Introducing Parsley!

Hello, lovely readers.

Over the past few months I have been chasing my tail attempting to adopt a dog. Endless piles of paperwork, month long games of phone tag, joy, disappointment, more disappointment, three zipcar rentals and about $500 later, I am finally a doggie momma.

Yesterday I drove in the rain (and got lost in Yonkers) to adopt the beautiful Parsley you see below. I found her on petfinder.com at the Elmsford Animal Shelter in Westchester County, New York, and I loved her from the first moment I saw her.

Parsley, previously named Chantelle (but she didn't respond to her name, so I figured it was okay to change it. Judge me not!), has been a complete angel since arriving at our apartment yesterday afternoon. She was mellow and quiet in the car, which I know can be stressful to a dog that's been shipped around from shelter to shelter. She's only had one accident in the house since arriving. I know no one likes to clean up dog mess, but it is completely natural for a dog to want to mark a new space, and the confusion of the move would probably make me pee on the rug, too. Most amazingly, she seems to love us unconditionally even though we just met this weekend. She cuddles up to us and follows us from room to room, and she seems to trust us completely. I was pretty shocked that she didn't put up any fuss when I lifted her into the crate in the car. She hasn't begged at mealtimes, she doesn't jump on the furniture, she is great on the leash, she smiles politely, she hasn't barked (although she howled once while the feller was in the shower this morning; here's hoping separation anxiety doesn't result in all day howling), and she lets us hug and kiss her all over.

I think, thus far, she is a testament to the joy a shelter dog can bring to one's life. I adopted a dog that seemed unwanted, but has already exceeded my expectations. I have had a permasmile on all day, and I think that's definitely worth more than any price tag. I also just feel great knowing I helped an animal.

I've got her first vet check up booked for this weekend so we can make sure she's fit as a fiddle, and I need to call a dog walker to break up her days while I'm at work. I got her a sweater to wear in the cold weather tomorrow.

I know she's not a craft or a DIY project, but I think I might blog about her training and acclimation to life in her new home on here, because family and home is what DIY is all about to me, and she's family and she's helping to make my rental apartment become a home.

Here she is, world.Here's Parsley!

-Bea