Two Incredible Dogs.

Today, Cricket and I were walking along the sidewalk. I heard construction up ahead and trusted that Cricket would do what needed to be done. She didn't miss a beat and weaved off the sidewalk, around a parking strip and then back on to her line of travel on the sidewalk around the construction. As one of the workers said, that was amazing! I was so proud of her and happy that I had a yummy treat in my pocket. She nailed it and she knew it. Super awesome. (The picture below is with my two guides the night before Pantera died. She was very ill and in this moment I was trying to put into words how much I loved them. I think they knew.)

This morning on the ellyptical, I cried listening to the reports about the latest tornado and the impact on so many lives. I reflected back to a day in August 1999, Kendall, Pantera and I had taken the bus to SLC to go to the mall. It started out such a beautiful day. We left Kendall in a toy store and were going to go nearby to an ATM. Pantera did not want to leave Kendall. I had to tell her he was fine :) and we would be right back. I thought it was a bit odd but carried on. Little did I know what she was feeling. We walked outside and crossed the street to the ATM. As we went back outside, it was super dark and had that ominious feel. No one was crossing the street except for me and Pantera! I had to get back to my son and Pantera knew it. I will never forget the group huddled by the doorway and Pantera and I moving past them and crossing the street. To make a long story short ... we were in the midst of the rare tornado in Utah. Pantera crossed that street as focused as she had ever been knowing that we needed to get to Kendall. Pantera calmed once we were back with Kendall and in the basement of the mall where they had ushered all the people. We spent seveal hours downtown unable for Steve to get to us or us to get out.

Just two stories about two incredible dogs.