As Children, What a Guide Dog means ...

Natalie and Kendall were 12 and 10 when I received my first guide, Pantera. Adam joined our family shortly after I received Cricket.

From Natalie : Having a guide dog in our family has meant a worry-free life. It has made our family more 'normal'. I honestly don't worry about my mom, I can drop her off at the airport and pull away from the curb, knowing that she'll find her way safely to the gate. I can meet my mom for lunch and know that she'll navigate through crowds just fine. I feel like my mom is able to be who she wants to be because of the dog.

From Kendall: It is great that my mom has freedom and confidence thanks to a guide dog. She doesn't walk into stop signs anymore :D.

From Adam (married to Natalie):
I married into this guide dog family, which means I came late in the game, and was frankly ignorant about what it meant to have a guide dog. However the learning curve is small, and with patience from my wife and her family in answering many questions, I now have a greater understanding and feel a small connection to Cricket. Having a guide dog in the family means watching a miracle. I tend to watch Cricket work more than I watch my own surroundings when I walk. I watch Cricket be the eyes of someone else, but more so, I watch my mother-in-law be braver and more resilient than anyone I have ever known. This I know for certain, a guide dog means always been licked when the dog is off harness, it means listening to people talk about Cricket as I walk through the mall, and it means being a better person for having joined the family.