The Newest Man In MY Life...

One Friday I come home from work exhausted from moving files around at our University office. I sit down on the couch and start talking with Mom and Dad. Out of nowhere Dad asks me if I want a dog???? I was think "REALLY? Of course I want a dog, but living with my parents who already have Blackie (and who is mean to other dogs) and when my parents get upset when another dog messes up something in the backyard. Plus I am about to student teach and I am not sure that it would be such a great idea because I would not be able to take care of him." Dad proceeds to tell me that Jason and Shiloh are unable to keep Daisy and Bandit. Jason wanted to know if I would take Bandit! I totally jumped on that one! I said yes but only if it was ok with them. Dad said that he thought Bandit was a great dog and he wouldn't mind. So we called Jason and scheduled a time for me to pick Bandit up from Grandma Peggy's house.

On Saturday I went to Walmart and bought a bed, food and water bowls, a new leash, and stuff to give him a bath. I was so excited!!!!! I originally was going to pick Bandit up on Monday after work, but I was so excited to get him I asked if I could go on Sunday. I called my dear friend Amina to ride up with me. She was all game for this adventure!

Sunday we drove up to Grandma Peggy's to pick up Bandit. The first thing we see is Bandit running in circles chasing his tale. Amina just gives me this look "Really?" I said, "Look he already knows a trick!" My heart was divided in two as I picked up Bandit. One, I was so excited to have a dog. I have missed my Beacon so much lately and really wanted another one. Two, I was splitting Bandit and Daisy up. Daisy and Bandit are buds and I know Bandit would miss her. But, I have tried very hard to help him make this transition.

Here he is! My new muddy, dirty, and smelly man! BANDIT! He really didn't know what to think about this ride. He kept looking out the back window or trying to come up to the front with Amina and me. I kept laughing because Amina does not like to be dirty.

I had his bed on by the opposite window from my bed, but Bandit wouldn't stay in it if I moved to my bed. I have had to move it right beside my bed for him to remain in it at all. It took a few times to get Bandit to realize this was his new bed and that he didn't have to sleep in a create at night. But he caught on really fast and he loves his bed. Just this past week he has started in his bed then moves to the floor in front of his bed and then to the other side of my bed.

This is Bandit after his bath. This guy was MUDDY! When he shook muddy water went spraying all over Mom and Dad's bathroom walls. All I could do was laugh.

Poor guy was so tired after a car ride, bath, and coming to a new home. He just crashed right on the floor.

The following day I came home from work and put Bandit and Blackie out in the backyard. I then took an hour and half long nap. When I woke up and called for them to come in only one dog was in the backyard. And it wasn't Bandit. I started to FREAK out! I called Dad ( he and mom were on their way home from Ohio) and asked what to do. I then drove around the neighborhood looking for him. I called Jason, he told me to take Bandit's leash and go for a walk, call his name, listen for other dogs barking because he loves other dogs he could be by them. I then proceed to walk all over our neighborhood. After an hour I still hadn't found him. I called all the local vets, dog shelters, and rescue facilities. I typed up fliers that Dad and I posted all around the area. Tuesday I started my day out going to the police station, vets, animal ER, and the Charlotte Animal Care facility handing out more fliers. Around 12:30 Tuesday I received a phone call from the Huntersville Animal Rescue saying that Bandit had been found and he was at the animal ER facility on HWY 21! I was so happy. I called Jason telling him that Bandit had been found. When I went to pick Bandit up the nurse said that a lady in my neighborhood brought him in. She said that if no one claimed Bandit she would have taken him home because he was such a good dog. As Bandit and I went on a walk to remove ALL the fliers one of my neighbors was in his yard and asked if that was the lost dog. He said that they had found him roaming around the neighborhood around 5:30 and they held on to him for an hour. All the neighbors were over and all fell in love with him. One of the neighbors took Bandit to the animal ER to see if he was microchiped. All I can say is thank goodness for good neighbors!

I have now made him a dog tag with his name and my number on it. I figured how he escaped the privacy fence. In the gate there is a hole and if a dog were to push hard enough he could get out. Dad has now put wood, bikes, and one of the kids riding trucks in front of this hole so Bandit is unable to escape.

The kids LOVE having Bandit at Nana and Poppa's house. I came home one Thursday night from work and school to find a blanket and books in the other side of Bandit's create. (I had to by a create for Bandit to stay in while I am at work. He kept using the bathroom in the garage. I learned to potty train them in a create you start out with the space being small and increase it as they learn not to potty in the create. So far...so good.) Caitlin informs me that Sabrina opened the top of Bandit's create and put a blanket and her reading homework in there. She then did her homework in the create so she could be with Bandit. Only Sabrina would think of this.

Bandit was one of the best birthday presents ever. The kids loved having him at the birthday party they threw for me. The theme....Breast Cancer awareness. :o)

I am truly lucky to have Bandit. I thought having a dog during this crazy time of Student Teaching, working 4 nights a week and planning lesson plans all the time would be to much. But in fact he is a blessing. He is my buddy. He is my alarm clock. I can guarantee every morning between 4:30 and 5:30 he will jump up to my bed and wake me up to go out to the potty. This is helpful since I need to be at school by 7:00. Thanks Jason for letting me have such a great dog!