**June 5th, 2012**
Hello World, all of my fans and my favorite kinders!
Today Jewel asked me if I wanted to go for a car ride and see some very special kids ... You don't have to ask me twice if "I want to go" and "see kids." I could feel a sense of a big surprise and I knew I was going to be part of it!
If you remember last fall on November 4th, 7 months ago almost to the day, I got to meet Pat Mill's and her very special kindergarteners at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Catholic School. The class participates in "Care for God's
Creation," an all-year social justice project. Every Friday is Quarter Day! and
the students bring in a quarter for a charity that benefits homeless animals and they were helping ME!!! When I saw them last year I couldn't hardly walk ... well, fans ... things have changed ...
So, it was going to be a surprise for the kids. They were going to go to the park and see the ice cream man (whoa, did you say ice cream?) and then I was going to show up. Pat says the kids ask about me all the time. Now how exciting is that? Brooke showed up and off we went.
We finally got to the park where the kids were playing and having ice cream. I couldn't wait to see them ... OK, they were a long way off, so I had to stop and rest for just a moment.
Well, the kids saw me and it was a sea of kids running toward me and I was surrounded with kids and ICE CREAM!
Jewel even made an exception and the kinders got to give me treats (little pieces of milk bones, even though I was hoping for ICE CREAM). I was in heaven! After lots and lots of pets and doggy kisses, Jewel gave the kids an update on my progress. They couldn't believe how "slim" I am and how I can walk. Jewel told them that I may never be a normal dog, and that over 5 doctors have looked at the x-rays and examined me and that there is no surgery that will fix me and that I am not in pain. They are amazed I have come so far ... losing over 50 pounds and now walking over 1/2 mile every day to the creek and back ... in just 10 months! And that I couldn't have done it without them and the love of so many others!
The kids presented me with more quarters to help with my medical bills and also a folder of drawings and special words just TO ME from each of them. I couldn't figure out why the girls had tears in their eyes, but it was tears of JOY!
And then before we knew it, the kids had to go and they were on their way back to school. I could have hung out with them all day! I didn't want them to go! I'm hoping their first grade teacher next year will let me come and visit them!
After they were out sight and safely on their way, I caught the scent of FOOD, so I stopped to sniff and caught up with one of Jewel's other dogs. Chloe ... (watch me go in the video below)...
And then it was time to go, back to the car, and to my new life with Jewel and the rest of her pack. What a special day! And don't you know, my last weigh in I was a SLIM 84 pounds!
What a lucky dog I am ... I love my life and everyone in it!
Until we meet again (soon),
~ Summer
