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| Dolly Sue cooling off in the Lampasas River |
Some may say I’m spoiled, some may say I’m lucky. I choose to think that I am blessed. These are the thoughts that entered my head the other day as I walked the trail along a peaceful country path headed to the Lampasas River.
I had spent the night in Kempner and the rain had fallen all night. The windows were open all through the house. Home builders of the 1940s knew how to take advantage of a Texas breeze and I had spent one of the most restful nights in a long time in this 1940s farmhouse. You see, my friend Margaret has an old house on her property that she no longer uses. Since I have a horse up there (about an hour’s drive from Austin), the farmhouse makes a perfect overnight spot once in a while after a long day with my horse.
The other beautiful thing is that since Margaret is a Lab rescue person, my dogs are always welcome at the farmhouse (and her own house for that matter), so I am never lonely. And we have 77 acres, a pond and a river to explore all to ourselves.
That day last week was the first day of autumn to roll in trumpeting its grace and sending off the end of summer. It was cool, the breeze blowing. The rain the day before had rejuvenated the trees and the pastures surrounding the property were sighing grateful of the respite from the heat. Deer bounded along side of me, birds sang festively, and rabbits sprung across my path.
My sole companion only added to the beauty of the day. I had brought my foster dog with me for some one on one time. She was Dolly Sue, the yellow Lab I have been fostering for almost 9 months. During our walk to the river, the joy in Dolly’s movement touched me. She started out next to me, but quickly ran ahead. Never so far ahead that she couIdn’t see me. And as a Lab will, she constantly ran back to me, checking in, making sure I was still coming, reassuring herself we were still headed in the right direction together. I realized yet again, how much I love fostering, how much I enjoy nurturing these rescues back to health, watching the transformation take place.
Many of you know Dolly’s story.....126lbs when we took her in and heartworm positive. Today she is 75lbs, heartworm free, and has some mad skill with a tennis ball. She knows when it’s play time and she knows when its “chill time.” I had not spent much one on one time with her because I have other dogs. But our last two days together made me realize what a special dog she is.....like all of our rescues. They have unique backgrounds, sad stories, and health and behavior issues to overcome. But each one of them is worthy of a second chance, a place in a family, people to call their own, unconditional love to give and to receive.
Heart of Texas Lab Rescue recently left the kennel we used to house our overflow Lab population until we could get them into foster care. We could use extra fosters now. Have you ever thought about fostering? Are you on the fence? Afraid you’ll get too attached? I’d lie to you to say you won’t get attached, but it’s worth it...every minute. The joy of the adoptive family when you deliver your foster dog to their forever home makes every moment worth it. The unique experience you get with each dog you foster makes every moment worth it. The one on one time you get to have we these beautiful, amazing, resilient creatures is worth it. Wouldn’t you love to spend a morning like I did with a foster dog? C’mon, give it a shot.....I promise, you won’t regret it....you can be spoiled, lucky and blessed....just like me and love and rehabilitate a rescue in the process. For more about fostering and other volunteer opportunities, check out the HOTLR website at: http://hotlabrescue.org/hotlab/volunteer.jsp
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