Memories

A realization hit me like a ton of bricks this morning.
My mother has been gone for 10 years today.

I just felt like writing about her today, though I am not exactly sure where to start or what to say...

Some people may wonder how Dayl Phillip and I got connected. Well, my mother, Yvette, and Dayl were best friends in high school. They bonded over horses and therefore, I have known Dayl basically my whole life. I have very fond memories of my mom, Dayl and I all sitting in Dayl's computer room looking up Haflinger horse pedigrees, or riding through Dayl's cherry orchards on the horses, or driving the three hours just to see the new foals.

My dad loathed our trips to Dayls. Because we would end up bringing an animal home with us! My mom and I (and my brother for that matter) seemed to get into a lot of 'trouble' with Dayl... The last animal my mom brought home was a Cardigan puppy. Just a week or so before the car accident that took her life. Dayl had her first litter of Cardigans and I had previously said that I wanted to get out of showing horses and into showing dogs. I was so excited when my mom brought Auri home.

Auri ended up being my life preserver. My heart dog. I could go on and on about how special that girl is to me.

Dayl and I wonder out loud sometimes how many dogs my mom would have had... wonder if she would have gotten into dog showing/breeding or if she would have stuck to the horses... wonder what her 'kennel' name would have been... if she would have liked this puppy or that puppy... what stud dog she would have used with whichever bitch...

But, we know that she would have had fun. The dogs are such a large part of my life. I would have loved to share my passion for this breed with her. She loved animals. And she had a way with animals. I will always say that she was one of the most patient, kind, and generous people I have ever known.