Gabriella has always been a little dog kind of girl. She loves to be motherly, and little dogs are a way for her to express that with something alive. Between my mom's little dogs she's had, our friend's puppy and Tiger the therapy dog at Phoenix Children's, she has grown to be very fond of little furry dogs over the past year. Paul and I on the other hand are big dog people. We loved our pitbull and english bulldog, and tend to prefer big breeds! Agreeing on small dogs was hit and miss with us.... french bulldog, boston terrier..... yeah, thats about it.
Last year when Gabriella suffered her stroke, we promised that when she got her new sparkly heart and we settled into our new home (living with my mom at that time) we would get her a puppy. I recently started considering breeds and Paul and I were still on different pages as far as what kind of dog to look for.
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I had a woman contact me a year ago, the cousin-in-law to a friend of mine. She sent me a message that she was following Gabriella's story and posted about Gabriella on her own blog. I added her to my blog reader and have followed her ever since. She posts beautiful pictures of their region in Oregon, blogs on her general life happenings and pictures of the dogs she meets at the shelter she volunteers at.
Then Gidgett found us. My blog friend posted an entry on this little Chihuahua Pomeranian mix that she was fostering from the shelter. I saw 2 pictures of her and felt connected. I showed Gabriella the doggie on my screen and her high pitched 'awwwwwwww! i want her!' was enough to make me write a check then and there for the highest bid! Then I showed her to Paul, who to my major surprise melted over her sweet face. I emailed my blog friend and asked about Gidgett, and told her we wanted to adopt her! As impulsive, unreasonable and ridiculous as it sounds, right?
After a few days of communication with her and the woman at the shelter, it turns out Gidgett the chihuahua was not shown the amount of love her sweet little face deserved. Her owners dropped her off and wanted her euthanized because they 'said' she had parvo. They were more worried about their dog carrier than the sweetheart in it. Turns out the parvo test came back negative and all she needed was some food, water and $10 in antibiotics! Gidgett didn't do well in the shelter setting, but proved to recover and transform after being in the loving home of my blog friend. All the way up in Oregon.
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So as I mentioned, she found us. And everything has worked out so amazing that we have to take her. I found an amazing deal on a round trip flight to Oregon at the end of August to go get her and bring her to us. The shelter is signing her over to me without fee since I am travelling to get her. I still figure this way is a TON less than paying the $300-500 fee most dog breeders charge, and not much more than an adoption fee locally if we rescued. The best part is we are able to rescue a dog without the worry that she will bring kennel cooties to my Gabriella, since she is being fostered at a family's home, which is well worth the travel! She will probably live with our dear friend back in AZ, who happens to be the most adoring dog owner EVER, for a couple weeks until we head back to Arizona mid-September. Then we can bring her home to our little space of AZ!
Gabriella is on cloud 9 knowing she will have a little dog, and was too excited to pick out a 'necklace' for her! The best part for me is that this feels so normal. We are at the tail end of a year and a half of holding out on anything and everything because our life was so uncertain. Discovering that our Gabriella had a fatal congenital heart defect. Moving from location to location in preparation for transplant. Losing half of our income and adjusting to how short we live monthly. Facing her unexpected stroke that changed the dynamic of our family forever. But now we are looking at going home in September, having a dog, settling back into our apartment we only lived in for 5 weeks before the call and forming a new normal of this thing we call life.
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Oh, and in typical Gabriella fashion, we will work on transitioning Gidgett (also called Gidgy) MINNIE! Big surprise right? We bleed Disney.....
Introducing Minnie Gidgett Vega.....
2 comments:
I have read your blog for a little while but never commented. Hopped over her from Miracle Mason's blog. Your daughter is truly amazing and so glad she is doing so good. I just could not resist posting something about your sweet new addition. She is adorable and I can see how you fell in love with her on your first sight of her. I can assure you, you will not be disappointed with your "rescue" fur-kid. I am the proud mom of 2 rescue fur-kids (basset hounds). I would go Rescue any day before going to a breeder. If you want some good laughs check out our dog blog, yes a dog blog. :) www.hounddogmom.blogspot.com. I know seems crazy that a lady with a dog blog would find your blog, but your daughter truly amazes me with her fighting spirt. God Bless, HoundDogMom (Sherri)
it is all so very cool...and such a small world. :)
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