Next came Brooks, a little toy poodle that we got from a pet store... I had taken Calvin to get his hair cut there and saw the saddest looking little puppy I had ever seen. I asked the girl behind the counter, Denise, what was up with that sad looking little guy. She told me that he had been bought a few days before and he was so excited. Too excited... They brought him back because he was running crazy. She said that had been a couple of days before and he had been sitting there like that ever since. I felt so sorry for him! I knew I couldn't afford him because even though she was willing to knock off $100.00 for me (because she knew me from me coming there to play with the puppies so much), I still didn't have the money at 17 years old to buy him. So I called my mother and told her she just had to come see this little fellow. She let me know real quick that we were NOT getting another dog... That was until she held him. He was bought in a matter of minutes and off we went, to his new home...

When we got home, I tried to roll him over on his back to rub his belly but he screamed. He was shaking and whimpering and I didn't understand why. I thought I had hurt him and promised I would be more careful. I could tell from the very beginning that he was a little sensitive dog and needed special care. I named him 'Brooks' after my favorite singers at the time... Garth Brooks and Brooks & Dunn. He was the same color as Calvin and my brother even thought he WAS Calvin that first day... Brooks grew into a little gentleman... He never acted up when we got him... I doubt he had acted up at his first house... But they had children and I think the kids must have gotten too rough with him because to this day he is still afraid of heights, the dark and thunder... He now lets me rub his belly but that is because we have been friends now for 8 years and he knows I will never hurt him. He is the sweetest little dog... Still very sensitive and very loyal...

Next came Homey... Homey was a little black Border Collie that I got after Brooks and I moved out of my mom's house. He was a sweet little guy as well and I found out that my roommate, Daniele, was hitting him... I threw her out and Homey, Brooks and I moved as well. Homey was a little excitable... Sometimes too excitable... He grew to be too big for an apartment and so he had to go live with my fiance at the time. We are no longer together but Homey still lives there. Except his name is now Homer... But to me he will always be little Homey... I haven't seen him in almost four years and hope that I will get the chance to see him soon... But my ex lives in Mississippi and works two jobs so it may be a while... I have no pictures of Homey but will get one as soon as I see him...

Next came Sophie... She came from a girl I used to work with... Her owner had passed away suddenly and they were trying to find her a home... I offered to be her "foster parent" until they could find someone else... But they never did and she ended up staying with me. She is a Yorkie-Poo and Brooks just adored her when I first brought her home... He is used to other animals so he was thrilled... The girl I worked with promised that Sophie was spayed and I had nothing to worry about... I quit that job a few weeks later and not long after that, the place went out of business so I never contacted the girl again... Sophie went into heat and I was shocked!!! She was supposed to be spayed!!! But she wasn't and she got pregnant... I remember when we first got her, she would sit in the corner for hours and just look at me... If I walked over there, she would run to the other corner. I finally got her out of the corner by offering her a piece of pepperoni... To this day, that is her favorite food... When she was pregnant, she became very attached to me. She would sleep on my back and if I moved, she moved. I used to come home every day, excited to see if she had her puppies... Every day, she would meet me at the door... One day she didn't.

When I walked into the apartment, I could hear a little squeaking noise from my bedroom... I was so excited but couldn't find Sophie... I finally moved the bed and everything and there she was... She just looked up at me and I was excited and saying, "Hi, Momma!!", when I noticed that one of the two puppies wasn't moving. I have never had a female dog or had to deal with puppies but I did my best to revive that little fellow. It didn't work and I was devastated. At the same time, Sophie was back in labor and I couldn't help her... Out came another little dog. So, now we had one that died... He was a boy that I had named Douglas, and two little girls, Rosie and Angel. They were all the same apricot color as Brooks and even had the same little darker apricot spot on their backs... My mother came and got little Douglas... Right before she got there, Jack was born. He came out black... It scared me because I thought there was something wrong... I kept trying to take him from Sophie before she even had him loose from her. She started licking him and I kept expecting the black to come off... But it didn't... That was because his fur was black. I felt so stupid later and Sophie must have thought I was nuts. After my mother left with little Douglas, we settled in for the night. The babies seemed to be eating just fine and Sophie was one proud little Momma. We took them to the vet the next morning and they all got a clean bill of health. Little Angel died the next day.

When she died, I was in shock. I had had a couple of friends over and the puppies had seemed fine. But later, I noticed Angel was cold and she never warmed up again. She died in my hand that night and I lost it. My mom came over and got her. Sophie just cried when my mom walked in. I know she knew she had lost another of her babies. Two days later, I went to work and left Sophie and the babies at home. She really was a good little mother and was very watchful of them. But something told me to go home... I kept trying to ignore the feeling but it wouldn't go away... So I had my boss take me home early... When I walked in, little Rosie was lying on the bathroom floor freezing and Jack was crying. Sophie was walking around in a panic, wailing, and I realized that both of her babies were about to die. I picked up both puppies and ran to the neighbor's. I didn't even know this lady but she got me and the puppies and Sophie to the vet immediately. The vet told me that the babies were starving to death. That's why Angel had died... She was the smallest and had starved. Sophie wasn't even producing milk and she had a very high fever. The vet told me I had come close to losing all three of them... I would have to take over Sophie's job as their mother because she wasn't able to do it. She was too sick. So she gave me bottles and formula and taught me how to feed them. She said that she was still not sure we caught it in time but I let her know that I would do anything it took to save them. They both ate fine that night. I had to feed them every hour on the hour and if they wouldn't take the bottle, I would have to tube feed them. She had shown me how to do that but I didn't really want to have to do it. Jack took the bottle everytime I gave it to him. Rosie did too... Later that night, I woke up and heard Rosie whimpering. She had come out from under the covers in the box (where the heating pad was) and was on top of the covers. She was cold... I tried to feed her and she wouldn't eat. It scared me. I kept trying to warm her up and it didn't work. I knew she had to eat so I set everything up to tube feed her. I did it wrong. When I pushed the little tube down her throat, I must have put it down the wrong way. She started kicking and I knew I had done it wrong. But there was nothing I could do. She died minutes later. I have never gotten over that, I know I didn't do it on purpose but if I could go back, I would have been a lot more careful... Actually, I wouldn't have fed her that way. I would have waited until she was ready to eat. I never took pictures of these little babies. They weren't here long enough and, to be honest, with all that was going on, I didn't even think of it. I have a Beanie Baby, Fleece, to remember their little apricot fur and little pink noses and toes by. I will never forget them. They will always be in my heart.

So, with only Jack left, I was determined that he was going to live. I could not handle losing them all. Sophie and I would get up every hour and go get him and sit in the chair together. I would bottle feed him and she would clean him. We worked together and did it... I mean, my mom and grandparents pitched in and would keep Jack while I was working, but Sophie and I fed him every single hour. Jack was the biggest of all the puppies and he was not much bigger than a hampster. In fact, he was supposed to eat 2 tablespoons of formula a day... That was all his little stomach could hold... Slowly but surely he got fatter and fatter and the next thing I knew, he had teeth!!! I was so proud and Sophie was too. We just layed back, exhausted at this point, and looked at each other. It had been almost three months and we were worn out. That night, we slept our first full night since this had started and it felt so great. She and I had bonded in a way that I never thought possible with a dog. This was no longer HER baby... This was OUR baby... And she let me know all the time, too, by bringing him to me and putting him in the bed with me while I was asleep. I would wake up and Jack would be sitting there. It was such a great feeling. So, that is how I got three dogs. I could not get rid of any one of them... They are a little family. Jack is so attached to me... He is like a kid. My kid. I don't think he realizes that he is a dog. I figured this out when he started smiling at me... He has seen me do that and so he does it too. It is the cutest little thing. Scroll down for that picture... I am putting it at the end of this story.

Now we move on to Wendy. I got Wendy the cat when I ran over her in my parking lot. She was unharmed but scared to death. I took her to my friend, Ann's, house and we just sat there and looked at her. I knew I couldn't keep her because I didn't know how the dogs would react. I knew Brooks wouldn't care because he loves cats but I was worried about Sophie and Jack. So I tried calling everyone I knew and no one could take her. She was about 6 weeks old and I could not just let her go. Plus, she had this little face and a huge grease spot on her head, which made me feel guilty. So I bought some food and brought her home. She attacked my dogs immediately... I hadn't expected that!!! So I had to put the dogs in the room with me and her in the den. I vowed to find her a place to live the next day. I tried and couldn't. So, she became the fourth member of my little furry family. The dogs accepted her (well, Sophie still doesn't like it too much) and she accepted them. This was in August, 2000. In February, 2001, after almost 6 months, I realized that Wendy is actually a boy. I was shocked to see what I saw!!! But it was true... Every one told me to call him Wendall but he won't come to that... So I had him neutered and he is still Wendy. He hasn't calmed down all the way yet but we are all biting our tongues, waiting...

My mother says I have too many animals... I would have to agree with her. If I had my way, I would have never had this situation. But I do. These animals have kept me from being lonely. They are friends that will never go away. They love me so unconditionally and they always will. I don't have to impress them or buy them things. I just have to love them and they automatically love me back. If you ask me, that is a pretty good deal in a world that is so filled with deceit and hurt. I will not give them up. They have been there for me through it all and I will always be grateful for that. I will always be there for them as well...