NOTE: This post was written before today’s events in London, but there’s an odd, personal connection for me, here. When 9/11 happened, we’d only had Chappy about two weeks. Our office closed early, and I went home and spent most of the afternoon sitting on the floor, staring at the news on TV and letting little puppy-Chappy coax smiles as he romped and played, oblivious to the horrors on the screen. But, Mom, Chappy and I also took a walk up the street (well, she and I walked, he got carried since he hadn’t had all his shots yet) and there we stood, watching the enormous, miles-long plume of smoke stretch across the horizon. The World Trade Center had been visible way off in the distance.

Having Chappy around being his cute, baby self–completely unconcerned with the scary events of the day–was the only thing that made that day bearable for me. And now, this horrible event has happened on his birthday–another day when we are all, again, confronted with horror and death on the television. In amidst all the grief and anger and compassion on behalf of those in, or with loved ones in, London–I am thankful yet again for the bundle of uncomplicated joy running around my life in a fur suit. I just hope there are just as many sweet, children, cats, and dogs in England as there were here that day, to provide some emotional relief from this senseless act. It’s important to have something to remind you to smile, even when–especially when–surrounded by terror.

My little puppy is in fact four years old, today. I can’t believe it.

So, brace yourself. Cute pictures and motherly-gushing coming up.

So . . . four years ago today. July 7, 2001. Here’s Chappy, his 4-legged mother, and a handful of brothers and sister. (One girl puppy; the rest boys.) Sometimes it amazes me how much Chappy’s face looks like his Mom’s.

A few weeks later–I’m not sure, but I think Chappy’s the one in the back on the right . . . but they’re all adorable, so does it really matter? (Well, yes, to me!) But my gracious, these puppies had just the cutest faces. The day we picked Chappy up? Seven little heads popped up with these round, little, interested brown faces . . . God, so adorable.

Five weeks old; the day I actually met the puppies. Again, I know that all the puppies in a pile of chocolate brown puppies all look alike, but I believe this is my little guy. The fur texture is right, and he slept on his back like this almost all the time when I first brought him home. Still does, for that matter.

Three months old . . . how could you not love this face? (grin)

Almost the same spot, almost the same pose, but when he was almost a year old–much more grown-up!

Chappy’s parents, Buddy (his dad, on the left), and Tawney (Mom, on the right). They create sweet and beautiful puppies together.

• Tags: Chappy, Family, General • Permalink:Chappy’s HOW old?? //