The Dream

In a land ... (only kidding)

Months ago, I'd have to check my journal when exactly, I had this dream that Tracy and I got a new puppy. She was a mostly white sheltie (not a dog I've ever really thought about). In the dream Tracy adamantly insisted we name the puppy after actor Angelina Jolie (definitely a dream thing; we both like Angelina Jolie but she's not a "thing" to either of us). In the dream, Jolie was the greatest puppy. I loved her so much and she was so smart and listened so well. There was one part in were she ran across a highway and I ran after her, grabbed her, and carried her to the other side. I held her, panicked with my heart beating. After she and Dillan slept in a small room together.

Spring

On Saturday, March 13, 1999 (5 months to the day that Sophie died), Tracy, Brad and I went to Morris Animal Refuge to begin our puppy hunt. I had been bugging Tracy about getting a puppy and we decided we would start looking in the spring. I spotted this little white puppy first. She was so sweet and came right up the cage door, wagging her tail and licking my fingers. It was love at first site. There was an "adopted" sign on her cage but I wanted her. I looked at other puppies and dogs. They were all big or mean. Tracy and I then filled out the necessary paper work to get approved to adopt. It would take a few days.

Adopting

The following Tuesday, we got approval to adopt. I tried to make it to the shelter in the afternoon but they were closed by the time I got there. When Tracy, Vicky and I went the following day, the sweet, little white puppy was still there. I didn't even look at any other dogs. I wanted that puppy. I stayed by her cage and pet her. She was still so sweet. I started thinking that she shouldn't still be there. I threatened to break in and steal her. Instead, I decided to ask the guy at the front desk:

I said, Do adoptions ever fall through, because I'm really in love with that little white puppy.
Confused, he replied something like, None of our dogs are adopted right now.

My heart started to beat fast with the possibility. With some discussion, the people at the shelter realized that a guy had come in interested in her and was supposed to return with his roommate. He never returned and the "adopted" sign had been left on her cage. We took her out and she passed all the puppy tests. She was ours. And if I really believed it, I would be sure that she is Sophie reincarnate. Sophie did, after all, always think she was a dog.

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