Day 4 & 5

Trying to stay caught up in the 28 days of thanks, so here goes. 

Day 4: Family

I am so thankful for all of the support and love I have gotten from my family.  I am blessed to have such an incredible extended family and so grateful and thankful for all the love and care that has been shown to me.  The cards, emails, and text messages this year have meant to much to me.  I love the journal with notes and messages.  I am so grateful to have everyone in my life and to be part of such a supportive family.

This included Jim's family as well.  They have been so kind and I am so thankful for all of them.  They never needed to do anything.  I'm not their family, but they treat me as if I am.  Even today, Jim's aunt called to see how I was doing.  I was on the phone with her for about an hour and a half!  I gained amazing people into my life with Jim's family.

Day 5:  Friends

WOW!  Yes, I am SO thankful for my friends.  I learned so much about myself this past year and about the people in my life.  I am so incredibly thankful for the friends I have.  I know how lucky I am to have these wonderful people in my life. 

A year ago, I never would have expected where I am right now.  I never could have imagined the people who would have stepped up this year, who have been by my side and supported me through my toughest and darkest days. 

There are way too many to mention.  The text messages, facebook messages, emails, cards, deliveries with cookies, brownies, pjs, flowers, edible arrangements, fruit, baskets.... I felt so much love from my friends.  Knowing I was thought of and having people take out the time to reach out and contact me meant more to me than I could ever possibly express.  I felt so alone and cut off from the life I knew and was grieving.  To know that I mattered and to have friends spend part of their busy time doing something to reach out to me and to let me know that they cared... that was everything!  That was what got me through some of the hardest days. 

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Besides giving thanks...

Rocco and I went back to the open house at the shelter yesterday.  First we met Violet who I loved.  He didn't.  Next was JuneBug, but Rocco wouldn't let her near me.  If she was next to me, he would squeeze between us. 

The next try was with Brownie, a brown retriever mix.  She was one of the most timid dogs I had met.  It took me about 10 minutes to coax her out of the kennel in the back!  But then she came very willingly with me to head outside.  BUT she was shaking outside with all the activity going on.  Poor girl. 

We went back inside... me, Rocco & Brownie.  We were in a back room where I could take them both off leash.  They were getting along, even playing.  Timid Brownie had her tail wagging all over the place!  She was SO sweet.  She was even sitting on my lap at one point. 

I was adopting her, filling out the contract between petting either of them as they were running around the room.  Then Rocco didn't like her anymore.  He started being passive aggressive and licking her face, pushing her away from me, herding her.  Timid little Brownie stood up for herself and let him know that she didn't like it.  She even growled!  But that was when I knew it wasn't going to happen.

We tried with one more dog, Theodora.  Rocco wouldn't let her near me and he was getting worse after the hour and a half that we were there.  It was time to go home.  Just me and Rocco.  No new dog. 

Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed last night.  I was so hopeful about bringing a new dog into our home yesterday!  I'm bummed it didn't happen. 

Jim promised that this weekend he would go with me to look at other dogs again, bringing Rocco and seeing if he gets along with SOMEONE!  Just frustrating.  It was a let down. 

But if it is meant to be, it will happen.  Something will work out, if it is supposed to.  I just haven't met her yet.