Best Secret Santa Gift Ever

Growing up both Mike and I had dogs. I love dogs. I love big dogs. Infact, I would love to have a Great Dane but Mike, first, and then my little sister, Kris, have said no...no Great Danes....high maintenance, shorter life span, etc. So over the course of our almost 21 years of marriage we have had a few dogs, too. First, it was Bentley (Mike's choice in name). Bentley was an adorable cocker spaniel, but a HYPER cocker. He was NOTHING like my Sundance growing up, but I've quickly learned that no dog will ever compare to Sundance. Bentley went to Mike's older brother, Paul, and his wife, Maggie, until Maggie could not breathe anymore (terrible allergies from the dog)!! Then, after falling in love with Aunt Karen's found in the wild white WOLF Kane (75% wolf, 25% dog), we decided to adopt a dog from PetsMart...mix, but basically looked like a white lab...which Craig wanted to name "Kane" as well. Kane had MAJOR issues...like needing puppy proszac (sp?)...so he eventually went back to his adopted mother.

Ever since our failed attempts at being dog owners, Mike and I both wanted to try again. Well, one of the many benefits of being friends with the Snelsons is that you get to experience animal life-LIVE. Trey is passionate about animals, animal life, loves to hunt, fish, etc. So when Brittney and Trey made the decision to breed their beautiful yellow labrador (actually she is cinnamon colored...absolutely beautiful...and with her lazy eye, ahhh, you just fall in love with her!) they allowed us to journey with them. It was so fun learning about the breeding process, the pregnancy gestation for dogs, and then ultimately the birthing of her puppies. I remember, still today, the phone call I received from Brittney that Georgia was in labor!! All along Georgia's pregnancy I told Brittney that I wanted one of the puppies. We had promised Craig that when he turned 12 that we would get a dog. You know, Cole would be five and things would be much more managable. You see, we had no idea that God had plans of blessing us with little Reed 3 years after Cole!! :)

During the Christmas season at work we exchanged names for Secret Santa. It was Christmas 2006. We are given the opportunity to try to guess who had us at the party and I, like always, failed to guess who had me. So when BRITTNEY revealed herself to me, she handed me the cutest wrapped gift. In that bag was a gift that immediately brought tears to my eyes....all doggie stuff and a note that said we were being gifted the pick of the litter when Georgia delivered!!

Here was my greatest Secret Santa gift EVER....

Lady Girl!
Well, two and a half years later we finally get the opportunity to keep Georgia for a week!! While Brittney and Trey are vacationing in Colorado, we are giving Georgia the vacation of a lifetime! Constant wrestling and excercising, and then some cuddley time with her daughter!! Lady will NOT leave her alone, and every once in a while Georgia still shows her whose boss!! Rightly so!!! Georgia will retreat to her kennel every once in a while, as if tried from the constant nagging of her little one, with Lady laying outside the kennel whinning the entire time!

Georgia!
We are having the best time. The boys are so proud and make sure on our walks that the neighborhood knows that the "other" dog we have is Lady's mom! So cute. They have asked me numerous times, "Mom, do you think they know they are mom and daughter?" I don't know the answer to that, but I would like to think so.

Georgia and Lady!
Thanks Brittney and Trey, we have had the best time with "the girls!!"