Today, my babies, my twins (my dogs) are three years old.

It is still hard to believe it’s been 3 years. I remember the day we brought both of them home. We had talked about a dog. My husband came from a family of German Shepherds. Well at that time, I could not find one for less than $500. So I continued the search. My co-worker brought a picture of Zoey to work. She stated her daughter was managing a rescue shelter and had 2 adult dogs (to be adopted) and 6 puppies. So I told her I would come by to look at her.

A couple of days later I asked my hubby to meet me at Zaxby’s so we could carpool. He had no idea we were going to look at the puppies. I told him as we parked in the driveway. By this time there were only 3 left and there she was. So cute and furry. I wanted her. We took her out and she was surveying her surroundings. I couldn’t resist. She would be mine and I would call her Zoey.

My hubby says, “Well, do you want her?” I was still unsure. We were not prepared – no leash, no dog food, no kennel, no nothing. But I wanted this puppy and he knew it. We explained that to the daughter. She informed us that if it did not work out we could bring her back. (We found out weeks later that someone did return one from the litter).

So we were set to leave. Hubby says, “Hey there’s another one that looks just like her.” I look, and she looked so sad. He says, “We can’t leave her. They’ve been together and she looks like the runt of the litter.” I’m looking at him, totally confused and thinking – we are so not prepared. Two puppies? Who does that? WE DID! We brought both of them home. I was thinking we would name the little one Zena…you know twins…Zoey – Zena. By the time we got home, he had already name the other Stormy. I couldn’t take that from him. Besides, he had no idea we were even looking at puppies, let alone bringing home two.

The past 3 years have brought both joy and frustration to our lives. From puppy pads to chewed shoes to digging. Hubby even cancelled an interview in South Florida because Zoey got sick. They are our family. Our twins. They travel with us when we go home to GA and when hubby leaves for work they take his side of the bed.

I realized a year or so later that my eagerness to have dogs stemmed from the notion, the idea, and the possibility that we might not have kids. March 30, 2011 was one year post chemo, radiation, and the 5-year tamoxifen prescription. Since my breast cancer was estrogen positive, pregnancy was not recommended. At that time, I had been wrestling with this urge to be nurturing and a caregiver – a mother. These puppies provided me with that opportunity. Although I did not “birth” them, they provided a small piece of  fabric I needed to patch a huge void. Three years later, the likelihood of children has gotten even smaller. And I am good with that. My twins will forever be my “babies”. Hubby has always said: “I did not  marry you to have kids.” Priceless and timeless. I am grateful.