Sam and Scout

Sam has been physically gone from us for almost one year.  I can't believe it.  He passed away last year on December 22nd.  So what does Sam have to do with finding Scout this week?  Well, I'll tell you...

I have felt that our second dog would arrive before the one year anniversary of Sam's departure.  I started "looking" at dogs in April of this year.  Several of the dogs that I was interested in were snapped up before we even got to "apply" for them.  There were a couple of strange coincidences in timing that prevented us from meeting dogs or made the timing wrong to adopt because of travel plans or such.  We even met a couple of dogs - very nice dogs - but not "our" dog.  I also had a strong feeling that I would "find" our next dog - not "Petfind" our next dog, but FIND him or her.  Since April I had been drawn to shepard mix type dogs - dogs with masks and black and tan markings.  Why?  I like more herding types, Border Collie and Aussie mixes - don't I?  The dogs we met were males and Allie was fine with them, though not her usual goofy, play-at-all-costs self, hmmm....  I wasn't sure we were going to get a male, it just seemed like a good idea at the time.

So, what happened on Monday and Tuesday this week was likely orchestrated by the Wise Old Man himself.  When Allie was whimpering and sniffing the vent, I now can hear her thinking, "Which Exit did Sam say it was?  I can't miss it, I have to pay attention.  Sam said that I would smell her when we get close.  I better keep checking the vent - and Sam said to whimper so Mom will think I need a walk..."

I kept checking Petfinder to "find" the dog that Sam was sending us.  It was difficult for me to just trust that he would send us the dog - I had to do something, didn't I?  I had to work, I had to struggle, debate, decide, agonize, didn't I?  Maybe not...  Maybe I just had to go on living and showing up.

What else can I just trust in and not struggle for?  Thanks, Sam, I'll give that some thought.  No matter if Scout stays with us or we find her a perfect home.  Thanks for the lesson, Old Man.  You're never far away.