Man's best friend

I snuggle, hug and kiss Baxter daily, tell him how much I love him and goof around with him day in and day out. I have realized how much he has brought to our lives before, how much we laugh at him and how he has caused us to have thoughts on what it will be like when we have children, though the children you cannot toss a bone to and lock them in the flat for a few hours. The children will also be able to go on holiday with us and be welcomed at most restraints and shops where Mr. Baxter... is not. There are huge differences, I don't want anyone with a child to think I am saying they are the same... it is just a good.. test run if you will to ease us into the concept of having something that is fully dependent upon us, on our schedule, on us for everything to survive.

It wasn't until today when I saw a preview for a show they will be airing on Animal Planet that it hit me, how much Baxter really has saved me. The shows concept is on victims of 9/11 ten years later, it shows two families and how them having a dog has made such a difference. One is a mother who lost both of her firefighter sons, whom has adopted one of theirs Dalmatians. The other is a little girl whom at the age of 2 (i think) fled from the building with her nanny. She was suffering obviously from PTSD and her mother had the idea to get her a little Yorkie. They talked about how she began to become her old self. She now 10 years later speaks about how the dog truly saved her and brought her to who she is.

Moving here was difficult, it still is tough being here at times. My friends are thousands of miles away. I have made acquaintances here, but no one (other than Alex) who knows what I am thinking without me saying anything, or who understands me through mumbles, knows which places I would and wouldn't go for lunch or understands strange bits about me, these kinds of relationships are hard to find and once found, they don't happen overnight. I was lonely, really lonely and cried and struggled a lot. Alex did and continues to do all he can but there is just a limit to how much one person can do for you. In February we found the new member of our family that we had been looking for, and he will never know the impact he has had on our lives.

He gives me something to take care of and loves you when you;re in a good mood or bad. He has a funny way of knowing when I am upset or crying and manages to calm his usually crazy self down. He picks up on the weird games I make up and Alex reminds me how weird I am... Baxter plays right along. And against one of my biggest fears, he snuggles with me all the time and gives me lots of licks. I have never seen or heard of a dog being so snugly ever. He is the best puppy spooner!

I thank Alex for making the trip to Wales and buying me the most perfect for us dog ever all the time. I don't want to think of how my emotions might have struggled with out him, as they still have some pretty rough days. He gives a lick, and you know not only do I have my partner in life on my side and there to help, but also a furry fella that helped my sanity beyond measure.

They say dog is man's best friend, and I believe it now more than ever, they are life changing and make an incredible difference!