The First Thanksgiving

Last night marked the third anniversary of the evening I arrived home from work late, with bags of Thanksgiving groceries, and discovered a puppy hiding under a chair on our back porch.

I wasn't exactly thrilled at the time, either.

Husband and I had lost a beloved Cocker spaniel a few days after Christmas the preceeding year, and were still grieving. He was the sweetest, gentlest little old man in the world (he was almost 16 when he died). I had been nearly overcome with grief. We vowed it would be a "long, long time" before we got another dog. We were worn out, emotionally and financially, from the strain of caring for an elderly dog. Not again, not for years, we decided.

Then came the following Thanksgiving Eve, and we were living out in the country, and apparently it's common practice out there to "drop off" unwanted puppies. This was a slightly scrawny, appromoximately 6 month old female, obviously used to people, that just "appeared". What kind of jerk abandons a puppy on Thanksgiving Eve? How heartless can someone be? Actually, it turned out to be the best thing they ever did for her. After about a month of looking for a good home for her (to no avail), it became obvious that we now had a dog. :) That Thanksgiving puppy was none other than.......Ginger, of course! What a great gift she turned out to be. She is a wonderful dog. A Thanksgiving Blessing, disguised as a little unwanted scrap of a dog.

Taken Thanksgiving day, 2007

Happy Anniversary little girl! We love you!