The Greatest Gift He Ever Gave

The Cowboy & our Minnie

About 4 or 5 years ago the Cowboy and I were on a couples retreat in Red River, NM with some other couples from our church.  Good times of learning, laughter, sharing & a little 4 wheeler riding in the mountains.  One night we were playing a game like the Newly Weds game only none of us were Newly Wed.  Ha!  The women were asked to leave while the men answered questions to how they thought we would answer.  I remember as if it happened yesterday the look on the Cowboys face when I was asked 

"What is the greatest gift Kenny ever gave you?"

and I answered without having to even think,

"Minnie, my dog."

Well his face fell & he closed his eyes.  I'm not sure if it was simply because I didn't answer the way he thought I would or because he didn't think that was the greatest thing he had ever given me. Or maybe because he is the ultimate competitor and hates not winning.

He had answered "Her engagement/wedding ring."

In all fairness it was & still is a great gift. A symbol of our unending love & commitment.  It also cost more than anything else he has ever given me but I guess my mind doesn't work like that.

You see I fell in love with Minnie from the first moment I saw her when she was just a couple of days old.  I had been waiting for her mom Jada to give birth as anxious as our best friends Glenna & Johnny were.  Kenny & I were leaving for our sons wedding & sure enough she had the puppies while we were gone.  Minnie was the runt of the litter and the cutest lil ball of fur!!  It took me 2 weeks before I could get Kenny to go over and even look at her.  We decided when we had to move to town just to have my little yappy Chihuahuas & my cow dogs had gone back to the ranch with my parents.  Well I was wanting a BIG dog again.  I kept reasoning we had a nice big yard & one boxer wouldn't take up much room in the house.  (5 boxers later.....  you can't have just one!)  Even after seeing her he kept saying NO. 

 Of course little did HE know Glenna had called me the day after I finally got him to go see her and said he had talked to Johnny and we were getting her.  I've kept that a secret all these years but I guess when he reads this he'll know the jig is up! Sorry Honey.  

A couple of weeks later he said he had to go to the office on a Sunday to check on some things and came back with a bag of Puppy Chow and our precious little Minnie.  She became OUR child.  It's is hard to put into words but I do not have any children of mine or our own.  I LOVE being a step mother and raised 2 of my step kids.  But Minnie became the child we never had together.  Our life and our relationship with each other has been changed forever.

I don't think when I answered that question that either of us really thought about what a gift she really was to either of us.  She taught us an unconditional love & loyalty we have often lacked in giving each other.  I don't know of any material thing in this world that can show that kind of love.

So, yes Cowboy the Greatest Gift you ever gave me was Minnie.  

Happy 21st Anniversary to That Man I Love.

"Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole."