Walter

Have I said how much j'adore this dog?  I love him so much I gave him his own page up top.  That's big.  So, yes, Brent and I are dog people.  I don't expect to feel the same way about Walter once we have real children, but for now he's our little "filler" baby.  He keeps my maternal urges at bay, and that makes Brent happy.

We got Walter in July of 2009.  He's a vizsla mix from a shelter in Tennessee. 

the day we brought Walter home

he was very tired

We bonded immediately, but didn't really get obsessed till the incident.

In late August we had some friends over for dinner. As people were saying goodbye, Walter slipped out a door, ran for the road, and was hit by a pick-up truck. I didn't see it, but was told he was hit really hard and dragged 20 feet. His leg was pinned under the car, but as soon as it backed up, he bolted. I've read since that many dogs instinctively react that way- maybe to escape something that might hurt them again. That night, we spent hours and hours walking/driving around calling out his name. We did it again in the morning, and that next night. I put up flyers and Brent called every shelter/vet nearby. I really thought it was a lost cause. I was torn between grieving for our little guy, and worrying sick that he might still be out there in pain and scared. My family was awesome, bringing dinner and helping us put up signs and search for Walter.  The night he ran away, we put his bed on our porch hoping the smell would bring him back. Two days later, Brent and I heard a sound out front. I went downstairs, and there was Walter, just laying on his bed! It was truly a miracle. We took him to the vet right away, expecting the worst. His back leg was swollen to twice its size and and the whole things was one big open wound. But, amazingly enough, there were no broken bones. We were so thankful God heard our prayers and brought him home in one piece!

the morning Walter came home

 Now honestly, how could anyone resist this guy?

When we started looking for opportunities abroad, we made sure to find a destination that would allow us to bring Walter.  The Caymans have a pretty long list of regulations including shots, blood tests, exams, and microchips.  It's a 6 month process, so we wont be able to bring him till January 2011.  We are so thankful for Brent's parents who will watch him till we are home for Christmas.  I can't wait to see what Walter thinks of the ocean!