Inspiration

Our big sweet bear of a dog, Norman is a spoiled one. It's no secret, and I'm okay with it. I'm sure he thinks we are mean when we don't share our dinner or other table scraps, or when we haven't taken him on a walk in about 3 weeks {buddy, convince me you want to be outside, I have to practically pull you to get you out there in the heat} but in reality, he lives a pretty plush life.

Not a camera trick, he is in fact tucked-in on the couch.

 

He is such a good dog though, it's hard not to spoil him, and let him walk all over us a bit. We laugh every morning when we leave because we get all of his toys and bones out, turn on the fans for him, turn on the iPod {so he doesn't get lonely, duh}, make sure all the blinds are open so he can look outside. Really? All that? He's a dog!! Both of us are aware of this, but for those of you that have a dog, you know they are so much more. They are family {I'm sorry for those of you that don't have dogs, I know that concept might be strange, but I pray that you will experience it one day.}

 

Mr. Norman was a rescue dog that I got when I was up at school in Kirksville. I was a Freshman and with a lack of activity in town I decided to start volunteering at the local animal shelter. They needed people who would come walk the dogs around their HUGE property, and were especially in need of people who were comfortable with the big dogs. Well, come February/March of my Freshman year, this cute {albeit smelly} puppy shows up and I was done for. He was so cute, and St. Bernard's had always been my favorite dog. I called my dad and told him all about it, but he said it wasn't possible right now, they already had  two dogs and taking in another while I was at school just wasn't in the cards. 

 

I was devastated.   

But I kept going out and walking the puppy {his name was Lumpy then} and eventually my dad said that he supposed it would be alright, but it was my financial responsibility to take care of him. YES!! I went out, filled out the application, and prepared to bring him in all his stinky glory home over Easter. 

 

Pure joy of freedom

Home

Sad when he mom was leaving =(

I was nervous he wouldn't remember me, since I was back at school after I dropped him off, but he did. He knows I am the one who saved him, and that was always something special to me. My amazing family took him and his 90 pounds in for the next three years of school, and the first year we were married, living in Lawrence, but we finally got our puppy back last year. It's so sweet to have our little family together. 

 Before we went out for our first anniversary

So if you haven't gotten it, we feel that dogs are a vital part of life. They teach you so much about yourself but more importantly about loving others. The love and devotion they have is really incomparable and it makes you think about how you approach love for others in your life. We leave Norman everyday in an empty house to go to work, but everyday he is excited for us to come home and love him. He greets us with the same enthusiasm whether we are gone for a trip to the grocery store, to work, or for a week long vacation. It often reminds me of the love we are given through Christ, no matter how neglectful we are of Him, He loves us all the same. 

We have a plaque in our kitchen:

Isn't that just easier anyway? You can't walk out of the house without looking at it, and it's such a great daily reminder of how we should approach everything in our life. Just love everyone, you never know who's life you are going to impact with one random act of kindess and love. 

keep it simple.