Remember when......

Time slips away quietly. It sneaks past us all and suddenly we think... Where has the time gone?

this is a precious moment :)

I find myself asking that now! I'm excited that friends Mark and Deb get to watch their first puppy, Ansel, who turned in with Dembre graduate! This gives me a reality check. Wasn't it just yesterday that we were talking about turn-in and graduation... the bright future. The thing that is strange is that I talk about the future, but so easily forget how fast the time flies... soaring away before I even know it's there.

Two things sunk in recently... Dembre is actually fulfilling his purpose, and no matter how many times I said it, it seemed strange until now... somehow surreal. and secondly that Hobart is now 10 months old and not so far from turn-in. I'll be traveling for a lot of the summer, which means I'll be apart from Hobart and before I know it.... BOOM it'll be turn-in.

Something inside me screams, "Stop! This can't be happening. What happened to that little puppy? Those perfect summer days playing in the yard?" but another voice speaks softly. "This is what is supposed to happen... it's destiny and this is your chance to change a life."

was that almost two years ago already?

I'm embracing the second one... no matter how fast the time moves or how much I forget that it's going... I, no all of us, need to concentrate on what really matters. We can so easily make life into a routine without any joy to it... any picture perfect moments, but I urge you to take time to live NOW and to make memories. There's only so much time and it's ours to use wisely! Today is a gift from God!

~Elijah & Hobart II

DEMBRE'S TURN-IN (PLEASE READ)

Dembre and I at CCI

About an hour ago I put Dembre in the kennel at Canine Companions and said goodbye!!!

As you might know, every August CCI holds a NCR Puppy Raiser Workshop where you come for the day and listen to some lectures on being a puppy raiser and what it's like turning-in a puppy. It was amazing fun!!!!!!! I woke up at  6:00. I showered, walked Dembre, ate breakfast and mentally prepared for the exciting and exhausting day that lay ahead!!!

First thing when I got to Columbus State for the seminar I got to meet my wonderful blogger friends and fellow CCI puppy raisers Mark, Deb, and their wonderful puppy Ansel (Ansel's Blog). You should all stop by and follow it!!!!! Mark and Deb gave me a wonderful gift.... a Kong Wubba and a very thoughtful card. They said that Ansel's favorite toy was the Wubba and they wanted to share his favorite toy with me and so my next pup will get his very own new Wubba!!! Then my dear friend, who inspired me to puppy raise came with her pup and gave me a very sweet card, as well!!! You guys made my day!!!

Over the first workshop we covered the topic of turn-in and what dogs get released for as well as the testing the pups receive. It was very enlightening!

below the pics is the turn-in experience.............

Tenor with Dembre

Dembre and I with Dembre's trainer Adrena

Dembre and his brother Dash II (five minute kennel mates)

Dembre and his new kennel mate Ansel

the cookie

My card from Deb, Mark, and Ansel

My card from Marybeth

the new Wubba from Mark and Deb

Then came the ceremony!!! I walked up and got a pretty flower. I didn't get emotional just enjoyed getting to say that I raised Dembre. We enjoyed seeing wonderful teams graduate!!!! After that I enjoyed good lunch with my whole family (except for one brother), including my grandmother, and my friend Mary Beth.

Then came the second workshop where we talked a little while and then worked on commands. I got to meet Dembre's sweet brother Dash II and his puppy raisers and reminisce about puppy raising memories. I really loved talking to all the different puppy raisers from out of state.

............ and then turn-in. I'm sorry to say I didn't take it hard. I didn't even cry. I wanted to cry and get emotional, because I cried last year when I thought about turn-in and what it would be like. I enjoyed talking to Dembre's very nice trainer Adrena and talking more to close friends picking up and turning in. When it came to putting Dembre in the kennel it wasn't that hard. I put him in and he started to play with his brother and his kennel mate. A few minutes later they switched Dembre out and put him with Ansel III, because Ansel was with another intact dog so they wanted to switch them out. We took pictures. We laughed; I really felt like Dembre was happy... not stressed. And so I felt good about turn-in! 

Now I'm puppyless!!!  For a couple of days until I receive Mr. H. on Wednesday!!!!!!!

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR READING MY BLOG AND ENCOURAGING ME THROUGH THE UPS AND THE DOWNS! THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO! AND EVEN THOUGH I NEVER MET MOST OF YOU I FEEL LIKE I KNOW YOU AND AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dembre and I before the ceremony

at CCI

Dembre and his brother Dash II

Dash and Dembre

Dembre

Dash

Dembre and I with Dash and his wonderful puppy raisers!

~ELIJAH AND MR. H. (NAME TO BE REVEALED ON MONDAY)