First of all, thank you ALL so much for your kind comments, thoughts, and shared sentiments regarding my last post about Dad. He was truly one of a kind and will live in our hearts forever.

One thing I never realized about death and grief is how you gravitate toward anything and everything that reminds you of that person – something you see, hear, even smell can trigger special memories – their belongings gain a certain importance – and sometimes, they even send “gifts” if you will, that let you know (truly beyond a shadow of a doubt) that they are still with you, and just such a gift came exactly one month after Dad’s passing.

I was scrolling through Facebook late one night and came across a post from a friend from high school (and a former basketball player for dad) who was needing to rehome her dog. I had been pining for a dog, but under very specific contingencies: male, neutered, potty-trained, small-to-medium size, good with kids, good-tempered, preferably an ‘indoor’ dog…you get the point. Like that was ever going to happen.

Well, leave it to dad to make his little girl happy even from Heaven. Yet, lo and behold, this adorable 15-lb Puggle (pug/beagle mix) was posted FOR FREE with all of the other requirements met (aside from being listed as “high energy”) and on July 23, Bandit came to live with us.

As it turns out, Bandit was everything and more than I could have wanted/needed. He has proven to be an EXPERT snuggler, is definitely MY dog (but still good with the kids), and his “high energy” was a result of having to be in a crate much of the day, whereas here, he has free reign of our fenced-in backyard and we rarely see that energy when he’s inside.

Apparently today is some kind of “National Puppy/Dog Day” (I’m not even sure if that’s a real thing, and if it is, who comes up with these “days?” But it also marks 9 months since Daddy passed, so real or not, we’ll certainly celebrate this ‘dog day’ in honor of the one who undoubtedly “found” him for me.