About 11 years ago, right before Christmas, my friend asked me to go to an adoption event at the Subaru dealership where her husband worked. They had three little dogs, and she wanted to get their picture taken with Santa. Her husband strictly forbade her to adopt another dog, and I was supposed to be there to make sure they came with three and went home with three. After her boys got their picture with Santa, we strolled over to "just look" at the adoptable dogs. Her husband was a little nervous. And since he worked at the car dealership, everyone knew who we were and knew she wasn't supposed to get another dog!
Well, she didn't. But, this 3-year old, chihuahua mix caught my eye. She was wearing a pink and green striped sweater, and for all the barking and commotion was just sitting in her kennel, looking around like "what is all this nonsense?". I sent my mom a pic and said "What if I brought home this little girl at Christmas?". My mom said I was nuts. My friend said, "We should go before I get one of these pups and my husband leaves me". As we were walking out, one of the volunteers caught us and seemed surprised (with 3 dogs with us!) neither of us had adopted one. I said, and I'm still not even sure why, "well, there was one sweet girl, but I can't". He asked which one, and when I told him, he said, "Oh come on! At least hold her, you never know unless you hold them!". So back in we went.
The second she was in my arms, I looked at my friend and we both burst into happy tears. I adopted her on the spot. I was in a state of shock, I didn't have a kennel or anything! The rescue group was awesome though, and they let me take everything they could - kennel, food, coupons for a vet visit, even her little sweater and blanket. We walked back over to take her picture with Santa, my present!, and my friend's husband looked at her, and said, "what did you do?!". We had to explain very fast, that no, this one was mine. And she was! I named her Maggie, and we had six awesome years together before she passed unexpectedly from a spider bite. Oh, and PS, my mom was actually thrilled with her, and didn't mind at all that she had "one more guest" that first Christmas.
RIVERSIDE, CA
