Rumor, now called, “Pearl” was another member of our family. Spending time with her brothers, Pearl learned how fun it can be to be a dog. While she previously spent most of her day sleeping and cautiously learning to be loved, she now spent her time in the back yard, chasing, tugging, and wrestling with her brothers. Every snort, bark, and torn up toy was a testament to the success of her healing.

 

My fiancé, Jim, and I continued to help out on the weekends at Love Mutts events. We wanted to promote the wonderful organization who gave us our beloved Pearl. Now a family with three dogs, we felt whole, and content...until the weekend when we saw Lilly. This gorgeous grey and white pitbull looked at us as if she was finally home. As soon as I bent down to greet her, the beautiful little girl in the pink bandana slowly raised one paw, and then another, until she was cautiously enveloping me in a hug. Jim and I looked at each other, sighed in resignation, and immediately asked if she was available to foster. That night as we watched TV, we looked around the couches - each covered in dogs lovingly stretched out and snoring, and we knew we had made the right decision. Lilly could not have fit more perfectly into our family. We often joke that we had to “even out” the girls and the boys.

 

As with many great things in life, Pearl and Lilly entering our lives was a complete surprise. The transformation Pearl has made in the eight months she has been with us is nothing short of miraculous. Lilly, and her playful and sweet nature, envelopes our family in warmth and laughter. Although, “yes,” they are often messy, and “yes” we need an industrial strength vacuum, there is one thing for certain­ we could not be more proud to call ourselves, “foster failures.”