My big brown shadow...

Well... I have a follower... not just my 6 yr old who just cannot get enough of "Mame" (Momma) lately - but rather the four-legged variety. He is my pal. Said shadow is my buddy. He is my constant companion. My big, brown, Chocolate Lab... Moose au Chocolat... and yes I misspelled it purposefully - because as a pup... well... he looked like a gangly lil' moose!!! Moose/Moosey/Mooser/ or dubbed lovingly doofus... is such a darling little guy. He just loves. Loves me. Loves my girls. Loves Daddy (CRAVES affection from him). Loves even our little Shih Tzu - Mugsy - the old grump. But most of all he loves his momma- Me. Of all people - me. Why do I deserve this shadow of attention?

He's a morning shadow... yes he is... and well momma is not... no she is definitely not. But every morning when the alarm goes off to get started - he hops up "yes! she's awake...oh boy she's awake" and I half blind, stumble in to the bathroom and there he is right behind me... every morning. THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP goes that tail against every hard service (that echoes and threatens to wake the whole house). A half good morning is said... pat pat pat... and then either shoo him back to "couchee" (cooshay - french beddy) or push his hind-end to a wiggling sit so the ever moving shadow will be quiet. How can I not love that?!

Then as I go about "waking up" me and the household... my big.... brown.... shadow follows me- everywhere. First to see when breakfast will start, then outside ("business time"), and finally I think to just be with me. When this big, brown, shadow was a pup - he used to follow me literally EVERYWHERE (thus the title...people) and run in to me if I stopped short. Now... especially if I am doing chores... my shadow mostly follows me but a lot of times stays central located and watches me...

He is a goofy pup. You know Scooby Doo (THE cartoon of my childhood that I loved... silly plug for 70's cartoon show here... little public announcement ramdomly thrown in here - oh and NOT the Scrappy Doo - bleck!!)? And how Scooby doo "tiptoes" across a room on all fours?

Yep.

We taught moose what I coined as "The Scooby Crawl". I am quite proud of my idea... I admit! It is rather hilarious. Big, brown shadow is jello when you sit with him and pet him... he does frontward rolls and flops. One would think he has no bones at times!!! It's more than comical! My jelly dog!

So why am I writing about my big, brown shadow? He's just such a constant. Like my God in my life. Always there, always greeting me with just a wave of love and grace. I know it's been said before - but there is no wonder for me, why dog is spelled God backwards. Ahh - to be as loving as my shadow. We can only strive to love like that...

Big, brown shadow knows me so well. He knows my moods. He is there for me - just as I know the unfaltering love of God is the same in my life- always faithful. This one night... I was having a most horrific night with my back. I could barely walk. I went to bed and Ky had a terrible nightmare so I went in with her and laid down next to her. There he was, all of a sudden, my shadow... of course... following me in. Upon waking later -I couldn't move literally from pain. It's a scary feeling so I prayed for strength and help. I rolled myself over her trundle, (side note - thank goodness we were close to the floor that night) and was trying to crawl back to the room when I felt this nose under my arm.

Ahhh my shadow!

After realizing - 'said nose' - was my dog's nose and not some mutant rat after me... I hoisted myself up - using my faithful constant. Now usually if you push on this dog he comes jelly dog (see forward roll paragraph...) - but this night he just knew. He stood straight, used all 90lbs to help pull me to my knees, then stood so rigid I could push myself up to my feet. He serenly stood while I tried to walk. He walked slowlyby my side letting me hold his back for support all the way to my bed. I prayed for support and I got a totally different kind - but exactly what I needed.

Good dog.

Thank you my shadow - my big, chocolate brown, strong, faithful shadow.

Thank you God for the partner and friend you gave me. He's a terrific partner a constant and secure shadow.

My boy, my dog.

I could go on and on about his crazy and loving antics... but I will part with this musing...

i am blessed to be loved by such a pure of heart creature of this earth.

(oh mommmmmy... this is so embarrassing...)