Izzy + Me = True Love

I forgot to show you the card Izzy gave me for Mother's Day. Wasn't that sweet of her?! And inside it says "I'm so glad you found me and made me your 'baby'! Awww.

The story goes that I found Izzy on Craigslist. As a self-admitted Craigslist Junkie I turned there when I started my search for a little dog. Tule and Piper are wonderful doggy friends but they are big-time shedders and Emma is very allergic, so they spend a lot of time outdoors and only inhabit our mudroom area when they're in the house and at night. I wanted Emma to have a pet she could hug, and I wanted someone who could keep me company while I work and putz around the house during the day. I quietly started my search for a snuggy, tiny, hypoallergenic dog. I wanted it to be a rescued dog (I selfishly enjoy rescuing things). I searched humane society listings all over Montana and eastern Washington, and I checked Craigslist every day. 

There were a few contenders, but not many little dogs make it into shelters. Mostly they are filled with large breeds (a lot of Pitbulls, Cattle dogs and black Labs). I felt sad that I couldn't take them all home with me. Then one day I looked on Craigslist and there was a listing for a Yorkie, 5 mos old. Her people were moving and needed to find a home for her. I emailed right away. A guy called me and we agreed to meet in the REI parking lot. I would take her for a few hours to see what I thought. 

I emailed Gary these words "If I tell you something do you promise not to get mad?" It's a line from the movie "She's Having a Baby" (John Hughes, circa 1988) we occasionally recite to each other. He called to find out what the heck I was up to. He promised not to get mad, so I told him that I was "test driving" a puppy, which made him sigh heavily and note that no one actually returns a puppy once they take it for a test drive.

It turns out he was right. Izzy came home with the girls and I in the car that afternoon in early December 2011 and she never left. My family teases me that she is the third daughter that I always kinda wanted but we never had. I remember even thinking that if I had a third girl I might name her Izzy . . . it's a sign that we were meant to be together.