Here's your sign

This morning while walking the spring break crowd of dogs for one of the last times, I was feeling completely exhausted.  I was mentally and physically drained.  My feet felt heavy, my arms were tired and my shoulders felt like they were carrying the weight of a 200 pound mastiff!  I will say that this particular group of dogs have been a pleasure to keep.  I worked the small dog end leaving By to deal with all the big ones.  No one showed any sign of stress (aka diarrhea)   which I was grateful for.  However, even with a good group of dogs, anytime you are caring for 60+ there are some stress factors.  The barking alone is enough to drive you crazy.  Then there is the worry of "did cuddles eat"?  "Did I remember to give Lou his 3:00 meds", did that dog tunnel under the fence?   Those kind of things.

 I had remained fairly positive but was beginning to tire by day number 9.  I drug myself out of bed, put on the same clothes that I am certain I have been wearing all week...Ewww, I know, please don't judge me, and I headed out to the kennel.  Maggie and Lou were already outside in the play pens (courtesy of Byron, who was fairly certain I wasn't going to make it out of bed this morning).  So i proceeded to walk the little guys.  Wrigley and Max first because they are always so loving and appreciative to be outside!  Then Jo-Jo...a pug who is a pure joy...usually!  This morning she decided to take her dear sweet time finding the perfect place to poo.  The sun was covered by clouds and my day started to fade as fast as the weather.  I was grumpy...really grumpy...and that is when it happened.   I felt the first few raindrops and thought "perfect, lets just add a little water to make my day perfectly miserable".  I turned around and there it was!  The most perfect rainbow, looking like it started on the south edge of our property and ended on the north, bright and beautiful lining the western sky.    It was almost as if God just wrapped his arms around me and said...I got this!  Tears came flooding and with leash in hand I stretched my tired, weary and now wet arms towards heaven and just said the most simple and sincere words I know," thank you Lord".  In that MoMent, nothing else seemed to matter.  My aches and pains seemed less and my shoulders felt as though that "mastiff" had been lifted.  I ran as fast as I could, and those of you who know me know, that isn't very fast, to the garage to retrieve a camera.  I had broken the number one rule of dog walking this morning by not having my cell phone on my person!  Please don't tell the "boss"!  I wanted so badly to take a picture of that rainbow to share with you all.  When I got back, it was gone all except for a faint hint of color.  It was as if God wanted that sign just for me.  A connection to him.  I got the message loud and clear!  I finished my dog walks in the rain and somehow it just didn't seem to bother me.  I was sure to thank each and every dog for being good and cooperative this week.  Somehow they knew too.  After all it has been said the only two beings that will love you completely and without reservation is God and...God spelled backwards...Dog!  

Happy April everyone!  Enjoy the renewal that the good Lord has given us!