Day 4 - The Day I Brought Her Home

I'm on a scanned-in pictures kick for now. :)

This is my sweet puppy dog, Neema on the day I brought her home. Look at that sweet face! I remember how soft she was.

Neema (which is a Swahili word meaning 'grace') was a gift to me from my brother and sister-in-law. She was a 'you graduated from vet school and moved to a place where you know no one!' kind of gift. She has been my constant companion for over 8 years.

I moved to VA in July of 2002 - Neema came to live with me in August. From the moment I got her, she went everywhere I did. I remember stopping at the rest station on the drive from East TN to here and taking her in the restroom stall with me. :)

She went with me to work everyday. She went to church with me (staying in the car, of course), she went to the grocery store, to Wal-Mart, and she went with me on farm calls. She was my company on lonely nights and my main reason for getting outside to play. She needed to play a LOT when she was younger.

Since my husband works from home now, most days she stays with him so he can get her outside and play with her. But there are days she is adamant she is going with me. She gets between me and the door.

She's a great dog and was one of my favorite photography subjects as I was learning. This will not be the last picture you see of her, but it is the first one I ever took of her.

They grow up so fast.