August 16, 2015

White Dog and the rest of the White Dog Army were super excited. "A DOUBLE reason to celebrate! This is going to be SOME party!

Today is the one year anniversary of Candace, Skye and Daisy coming to live with us. It has been a year full of changes, and growth, and forming an extended family that enriches and blesses us.

It is also Steve's birthday. The White Dog Army loves the man who meets their needs and champions their desires, and helps them to reach their wonderful individual potentials. And I love the man who has a heart huge enough to see the treasure in each of them and who is compassionate enough to take on the tasks and heartbreak that comes along with making a total commitment to care for the members White Dog Army, in health and sickness, past and present.

Earlier in the week Candace came to me and asked if she could make a special meal to celebrate this day...out of gratitude and love. It was her present to Steve. It would be our first barbeque of the season.

We came home from the Meeting in the Park with WD to discover that Candace, under the supervision of the rest of the WDA and her girls, had put together a feast that was just awaiting the grill.

"Wait until you try the mushrooms," Nilla and Ferguson swooned. "With bacon!" Sachi said. "And stuffed with cream cheese," Nilla finished.

"We're having STEAK!" YoYoMa gushed. "Candace rubbed good things on the outside to make it taste extra good!" "I helped eat, I mean pull, the silk off the corn on the cob." Zso said, "It is soaking in water but Candace won't let me drink it."

"Sour cream for baked potatoes!" Bella was so excited she could barely get the words out; she sat and did her little begging dance. Puff added, "Candace is even so thoughtful that she got an EXTRA steak so all of us White Dogs, the whole extended family, could have our own bites. Plus there is vanilla ice cream and cherry pie!"

Soon amazing smells were wafting in from the yard. And the festive spirit ballooned. It was such a special feeling of family and togetherness and sharing....and as Yo added, "the food was awesome, too!"