Small town life rocks!

 Ten years ago my son and I moved to this small town starting a new chapter after divorce.  What a blessing it's been to be part of this small community.  So many things have been different in the way he was able to have more freedom to roam as a kid compared to what life would have been in the bigger city we came from.

You feel like you're in a Hallmark movie when you're at our Homecoming parade and pep rally in our small town. I've never experienced anything like it before and I'm going to miss this. This is my son's senior year, the last year after so many years of riding on floats year after year for the sport he's been playing.  

There is nothing like a small town and the feeling of community it can bring.

No way of replacing a pet, but sometimes another pet can soften the loss

I really didn't know that my time with Georgia would be coming up this year in January of 2023 when I saw the post for a mama dog and her 8 puppies in need of a foster home. 

We decided it was time to give it another go and so I scheduled to come get them that weekend.  Riley and her 8 puppies came home and we got them set up & we were in love.  The day came to say goodbye to the puppies and in true foster mom fashion, I cried as I do verytime we say goodbye to a foster and we took the puppies to KC Pet Project as they would be getting spaid/neutered and ready for adoption.  We would keep Riley with us until it was time for her surgery and if she was adopted she would go to her new home at that time, or would we keep her or let her spend the rest of her time back at the shelter.  This was a decision we would have to make and we chose to keep her with us.  I didn't want to send her to a kennel when she could continue to stay here & enjoy free roaming with our pups.  It really would depend on if she could get more adjusted to the cats and stop chasing, and learn to coexist with them.

She did great & the decision was made that she would come back after surgery!  My husband and I dropped her off and of course I cried as she was being led away from us but looking back. We reassured her we'd be back for her.  I got to go back that evening and when I picked her up, I knew in my heart that I would never let her go but I kept making videos and posts for #adoptriley 

As Georgia was slowly failing more and more with the degenerative hip thing she had going on and the dragging of her legs was starting to cause for a soar on her leg, I knew we couldn't let this continue. The days were getting hotter and she would get out to the back yard and unable to get back up the stairs to come in and cool off, some days I was leaving work early worried about her & wanting to make sure she wasn't stuck out there in the heat.  June 7th we pulled the trigger and made Riley a Dudley!  I knew time was getting closer to say goodbye to Georgie, so adding a 5th dog to our pack now it would go back to 4 soon. 

By that last week of June it became clear in June that the call had to be made and so I scheduled for our vet, Dr. Nottingham, to come and put our sweet girl down so she could cross the rainbow bridge on June 30, 2023.

These were taken with my girl on her last day.  I loved that little dog more than anything and I always called her my angelface. 

As we are coming up on the 3 month mark since that day of goodbye, I have realized how much it's helped having Riley to love on and comfort me with the aching I feel for Georgia.  I miss my girl and the pup she was.  There will never be another that can replace my sweet Georgia, but Riley has helped in healing my heart from the loss. I am so thankful for a husband that is on board with fostering and said yes to that family of pups in January 2023.