Happy 'Gotcha Day' Asher Noam!

Asher (Hebrew):  Lucky, Blessed, Happy

Noam (Hebrew): Sweet Friend

Eight years ago today, on May 6, 2002, our lives became a lot more crazy. And a lot richer.

Happy 'Gotcha Day' to our dear Asher!

This is a set of photos from the part of his puppyhood spent with his foster mom, Jean, and Wheaten sister, Zoe. (Asher is on the left.)

Here he is with his foster mom, Jean, to whom we continue to have incredible gratitude for helping to save Asher's life and bring him into ours. She worked closely with the mommy of our other Wheaten, Winnie, to make the adoption happen.

It is still hard to believe that at eight months of age someone surrendered this little guy.  Jean nurtured him and loved him until we rescued him at 10 months of age.  In the meantime, we all changed his name! His name was Sturgis (Yuck!) when he was surrendered. Then, at Jean's it was Murphy. And when he came to me, I knew his name would be Asher.

When we look at these photos of Asher at eight months of age, we smile because all of his mannerisms are still the same: The way he sits and waits at the door, the way he finds a place to lie under chairs in order to get the shade, the way he runs, the way he walks, the way he waits for a treat.  

He probably spends more time plunked down under a chair (as he is in the photo above) now that he is almost nine than he did at eight months of age, but for the most part he still acts a lot like that same puppy we brought home eight years ago today.  We are constantly asked: Is that a puppy? 

When we brought Asher into our lives, I was very, very sick.  We had a couple of these very pictures printed on a little piece of paper. I would lie in bed and look at the photos waiting for this new little light to come into my life. I spent hours thinking about names.

Mom took a huge leap of faith to bring another dog into our home in the midst what was already going on with my health.

Yes, we have had our challenges with Asher over the years.  And sometimes it has been really tough.

But at the end of the day, it is always him that makes us smile or laugh.  Some days he is the very thing that keeps us from going through a day without a laugh or a smile.  

 I'm with Asher 24 hours a day.  Many days I snuggle up to him and say: I don't know how I could have gotten through these years without you.

So, Happy Gotcha Day to our Sweet Friend (who is sound asleep and snoring next to me on the bed). I hope we get to celebrate a LOT more of these days together!

Blessings,

Emily

Photos:  Asher during his time with Jean in 2002.