inside
to feed a hungry puppy.
I didn’t know that something so small
could make me feel so important.
Before I was a Dog Mom:
I had never known the warmth, the joy,
the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the
satisfaction
of being A Dog Mom.
Do any of you consider yourselves to be doggie-momma’s? Do you see your pet’s as furbabies, too? Did you grow up with animals? How did you spend your Mother’s Day?
