So, here we are!!! and pretty much this photo explains the whole reason!!! It's Spring graduation and there are many wonderful teams that will celebrate their success.....
But one puppy in mind!!!! is Rylie!!!! for among all the dogs.... she is the special one for Mom and all of us!!!! Rylie certainly isn't this cute baby anymore, but Mom can remember when she looked just like this!!!!
But, I should start the day with the beginning. So, we met up with all the other puppy folks and traveled down together. Now, Linda K is an amazing cook and she offered to make lunch for all the humans.... when they got to graduation... they had what Mom called a "tailgate party"......
It was pretty cold and windy, but everyone just bundled up and stood in the sunshine and ate Linda's wonderful lunch. Course none of us puppies had any of it, but I will say... it sure smelled yummy.....
Dave and Lee even dropped by to see what we were up to - out there in the parking lot - and were invited to join..... you never know what sort of fun Mom and the other puppy raisers are going to have!!!! I love it when the group gets together!!! the mood is always so jolly and happy!!!!
Abbie came with us to graduation and she was so very excited about the idea of seeing Rylie again. She and Rylie were very close when they were together on the farm, and it's been almost a year since they have seen each other. Abbie had all sorts of stories to share with everyone about her and Ry and how she couldn't wait to see her again.
Linda S (the chapter leader) makes this "badges" for each of the puppy raisers at graduation time. She even made one for Abbie and Abbie was so excited to have one. She kept saying that she helped to train Rylie and told everyone that would listen.
After the tail gate party, we all went inside to wait for the meet and greet. This event happens before graduation and it gives the puppy raisers a chance to see their puppies once again and meet the new partners. By now Mom was getting pretty excited too.... I had meet Rylie back when I was a little puppy, but I began to feel a bit unsure about all of this, hoping that I wouldn't be forgotten... and Abbie told me.. all was fine.....
They lead us to this big room, and there were all the graduates... most of them looking for the puppy raisers... and then... there was Rylie and her new Mom.. Abbie couldn't wait to give Rylie's "baby book" to her Mom and she was very excited to get it.....
It took Rylie a few moments to realize that Mom was there... but once she did, there were many kisses... and as you can tell, Mom was pretty excited to see her once again.
Even though so much time has passed, so much training has been done, and new adventures always await... puppies never forget their people!!!! Mom says this is "what it's all about"... raising good puppies, sharing all she can with them, and passing them on... to do the good work that they are destined to do. Which means... there will come a day when all this will happen to me.... sometimes it seems a little scary, but Mom says that we take it all one step at a time, and each thing will happen as it needs to.....
The time together seems so short, but many stories are shared, and Mom says it's just so nice to see that Rylie is happy and loves doing the job that she does. Mom says that she can now "stop worrying" and continue with her part of the job......(though she wasn't really worried...)
Abbie gives that one last hug... the time is complete, and this puppy chapter has come to it's close for us... and it's opening for the new..... it's what the puppy raisers do.
But Mom wasn't the only puppy raiser that Rylie had. Once she went into advance training in the prison, she had a weekend raiser.. and that was Mae. Mom and Mae knew each other, so Mae always sent "Rylie reports" to Mom when she had her. Mom said that made her so happy to get these little reports and she hopes that maybe, when I go to advance training... maybe Mae will be my weekend raiser (though that probably won't be the case..but they can dream!!!)
Then it was time for the graduation ceremony.... there were a lot of people there and there was a lot of excitement... people like to talk about all the dogs, and ask questions about the puppies.... Mom loves to talk about us!!!
And here's Rylie's class....... everyone up on the stage...
Mom cried when it was Rylie's turn on the stage.... and then she hugged me and said..."Debbie, it's all about getting a red vest!!! that's the goal!!!" (oh my, I hope I get a red vest one day!!!)
But for now, I wear blue... and continue to practice all the good manners Mom has taught ( like laying quietly threw the graduation)
It was a fun, busy day... we had treats afterwards.... Abbie gave me lots of love and said that she loves me as much as she loved Rylie....
And you know, I love her right back..... these are special days... I am a special dog....
and that's a "day with Debbie"....
