Slowing Down and Enjoying the Moment

Izzy makes herself a pillow out of our grocery bags.

Slowing down is good.  Enjoying the moment we are in right now is even better.  I was given a very special gift four years ago when Izzy, our border collie, became part of our family.  Each and every day she pulls me away from the craziness of life and into a few moments of pure calm and happiness. 

She has always been my napping partner, but lately when I lay down, I wake up and find her head resting on my shoulder. 

My napping partner.  I love that she is so snuggly. 

The kids say that after I leave for work in the morning, she runs upstairs and lays in my spot on the bed.  I do notice the bed is unmade when I get home even though I made it before leaving.  :)  When she was younger, she would sit by the window waiting for me to return home.

Steve laughed the other day at how she "talks" to me.  He said, "This is definitely something she has developed over the years."  It is true.  She only uses it with me.  Her "talk" involves chomping her teeth together when she is trying to tell me something.  She comes to me for everything - to tell Steve to play with her, to go outside, when she wants food, when the kids are up too late making noise, etc.

She knows when it is nighttime and if she needs to go outside, she quietly tells me. She is respectful of our sleep, but once our alarm goes off, she makes sure we get up, even if she goes right back to bed.  Even on the weekend if I am not up by 6:30, I have to tell her it is okay for me to sleep in, otherwise she wants to make sure I am up.  She likes jumping back into bed with me knowing she took care of her job.

She needs to be busy and constantly watches out our front window. She isn't a fan of other dogs walking by our house and gets quite upset with UPS trucks, mail carriers, garbage trucks, and school buses.  Where her barking once scared them, they all just smile and wave at me now.  One UPS driver said, "Don't worry. She is good.  She wants to protect you." 

I love pulling up in the driveway knowing Izzy will greet us after any time away from home.

As my body has grown stronger over the last several months, I have been able to play with Izzy more frequently.  She now comes to me with a ball in her mouth or her tug toy.  I love playing with her. 

How can I resist her? 

Last week we ended up with about 20 inches of snow.  While we were shoveling the driveway, I took a short break and walked Izzy around on her leash.  She walked straight over to where the sidewalk should be, turned and started her walk.  She wasn't about to let the piles of snow stop her from her daily walk.  I felt bad for her but I wasn't about to walk in 20 inches of snow for a walk.  She had to wait until the driveway was shoveled and then we took her out for a walk on the street.  It drove her a little crazy. She kept trying to get back on the sidewalk.  She is such a creature of habit.  

After Alexander shoveled the back porch and we were able to open the door, I let Izzy out.  She quickly had me laughing out loud hollering for everyone in the house to come look at her as she ran back and forth from one side of the yard to the other making a path for herself.  This line is exactly where she goes to potty.  I had to laugh later in the night when she was outside barking.  I called her in and she followed that path exactly, making a sharp left turn on the path she made towards the house.  Except for the path she has created for herself, the snow in our back yard has been barely touched.   
 

Her running looked more like hopping.

Her job was complete. 


Everyone comes into our lives for a reason.  As a border collie, Izzy comes with a lot of energy and obsessive traits along with a calm and loving personality.   Many of her traits have challenged me to learn more patience and many require absolutely nothing except stopping and enjoying the moment.