Happy birthday Koa- no joke
Two years ago this February, we took an hour and a half drive north to the Retrievers and Friends rescue to meet a 6 year old black lab named Lucy. She was feisty, glossy, and fun, a slightly older version of Brody. We loved Lucy.
But then the rescue volunteer suggested we take a look at another dog, one who didn’t photograph quite so well but was kind and sweet and might be a good match for the family. There she stood, with her hangdog face and her defeated posture and her barrel chest and her gnarly teeth, just sitting back patiently. She came over with her tail gently wagging, licked my daughter and then my son, and sat down. “It’s OK,” her face said as we petted Lucy. “I just wanted to say hi.”
And that is how we ended up driving home that winter morning with Kekoa.
I didn’t realize until some time later, as I was going over her paperwork, that she was born on April 1st. It seems a bit of a cruel joke that so many pranks have been pulled on her in the past.
Hey Kekoa, I’m going to give you a good home- April Fools! We’re giving you to a rescue!
It’s OK Kekoa, the rescue is your home now- April Fools! We’re just a waystation! We’re finding you a NEW forever home.
Well Kekoa, you have a forever home now- April Fools! Now that my first dog died I don’t need you any more. Back to the rescue with you.
And so on, and so forth, until she came home with us, and with us she will remain. Now I know she has you all bamboozled into thinking she’s this perpetual sad sack, but in retrospect I think we’ve done a fairly decent job of making up for lost time the past couple of years.
Right off the bat she learned that in this house, you won’t be hit, shocked or neglected, but you will have to wear hats.
And pose for pictures.
And wear MORE hats.
And on occasion, a full costume.
But you’ll have friends.
And adventures
That make the hats
And the diets
And the costumes
All worthwhile.
Because though your family may embarrass you
On a fairly regular basis, at that-
You never have to doubt that you are loved and wanted- bad teeth, piercing separation anxiety and all.
Happy Birthday, Kekoa!
