Here Comes Milo

March 23rd is National Puppy Day. I thought it was only appropriate to celebrate this day and use this opportunity to share the journey of becoming a dog mom.

First of all, this is something that I knew that I wanted and something I also didn't think I wanted. I did not grow up with animals. I remember having fish but I also remember killing a fish or two (accidentally, of course). My dad was not a pet person and it was not brought up in our household. It was something we all quietly accepted and moved on.

Why Milo? Why invest in a puppy at the current phase of life that I am in?

It may seem silly to most people and completely unnecessary to others. But let me just explain to you why this was the most necessary thing for me in this current season. I liked the companionship of a dog. Or at least I liked the idea of the companionship. I don't think I'm the only one who searched dogs in the middle of the pandemic. I feel there are many pandemic puppies out there. The isolation and loneliness was real to many of us. This has been a hard season for many of us.

I think many of us can relate and resonate with this. We have done our best to work through this season and make the most of it. But it has been hard and we have lost so much and I think it is completely normal for us to acknowledge this and grieve it. This has been a long and lonely season for myself. I have come to realize sometimes even when you are in community, it doesn't mean loneliness cannot be felt. Because it is found in those moments when you are all alone all by yourself. You might thrive in being alone, but it doesn't mean the lonely moments don't come.

A dog was the sweetest thing to add into my life for this season. It was the very thing I needed. A gift from the Lord in the best way. But I actually had wanted this long before 2020. I have been a type 1 diabetic for about 7 years. It was around three years ago, that it became clear that something needed to change. I was having an extreme pattern of hypoglycemia ( or what is better known as low blood sugar levels). This pattern of lows made me more anxious than I have ever been since my initial diagnosis. I was getting at the point where I wasn't fully waking up in the middle of the night. Or sometimes I was--but it would be multiple times and I wasn't getting enough sleep. I was pretty terrified that I may not wake up. This was the time that I knew more needed to be done. I invited my closest friends to check in on me. I still had the continuous glucose monitor on me, but it was really hard. I was so anxious, scared, and exhausted.

I begin to explore the idea of a diabetic alert dog. Unfortunately, these dogs are very expensive to purchase. But it turns out if you buy the dog from another party, the training process is less expensive. And here comes Milo.

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.”

– Josh Billings

Milo is currently 8 months old. We are still on the road of progress regarding our training. He's seriously the sweetest pup you will ever meet. I feel my life is much sweeter with him in it. He loves to run...everywhere. He loves to say hi to you. It doesn't matter if you're an animal or human. And other people almost always want to meet him and gush over how cute he is. I mean, just look at him!

I knew that I wanted to be intentional about selecting his name. I wanted to pick a name because of its meaning. Instead of saving really cute names, I chose to begin with the meanings. I wanted a name that represented peace, protection, and friendly. I first noticed the name Miles, which means "soldier." As I continued to look up names, I discovered the name Milo. This was a rendition of Miles and it means "soft-hearted, merciful, and soldier." I actually had a long list of names and hadn't settled yet on one. I had hoped I would meet him and just know instantly. That's exactly what happened. When I went to the breeder to pick out my dog, he came straight to me and snuggled in my lap and fell asleep. He made the choice very easy. I knew this was going to my dog and decided Milo fit him perfectly.

The single dog mom life is not easy. Some days I wonder what I was thinking. Some days it feels like I have a 4 year old toddler instead of a dog. You never know how patient or gentle you are until you get a puppy. I never knew I had so much love in my heart to give away. I definitely did not know I would love a creature as much as I love this guy. My parents have even softened a little. Or at least they are very grateful Milo is in my life.

I have felt like Seattle is the greatest gift God could give me in this season. But, truthfully, Milo is very top on that list as well. Milo is the greatest gift God could have given me in this season. It's nice to not feel so alone. It's nice to have someone so excited to see you.

“Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, and filling an emptiness we didn’t ever know we had.”

- Thom Jones

Take some time to celebrate the "puppies" in your life today. If you don't have a pup, go to a dog park or do a google search of the cutest puppies in the world. A little puppy love will greatly fill our souls today. In between your searches, here's a nice timeline of Milo from birth to present day.