My Arthritic Teenager

Eleven years ago, I became a mom.... a dog mom that is.  To say that I have an unhealthy love of dogs is an understatement.  I grew up playing with Barbies, dolls, playing school, and playing dog motel where I would run a dog kennel.

One of Molly's first pictures.  Doesnt she look so grateful for the rescue?  ha

Two years after we got her, so happy.

 Chad quickly learned my love for dogs when we got married.  The first apartment that we were in was not dog friendly and though we had only been there for 9 months, I insisted that we break our lease and moved to a dog friendly complex.  I mean, that was the only logical solution.  And so, my sweet husband gave into me and we moved and without wasting any time I was off to find my dog.  I used petfinder and found a dog named, Constance who was at Rocky Mount Humane Society.  She had her ears folded back in the picture but she just felt right.

First trip to the beach, summer 2004.  Youth youth youth, where art thou?

Chad and I went to the pound to see her.  The worker tried to convince us to get this male pit bull, who was also super sweet.  But, as the movie title goes (title edited).... There was something about Molly (Constance).  The worker said that she had been there awhile (in other words, her time was running out) and that settled it.  This shy, timid border collie mix became our dog.  We had to force her into the car, she only ate powdered sugar doughnuts for the first few days, she tested positive for heartworms within the first week, and she threw up in the car for the first four years, but she was my dog.  Her weirdness leveled out, I think that collies are just wired to be a bit quirky.

Humoring Moses.

Molly has been pretty close to the perfect dog.  She has welcomed 4 boys (5 counting Moses, though he is probably her least favorite of the 5- ha).  She has loved each of human baby boys and still loves when babies are around. She is smart and gets more defiant in her old age... or maybe that is because she is about 85% deaf.  In her youth, she loved chasing Canadian geese and would catch them in mid flight and then gently let them go.  She love the water, especially the ocean.

Has always allowed the boys to do whatever they want to her

Loves her babies

The boys and my girl.

And now, she is a teenager.  My Molly turns 13 today (we think she was around 2 when we adopted her).  She sleeps a lot.  She slowly makes her way up stairs.  She tries to play with Moses as he hops around her like he is on crack.  She never turns down a head rub or belly rub.

Skinny Molly- in the fall of 2004

Chunky Curvy Molly- fall of 2014

Happy Birthday Molly!  You are a dream!