Whenever I wake up on March 19th, it always hits me.
My brain takes a minute to register and find the answer to “what is today? Why does it feel like it’s something?”
And, then I remember! And, I smile! It’s the day that I picked in 1989 as Mico’s birthday! I can remember I took almost as much time to pick the perfect birthday for her just like I took to choose her perfect name. I’m still not sure why March 19th was THE date, but it was. And, since then, I’ve just loved this day!
It was actually a day in May, a day I can’t remember oddly enough, that was THE day I got her from the shelter. It was a Sunday, and we’d just moved into our first home. I made a phone call to Derrie and said “let’s get to the shelter! I need a dog!”
I’ve told this story so many times on walking into that shelter and seeing her in a fish tank in the front lobby area. She was so little that’s where it made the most sense for a country shelter to keep a tiny little thing! She yapped her head off (which followed her through life when she was dead set on getting my attention!) and I immediately fell in love! I remember the shelter worker saying she was probably about four to six weeks old and she’d be left on the Humane Society doorstep in a box the night before. (So, with a little calculation, I’m guessing this all took place the first of May sometime!)
I ran home and announced I’d found the perfect dog! That was not met with as much enthusiasm as I’d hoped! In fact, the comment was “we don’t need a dog right now. My vote is “no.””
I immediately called the shelter and said, “I’ll take her!” (Eek!)
As I tell this story, it dawns on me how much has changed, for the better, with shelters. She was not fixed, and I literally begged the shelter worker to deliver her to me at work! She DID deliver her to me, and they trusted I’d have her hysterectomy done as I promised. Can you believe all of that! Yes, times sure have changed!
And, so our life together began! So much love, so many memories, and oh-how she was such a large part of me, and even the “me” of today. The chapter we shared was so awesome! I’m forever grateful for that random day, for what seemed like a random choosing of a yappy little mutt, that would forever rock my world!
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Baby Girl! I lit a candle for you and said a prayer for you as I thank God for you every day! I will forever love you!