Growing up, our family did not own pets. Not even a goldfish! I know, some may be thinking, what a sad childhood. While I did not have a pet growing up, I sure have made up for it in my adult years being married to my husband. My husband’s family loves animals. So growing up he had many pets. All from chickens, horses, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, to helping raise cows on the local farm near by. He had the interaction with animals that I wished I could have had as a child.
This month my husband and I will celebrate 12 years of marriage. In the 12 years we have been married we have had many dogs, ducks, turkeys, and chickens. My Father in Law has a small farm, so I have been able to be around quail, goats, a cow, horses, and a pony. I love being with and around animals. They bring a sense of peace and joy while in their presence. They are a true companion and friend. Maybe not the birds. The birds are a bit of a pain at times, but our dog Benelli is a sweet dog. She is a Labrador Retriever. This last December she turned 4. She has a very sweet disposition. I love at the end of the night when my husband I go to bed, she paces the halls to make sure everyone is in their rooms. Once she is done with this, she will go lay on her bed in our room placing herself in a direction that she can see out our room and down the hallway watching the kids’ bedrooms.
Benelli acts as if my children are her own pups. While I would mind sharing this Mama position with any other person, I am thrilled she is protective of our family. The past few months Benelli has been having seizures. They are sporadic at the time being. The first time I saw her having a seizure, my husband was out of town on business. To see her go through this, broke my heart. My husband bought Benellli to be my dog. Over the course of time with him training her for duck hunting, she quickly became his dog. However, that sweet girl has become one of my “kids”. She may have four legs and fur, lots of fur, but she has nestled a place in my heart and in my eyes is still my puppy.
Heavenly Creations Photography 