Friday's Quote Of The Day

"Ill habits gather by unseen degrees-
As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.

~John Dryden, Little Things



If only you all could have witnessed the tears that have been shed this past week. Jordan and Alia have begged me over and over again not to let Pepper go.

With huge crocodile tears streaming down his face Jordan said, "Mommy, PLEASE! I'll train her not to nip over her food, and to come when she's called. I'll do anything, just please don't get rid of her!"

Pepper sure seems to know that she's in hot water. She has been the sweetest little thing you could ever imagine the last few days. I hope and pray that it lasts.

We have finally come to a decision. After much confusion as to whose idea it was to get rid of her in the first place, and much discussion about the matter in general, Josh and I have decided to keep her.

I've really been praying about this. I had asked the Lord for clear direction this morning and shortly thereafter a lady called asking if I still had her.

Leslie lives on a cattle ranch quite a ways out of town and needs another cattle dog. She was very knowledgeable about the breed and I learned so much from her.

Her two dogs help her train new dogs to work the cattle. They are their constant companions. They work together, play together, and if they come to town, the dogs go along. The breed is so smart that they need that companionship or they'll develop bad habits (i.e. aggression, jealousy, barking) out of boredom. They crave being a part of the family and having a purpose.

I thought it was a bad thing that Pepper only instantly obeys me and is just a hit and miss with everyone else. Leslie told me that is actually a good thing because on a cattle ranch they have to be able to tune out everything except one person's voice for commands. They generally only bond with one person, and it's their voice that they listen for. Her sons also use the breed for their 4-H projects. It was exactly what I had been praying for.

She ended the conversation by telling me that I was crazy to get rid of her, but if I still wanted to she would talk to her husband about coming to get her. She told me several times that she knew she would feel bad about taking her away from us because she could tell we are so attached to her and that Pepper really is a super dog that anyone would be happy to have.

I prayed about it some more. (Josh no longer had an opinion because he didn't want me to hold it against him for making me get rid of her like I did with Sarge apparently; therefore I couldn't rely on his guidance). I told the Lord that if she called back I would give her away, and if she didn't I would keep her. She never called back! And I was SURE she would! Six other people called about her, and every time the phone rang I dreaded hearing her voice on the other end. :)

We plan to have her in the house more so that she will be used to being around the kids, and we will be feeding her by hand from now on. All of us. So that she will learn that all good things come from our hands, and don't belong to her exclusively. Leslie said that these dogs are smart enough to know not to bite the hands that feed them which is probably why Jordan has never been threatened.

In one of the Christy movies that Amanda let me borrow, Fairlight says, "I think the best way to know how much something means to you is to imagine what life would be like without it." Tears come to my eyes whenever I think of life without my Peppergirl.