Gidget turns a year old

Gidget turned a year old yesterday. It's hard to believe that the twenty-some pound puppy we brought home at the end of December is now full-grown dog sitting between Joe and I on the couch tonight. I haven't weighed her recently and she still looks very young- thin and svelte– but she's definitely somewhere over 60 pounds. Her tail is barely off the ground but most of the time it's thumping a wall anyway. It's interesting to watch her behavior develop as she does. Seems like we make one step forward and two back. But it's also hard to believe that a year ago this time we were sadly watching Daisy fight her cancer. Her diagnosis came at the end of August and I remember Labor Day weekend because Joe was in Houston and Daisy had just had her biopsy and it was freaking me out that it wouldn't stop bleeding. We had no idea that that was minor compared to what was ahead. I can look behind me and the painting of Daisy is looking over all of us from the stairwell. I know that in some way she's with us and that she made sure Gidget came to us, but I admit I miss her. Each one of the dogs brings something unique to our household and to our relationships with them. And sometimes we don't realize it until it's too late. With Gidget, as much as she drives me up a wall running around and barking at things that aren't there, I remember to savor my time with her as I didn't understand to do with Daisy until it was too late. I better go do a little bonding with my dog. Daisy is looking over me and making sure that I do!