Sheep, Wool & Puppy

For Mother's Day I got breakfast in bed from my dear children.  There is nothing like a breakfast made by your children to really appreciate the gift of love.  It doesn't matter what they make, but they give love with their food. I love that they all try so hard to show me that they love me.  It is so dear.  I am so grateful for my lovely children.  The hugs, kisses and cards & food are a blessing as are each one of them.
     After breakfast we traveled to Maryland to the Howard County Fairgrounds to the Sheep & Wool Festival.  I now love going to these craft festivals because my mother dragged me to them constantly as a child.  I of course HATED them when I was a child, but now I appreciate them for the variety of handcrafted items available.  My children seem to love these festivals, but it is probably due to the food!  With kettle corn, lamb-burgers, lamb sausage, lamb BBQ, Goat cheese, and funnel cakes,  what's not to love ??!!
     I took the opportunity to get maple syrup, soap and a fireplace broom.  Isn't it great what you can get at these things?
     To make the day extra special, we spent it with my in-laws.  It is so nice that the kids get the opportunity to spend time with their grandparents.    Dixie also came along.  She was SO GOOD!  She did a good job of maintaining attention with me and also avoiding distractions.  She got to practice LOTS of "People Greets".  This was our first venture into a BIG area with her and she was great!  She didn't mind the crowds or the animals.  We met raisers from 3 other areas and one even knew her sisters that are in Richmond being raised.
 I would have pictures to share from the day, but the 3; YES 3! people that I asked to take pictures, did not take any!!!!
Ummm, seriously?  Baby in front pack, dog leash in hands, alternating turns pushing stroller, must I also take the pictures?

New Family member

Today we met our puppy Dixie.  She will one day hopefully be a guide dog for the blind.  We will do our best to prepare her and love her.  She is 15 weeks old and a lot of fun.  She is so obedient.  A credit to the puppy raiser who was handling her before us.  She obeys the commands to sit, stay, heel, [lie] down, come, follow, [go to] kennel, and out [drop]. She is working on "close" which is a command to teach her to get close to the handler [me] and between my legs when I am sitting.  This will be a common position for a guiding dog when riding anywhere or sitting with her blind person.  There is so much to teach her, but mostly we just need to love her.  That is easy with 5 children around.

     Wow! I am a little tired from this rascal and so is she!! She is so friendly and fun.  I am looking forward to learning a lot with her.  The sweetest moment of my day came when all the rest of the family was away in bed.  Dixie desperately wanted to get next to me on the couch.  This is a HUGE no no for a guide dog, absolutely no getting on the furniture.  I  got down on the floor to be with her and the not so little bundle of sweetness got into my lap and fell asleep.  She snored as only a puppy can, and I was grateful to have a dog in my arms again.