Jasper Lily’s two year adopteversary!
WOW… just wow. What a difference two years can make! From a scared, tail between the legs, hides from everything and everyone, beach hating, and always with the low-grow to a STRONG, proud, confident, tolerates beaches and now just a super loud big dog bark – Jasper Lily has come so, so far! I am so PROUD of her.
Our first photo on the left and today! We’ve come so far!
And proud of me. I have come so far too … from saying I would never love with my whole heart again to diving deep into this thing called “dog love”. The unconditional love Jasper gives daily warms my heart, makes me smile, makes me want to be a better person and love more. Through good and bad, tears and laughter, Jasper rides the wave and does so with a bit of humor, a lot of bad-assery and so much confidence.
She fully un-packed her rescue baggage and set up her roots in my home. We have traveled so much this year, by car, by plane, by foot. She has seen the Oregon coast (a couple times and by far, her favorite coast), Seattle, from nature hikes to waterfalls, the Bay Area meeting new friends. This dog lives the lives many dogs could only dream of. She is spoiled rotten and knows it. She knows her place in my heart – next to Shelby Lynne. She knows her big angel sister and I often catch her looking up at Shelby’s remains with tenderness in her eyes.
I do miss the low-growl. We still have it from time to time but mostly it’s been replaced with the big dog bark. Which I do not love. She has SO much to say. At home. At the dog park. At daycare apparently. She wants to be heard. Is it from her hoarding days where no one heard her? Where she trembled with fear? Who knows. She is still petrified by loud noises (fireworks, booms) but on occasion will look to me for comfort before bolting under the bed. She still thinks she is a cat as she climbs far into my closet to hide.
She LOVES her tennis ball. To Jasper, it is the best thing – ever! She loves to carry it, chase it, fetch it. I love how she will stealthily bring the ball to me and paw at me until I toss it. She tries to be stealth but I always see her bringing it over … Silly little girl.
She LOVES to chase the crow, the baby one and the big ones, the squirrels, the neighborhood peacock! She will never catch one but the glee in her eyes and the wag of the tail .. she is … HAPPY!
Jasper is HAPPY. I always assumed because of her past she would remain a bit aloof but she’s a happy dog now. She loves her family, she loves her life. She loves adventures (even if she hates having to ride in the car to get to them).
She isn’t Shelby. She will never be Shelby and that is ok. I have grown in accepting how I can love the two of them within my heart at the same time without guilt. I will never forget Shelby. She gave me the greatest gift in her passing … she gave me Jasper. She gave me purpose. She gave me a reason to get up in the morning. Jasper approaches each day with her morning yodel and stretches. Frog pose is her favorite.
So again … what a difference two years makes. Fresh off the pain of losing Shelby, there was no sparkle in my eyes … and today, my eyes sparkle and shine, my heart feels full, and I wake each day with a snuggle and a cuddle and lots of dog love.
Happy Day, Jasper Lily … here’s to many, many more years together!
Summer 2015
Cannon Beach 2016
Frog dog pouting because her vacation is over.
Sunday adventures with Jasper Lily!
Dog in the forest!
Me and the sidekick!
Jasper Lily is a true rags to riches story. You have taken that scared little girl under your loving, healing wing where she has blossomed into a happy, loving and self assured little lady. Shelby is so proud of how you’ve opened your heart to the little one she undoubtably put right smack dab in front of you. From the heavens she’s watched you and Jasper Lily both grow in all dimensions. Well done Spirit Angel Shelby, well done!
June 16th, 2016 at 6:48 pmLove and hugs to you
Linda, Riley & Spirits Mighty Max & Ollie
HAPPY TWOOOOOO YEAR ADOPTAVERSARY SWEET JASPER LILY!! Two years?? WOW!!
I love, lpve, love following you and Jasper Lily on this journey of tremendous Soul growth and enlightenment for BOTH of you!! 🙂
To see Jasper turn into this confident, joyful, happy, fun loving, adventure loving side kick just melts my heart. I absolutely adore her…and you!
You have let us join in with you on your adventures with Jasper Lily. We’ve traveled by your side as your love for her blossomed and as her love and trust in you blossomed. I think one of the greatest gifts we can give a dog is feeling safe and loved. Masper Lily understands that gift now first-hand!
Yes, you have a place in yiur heart for Jasler Lily right next to Shebly’s. Each with their own place…each are in your heart forever.
AND, you never disappoint when it co es to posti b GREAT pictures!! I always love seeing you and Masper together hugging. I don’t get to go on “vacations”, but you always take me with your through your pictures! I love”being” at the beach with you and bei g in the Redwoods with you! Those pics of Jasper are priceless! ‘That dog really does love nature!
Ice cream…okay yogurt…for this special versary!!!
Much love always!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
June 16th, 2016 at 6:53 pmHappy 2 year adoptversary. Both of you have come a long ways. I remember talking to you all the time. Give it time you will do great. It will take time. I always would say to you. Now look at the both of you. Best buddies. Yes their love is different but JL notched out a piece of you hear that you never felt you could give. I think Shelby did a great job in picking her present to you. She knew you both needed it and her. She is watching down and smiling.
I love how JL is so happy now even on the beach that she hated so much at first. I think her big Sis Shelby had a talk with her 😉
I love your adventures. Can’t wait to hear about the next one
xoxoxo
June 16th, 2016 at 7:27 pmMichelle & Angel Sassy
2 years! Time sure does go fast! JL has come a long way, thanks to the chance you gave her, the love you gave her, the time you gave her, the patience. The gift of being herself. By doing that,you gave her the freedom and confidence to grow into the happy girl she is today. Photogenic too! What fun she has had already this Summer. I can see the bond that has formed between the 2 of you. It is a beautiful thing. I think one way we honor the lives of our angels is to love again. To cherish those gifts they pick out for us. Hugs, Lori, Ty and gang
June 16th, 2016 at 8:45 pmHey Alison and JL…..so proud of both of you, but I knew you could do it! I’ve only known you 2 years, but you’ve come a long way, baby! I’m so happy the two of you could experience this journey together! The pictures are priceless, as is your love for each other! Shelby is surely smiling down on you guys!
Paula and Nitro
June 17th, 2016 at 3:25 amHappy second Gotcha Day, JL! I guess I didn’t realize how close your and Ollie’s are…his is tomorrow. You came into your Mama’s life during her darkest time and brought new light. Here’s to many, many more years of being that bright beacon.
Kathi and the Turbotail April Angel…and the Labradork
June 23rd, 2016 at 7:54 pmHmm… all the photos you have posted from the Faceborg appear to have disappeared. :-\ Attempts to view the images directly results in “URL signature expired.”
Upload photos to your blog Media Library for best results and make sure any URLs for externally linked photos end in a valid image file extension (.jpg, .png, gif) and load in the browser when viewed directly.
Facebook does not care for their content being viewed anywhere but there, and they have ways of enforcing that. 🙁
September 28th, 2016 at 12:10 am