A 'pet' on the back

Happy Thursday, everyone! Did you know that April is National Pet Month? Well, it is, and now you know. So for today's post, I thought I'd pay homage to all four of my furry, little rascals.

Here it goes:

THANK YOU...

*in birth order*

Rocco

For helping me define the word, 'dog'.

For serving as fearless protector, or at least pretending to do so.

For being 'man's best friend'.

For burrowing your boxy head in any crevasse you can manage.

For treating the garbage can like your own, personal buffet.

For your cute nose smudges on the door.

For despising bath time.
For enjoying a good bum scratch.

For getting into, and causing all kinds of trouble.

For your relentless, high-pitched whining.

For your eagerness to clean up my kitchen messes.

For your soulful, expressive eyes... and brows.

For being my 'Valentine'.

For never grasping the meaning of 'personal space'.

For lifting your leg on my car tires when they're looking a bit dusty. 

For fearing the vacuum cleaner, and for giving me a reason to use it more often. 

For your willingness to eat anything. 

For still knowing and performing all of the tricks I taught you as a pup.

For the long, shoe-string-like drool that happens on both sides of your mouth when you want a bite of my dinner.

For watching Animal Planet with me.
For comforting me when I need it most.
For loving car rides.

For joy romping through the field once in a while, even though you know you'll get in trouble when you come back.

And for making me laugh.

Callie

For being my shadow and gal pal from day one.

For your ceaseless tail wagging.

 For your deep-rooted need to lean on, cuddle and be close to me.
For that weird tap dancing thing you do with your front paws when you get really excited.

For finding your 'happy place' in water.

For freakishly loving your big, fluffy, floppy ears rubbed, and for frantically moaning when I do so.

For being an old soul.
For making me smile.

For acting like a frisky, wild lunatic when I blow in your face.

For your chronic panting.

For your wet, jet-black nose.

For all of your little doggie kisses and 'hugs'.

For loving no other dog but Rocco.

For always retrieving when we play fetch.

For bolting every time I try to 'dress you up' with a bandanna, even though you look so cute in them. 

For helping us save money by trusting me to groom you myself.

For giving me more motivation to exercise.

For never eating your own poop.

For being scared of the basement.

For getting car sick, but rarely on the seats. 

For knowing when you've done something wrong.

For being such a sweet heart.

For trusting me, unconditionally.

And for never taking life too seriously, and reminding me to do the same.

Ruby

For keeping all nine of your lives in tact, thus far.

For giving me a reason to appreciate the show, 'My Cat from Hell'.

For your awesome reflexes and gracefulness.

For always greeting me at the door.

For your your sweet, spontaneous moments of pure kitty love.

For adoring the doodles. 

For purring for no reason. 

For absolutely hating trips to the vet.

For occupying the guest room.

For never trying to eat Durdy, not once.

For being the cutest abandoned barn kitten in the history cute, abandoned barn kittens.

For being able to sleep anywhere, in any position, at any time.  

For loving laser pointers, tuna fish and window sills.

And for killing mice, but not birds.

Durdy

For bringing me back to my childhood, and reminding me why I love your kind.

For being an outside pet.

For giving me a reason to buy more vegetables.

For your sweet temperament and quirkiness

For your little, floppy gray ears.

And for your comedic, twitchy, Groucho Marx-like nose.