My Angie

Saturday, June 20th, 2009: Angie's Day of Adoption

Two years ago Craig and I were driving home from lunch with his mom and sister when Craig casually turned into the parking lot of a pet store and mentioned that we should take a look.  I told him that if he wasn't serious about getting a dog, then we should just go home...because taking me to look at dogs and not getting one was absolutely evil.  He assured me that he thought that it might be time for us to add a four legged baby to our family of two.  We searched through the pet store at all the cute puppies, but something about the store just didn't sit well with me.  Growing up my favorite dog was Gigi...the ultimate mutt who my mother found abandoned at the church one cold Wednesday night.  I knew what we had to do - we drove home and looked up the address and information for Operation Kindness in Carrollton.  It was still open for a few more hours.  I handed Craig the keys and we were off...and I was nervous.  Animal shelters scared me because I was afraid that I was going to get upset seeing the puppy dogs that were all so desperate for me to take them home.  After searching some of the kennels, we test drove a hound dog named Truffles, but after loving on Truffles and her white fur for a bit...my black pants were covered with the remnants of Truffle-love.  We went back to the small dog kennels and looked again.  Then, hiding quietly in the back of a kennel behind a ferociously noisy dog sat a dark brown, big eyed and floppy eared dog that bore the tell take signs of a dachshund.  I checked out the puppy dog's info that was attached to her kennel and called Craig over.  She was in the age range we wanted (young, but not a puppy), she was around the ideal size for us (small, but not toy size) and to me...she seemed to have soulful eyes that pleaded with me to take her home.  I walked her around the outdoor area at the shelter and talked with Craig and the shelter volunteer about our needs, our home and what type of dog might be best for our family.  Right before we went back into the shelter, I leaned down to this little puppy dog and looked into her round, brown eyes and asked her "Would you like to come home with me?"  My answer was a big lick on my nose and with tears in my eyes I glanced over to Craig.  "This one.  I want her.  We're getting her."

On the first day at home with her new family. 

She was originally named "Marie" by the shelter, but Craig and I just didn't think it was an appropriate name for a puppy dog.  During the drive home from the shelter to our house, Craig and I discussed names.  I suggested "Angie" and Craig asked how in the world I came up with that.  It was easy..."because she is the most beautiful dog in the world so we will name her after the most beautiful woman in the world...Angelina Jolie."  And so "Marie" became "Angelina Marie Nelson."

Angie and her cousin dogs, Annabelle and Andy.

Angie's best friends live at my parent's house.  The first time Angie ever met the cousins she was meek and shy at first, not wanting to leave my lap.  Andy and Annabelle refused to take no for an answer and soon enough Angie had ventured out of the safety of my lap to interact and play with the cousin pups.  I was a little disappointed at first because Angie was so reserved and skittish around anything and everything new to her.  But after a little bit of playing with Andy and Annabelle, she began to make her momma very proud...especially when she established herself among "the pack" as the Alpha Dog.  That's my girl.



Craig, Angie and me at my 26th birthday party.

 

 Angie the snow pup.

Believe it or not...Angie loves to wear clothes.  She gets excited when I pull out her hoodies (yes...plural...she has more than one), or her Big Sister t-shirt and especially her lady bug Halloween costume.  This past Halloween everytime the doorbell rang to signal another Trick or Treater, she would sprint off the couch and trot her little ladybug butt to the front door to greet the children.

Angie and Natalie, April 8th - Natalie's One Month Birthday

This is probably one of my favorite pictures of my two babies. 

  

Angie always has to check on her baby to make sure she is okay.

Whoops!  Snuck in a kiss while momma was trying to take a picture!

This picture was taken by my friend Amy when she, Heather and I were all finishing up Natalie's room a few weeks before she was born.  Angie was anxious and nervous the whole time...I think she sensed that something was about to change her whole little world.  I know some people say that one of the things that happens after a baby is born is that the dog no longer is your baby but instead, just your dog.  And for some people that might be the case, but I just can't do that to my Angie.  She is more than a dog to me - she truly is my companion.  She has kept me company on lonely Saturdays while Craig was at tournaments and she was always first into the bathroom during my pregnancy when I would get sick. 

Who would have thought, two years ago when this little creature came into our house and tore things up and peed on everything, that she would become such an integral member of our family?

I love you my Angie girl.