ATB: Magnificent Obsession.

Welcome to the First Day of the Rest of your Lives Mega Litter!!! xxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Tonight I'm not sure whether this is a beginning, an ending, an in-betweening or what tonight! It is the beginning of summer - that much I can say for sure. And what a glorious evening it is.  I hear the crickets outside my window, something I love to hear.  The sky is not fully darkened and there is still the faintness of the sunrise setting now somewhere in the west. The pups are settled and tucked in for the night. There is the hint of a calm assurance, a sense of contentment among ALL things Brittany.  The last few nights we have been lulled to sleep by the sound of Miss Ruby Rose as she was introduced to sleeping in a crate.  She actually did quite well over the past 72 hours.  We clocked her 'vocalizing' (don't you love that word?!!) at 30 minutes into it.  Then she began to taper off, slowly but surely.  She slept from 11 pm through to 5:30 a.m. and no - I wasn't working the morning shift, not at all. But once John brought her back into the house he tossed her onto our bed and she very happily cuddled with me as I was surrounded by Molly, Treasure and Pippin. Tonight Miss Ruby Rose is sleeping in her new home with her new owners, just like the rest of the Mega litter are all doing.  And yes. I do miss each and every precious little one. 

It was an awesome day here beginning to end, in fact it was an absolutely wonderful weekend.  From 9 a.m. throught 4:30 p.m Saturday our home was full of friends and family and of course - Brittanys !  Our daughter and her three children were up for the day as her oldest son wanted to fish with grampa down in the pond and fish they did - 2 Brook trout! It was Callums 'summer dream' as depicted in a picture he drew.  And it came true!  Maryann was busy in the kitchen most of the afternoon cooking up a storm for us!  I love it when I have a chance to introduce them all - I think we have the best kids and grandchildren in the world!  After all the pups went home - our son and his family all stopped by briefly.  The last weekend of Spring 2011 was simply enjoyable for everyone for so many reasons, but especially so for those waiting arms that we gently placed a beautiful Brittany puppy in.  Today, Monday - was an extension of this weekend of friends and family as not only Ruby's new owners were here but so was Dawn. And Dawn brought Miss Bailey 'home' to visit us here as well as have a chance to meet Pippin's pups and help me get some photos taken of them.  She also brought puppy toys for all the babies!  Speaking of bringing things, Marilyn brought lunch for all of us - home made pizza, a beautiful tossed salad, cupcakes for dessert and she even brought a gallon of a secret family recipe for mint ice tea!  Marilyn and Roger also came bearing gifts - and we thank you for everything.  In fact, we thank all of you who have opened your heart and homes to our Brittanys - whether now, in the past, or in the future.

And speaking of the future.  I have tried very hard not to take away from either litter and over emphasize one over the other.  It was appropriate that Dawn come and look at Pippin's pups today just at the same time as Molly and Scooby's last puppy left for her new home.  Would I have timed things differently, and opted just for one litter?  I don't know the answer.  I suppose if I had not the experience behind me, behind us - and if we did not know what to expect from at least one of our 'girls'... we probably would not have had more than one.  But there are people waiting even now for pups well into the future, which is indeed very humbling.  So tonight I think of this journey with Pippin and Chevy's pups, a very new journey for us which is described in far greater detail on Pippins page.  I think of how I am now in a position to decide about puppies myself.  Is the timing right?  If so, which pup? Male or female? Should I wait and see what happens with these pups? But if I wait - what if what if what if?  I toss my pillows on the floor on top of a blanket and sit right down in the middle of the puppies just like usual.  I swear these pups know I'm looking at them with very objective eyes - with eyes that must see clearly and not suffer from kennel blindness.  Thanks to Dawns help and her opinion based on knowledge and experience as well as that of the co-owners/breeders of Chevy I will be able to see clearly.  In a few more days, other friends will weigh in after visiting the pups here in person.  And so I will begin to move from the transition of this past weekend into what truly can only be described as a paradigm shift - a shift into a truly magnificent new 'place' to be.  I've got my marching orders... I'm listening... I'm watching... I'm trusting... and I'll be praying.  John's leaving this one entirely up to me and I love that he is so okay with whatever decision I make.  In the end it will be his opinion that is valued more highly than any other for this is a road we enjoy traveling together.

I had wanted to share a lot more about the title of this post.  But suffice to say this is enough for one night.  It will continue to all come together and of this I have no doubt.  And there still is little time for catching my breath as now the club dog show sits there on the horizon - just a few days away! The need is strong to block out the months of July and August... it is stronger still to remember NONE of this is all about me but it is about ALL things Brittany.  The simple pleasure of a muddy wet dog jumping up to greet me after he/she has been frog hunting is one I long for, the driveby looks of another who has no time to say hello/goodbye as they're on a mission only God knows what for, tossing a blanket on the ground to lay down and look up to the sky as the whirrrring of running dogs passes my head, the checking in of a pupster who's gone out of sight only briefly - and on and on and on.  This is where I want to be and what I want to be doing in the weeks to come.  Does a puppy fit into the scenery? I'm thinking it does.  For all the right reasons. I know I'm not the only one with a uncertainty - there are a few others pondering similar questions, and those who are waiting to hear from me about it.

I"m not making sense and I just tipped my head down and snapped my neck as I'm writing... I think I better call it a day before it is tomorrow's yesterday!  Here is the best way I have to explain how I'm feeling about this year and so many of 'you' which is found in Philippians 1:3 "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you..."  And that's the truth and I'm stickin' to it!  Take care and God bless, John, Ann and All Things Brittany (No spell check too tired!)