Gracie At Four

Four years old at Mukilteo Beach

Today, Gracie is four years old.

She's had quite an interesting life, jetting across the country and throughout the Pacific Northwest, eventually settling into her forever home with me. Sometimes, I feel sad for her years of wandering; my heart aches with compassion for the confusion and longing that I imagine welled up inside of her as she was handed from one owner to the next.

But when I'm feeling a bit more sensible, I remind myself that this sad scenario is likely not true at all.

Because Gracie is not a delicate soul.

Three years old at the Kamiak play fields. 

In a word, Gracie is exuberant. 

She's always full of life and up for fun; eyes shining expectantly, tail swinging an easy, friendly wag. 

She's a woman of simple pleasures: food, walks, and rides in the car. 

And she loves her family.

Two and a half years old in my back yard. 

Keeping track of the six of us is a full time job for Gracie. 

When she first came to live with us, there were five of us living here under the same roof. 

In the eighteen months since then, two more daughters have moved out, and all three of them come and go in highly unpredictable ways. 

Gracie doesn't seem to mind. She's used to riding to the airport to pick up the one whose luggage smells like Asia, or road trip to Ohio to spend a week in another's new apartment, or wagging happily when the local daughter pops in for dinner. 

She seems to understand that we all belong together.

One year old on the horse farm in Oregon. 

After the first few months of frantically chasing them at every opportunity, Gracie has also adapted to living with cats. To be fair, the cats were calm all along because they're accustomed to living with big red shaggy dogs. But now they are all quite calm together, gently touching noses as they pass in the hall, snuggling up together on the couch, sharing treats with one another.

Yes, our cats love dog treats and Gracie, who has never met a food she didn't instantly adore, lives for cat treats. 

Four weeks old in Florida.

It's a joy to see Gracie out in the world. She's friendly and trustworthy with strangers, both those who enter our home and the people we meet on the streets.

Sometimes they stop and tell me that she looks like a shaggy red bear, and I totally agree.

Other people walk by, pretending not to notice us. But I see their smiles.

Gracie has that effect on people.

She's a bouncy, sweet, happy and devoted soul, and I'm thankful every day that she loves me.