scruffy, messy & dirty...

First before I go into today's post I just want to take a moment & remember all those who died in the September 11th tragedy - those lives will be missed & remembered forever....the BF is a firefighter so I have HUGE respect for the NYFD We shall never forget
We shall keep this day,
We shall keep the events and the tears
In our minds, our memory and our hearts
and take them with us as we carry on. 

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 SO last 9/11 it was a Sunday & my mom & I were doing some thrifting in Lake Forest. After looking around for awhile my mom decided to go into this random home store - she never really went in this store before so it was a little weird but nonetheless I told her I was going to go look for Dolce's Halloween costume at PetSmart....(more on that in OCT)  so as I'm walking up to PetSmart I stop in my tracts....it was dog adoption day....I HATE adoption days, not because I don't agree with adopting because I do 100%....but because its SO hard for me to see all the homeless animals with their sweet little faces just looking for someone to love them... 

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 now at this time we already had 4 rescue cats & 1 rescue dog...that was a lot of animals already in our little beach house & i knew my moms view on having more animals...it was a NO WAY -------> trust me I tried daily to get a little dog for myself...but despite knowing it was dog adoption day I still went to the store...i told myself don't look Kelly! don't look Kelly! just walk inside... Clearly that didn't happen....there sitting in the group of wild dogs all barking & jumping around was one little very scruffy dirty looking dog just sitting there nicely...not barking, not jumping around - just chilling.....it was love at first site.... I went right up to the cage & started petting him...he was such a doll. Of course I started asking the lady questions about him - she told me he was 4 years old & his name was Scruffy ----> duh he was all kinds of messy...he had been dropped off by his owner weeks ago with his twin sister....i guess his owner had bad back problems & couldn't take care of him & his twin sister anymore. She told me his sister had already been adopted & they weren't able to keep them together....that of course broke my heart...he was separated from his twin sister after growing up with her & now he's in a new place living with all these dogs...my heart ached for him. i wanted him.  So I'm sitting there holding him & hes just sitting in my arms...he was so calm. As I'm holding him different scenarios are going through my head with ways to convince my mom to let me have him...i knew it was not going to happen.  So as I'm already getting upset & giving the sweet dog back to the lady, I look over & see my mom coming towards me...usually she gives me the wave & a look that means "COME ON, lets go" but this time she didn't..... I waved my hands 'no don't come over here you'll be sad,' but she gave me a look like no i want too....& at that moment I thought maybe, this time she's going to let me get a dog.... so she comes over & I show her Scruffy....first words out of her mouth were 'how much & is he neutered?'...He was $200 to adopt & he was fixed...perfect!....then my mom says 'well you can get him but it's going to be a lot of work kelly'....of course I'm nodding yes yes i know & squirming with excitement as to hearing the words 'you can get him'....& then she asks 'what about the bf' -- since I plan on spending the rest of my life with my boyfriend I had to factor him into the situation because he would be our dog together eventually when we're married.... So I called the bf....he's a little different than me...he thinks before he does anything, me on the other hand - a lot of the time, I just do it....He suggested that I go home & think about it for the night & how it might cause problems with my 2 cats, Dolce in particular.  You guys have heard me mention Dolce a few times on the blog but I have never gotten into the dirty details of my beloved cat....just a few facts - Dolce was my very first pet I owned myself...ya know what I mean - not a family pet. my pet. she has been through EVERYTHING with me...she has traveled EVERYWHERE with me...all the hard times & the days I hated life...& everything awful I went through in college Dolce was always there....we share a VERY special connection & she has always been like a real person to me & anyone who meets her...So we have a very very special & close bond. She's my girl....& then I have another cat pumpkin....but she's a sweetheart so I wasn't too worried about her. So the bf was worried about how it would affect them, & he was right to consider that - i knew pumpkin would be totally fine with it because she's just a sweet soul but Dolce on the other hand, well she likes me alllllllll to herself so I knew that it could be an issue. 

The infamous DOLCE

Sooo we asked the lady if we could put him on hold for about an hour while my mom & I go have lunch & discuss everything....she said of course, so we went across the street to Corner Bakery to talk about it... I was shaking & felt nervous....I knew I wanted him but I also knew Dolce was not going to be happy about it...we talked about it from a money aspect & then discussed if I had the time to take care of my own dog...of course my mom would help because we already had Lucy but still it meant more money & more time if another animal was going to be added to the family...& then we had to think about how all the animals in general would be affected by the new addition....the lady had already told us Scruffy got along well with other animals & he was a lover not a fighter.... 

the original gang

 So after much back & forth, back & forth at lunch, I still wasn't sure what to do...so we walked back over to the adoptions & asked to see Scruffy again & walk him around the store a little bit to get more of a feel...of course he peed in the store...but he was just sooooo calm & chill...it just felt right... We found out his birthday was the exact same day as my moms ex boyfriend Phil who was the love of her life when she was in her 20s, who died a few years back of drugs....it was a sign. We both felt it was Phil telling us to get Scruffy. We had mentioned to the lady our concern with getting Scruffy & how the other animals would react. She told us if after a week it didn't work out, she would be here again the next week & I could bring him back - that made me feel a little better - but of course that's not something I wanted to do. So I did something I really didn't think was going to happen & I RESCUED Scruffy....what made it even more special was that I rescued him on September 11th....I felt like in a way I was giving back to everyone who had fought during that time by saving & rescuing a life.  Sooo you might have guessed that Scruffy is my baby MAXX...yes of course I changed his name...he's named after Max on TMZ...the hot surfer dude because to me, my Maxx was little surfer dude...  

 This was taken right after I adopted him & put him in the car....you can't really tell from this picture but he was REALLY scruffy, messy & just dirty...he needed a hair cut asap...so of course we made him an appointment to get all nice and groomed.... and I had them cut a little fo-hawk as well....so meet the new & improved no longer scruffy - So clearly, Maxx was not taken back to the adoption lady. He has been nothing but a GIFT from God...I feel blessed to have him. We couldn't have asked for a better dog. It was like he was apart of our family from the very beginning. He just fit RIGHT in. Lucy loved him instantly & they have become the best of friends...the other cats took very well to him too & like I thought pumpkin loves him...Dolce on the other hand, well she didn't take it too well & they def had their fair share of fights -----> more Dolce fighting with Maxx....he just wants to be friends but Dolce is not having it...she has hissed & has hit him & he cries like a little baby but he never fights back - he def knows whose boss & stays away from Dolce...& as time has gone on she has gotten a little better...I just have to make sure to give her individual attention because she was the first.  

Maxx & Lucy

 My mom & I truly believe that day September 11, 2011 we were meant to go thrifting down in Lake Forest. She was meant to go look at that home store. I was suppose to walk over to PetSmart......if she never went into that random home store I never would've walked over to PetSmart & never would've seen Maxx. To say we're obsessed would be an understatement...we are so in love with Maxx I couldn't even express to you in words how much he has changed our lives

 This past year with Maxx has been the best one yet...I don't even know how I lived my life without him & hes sweet little face...he's a complete mamas boy & to be honest a little wimpy...however if you heard his bark you wouldn't think that....so of course I got him a few tees to wear when I first got him...yes I'm that girl who dresses her dog - you should see Lucy's closet 

 

Maxx's very first walk with Lucy


 & we even got to celebrate Maxx's 5th birthday about a month after we got him

Maxx loves his Aunty

 Maxx's first Halloween!!!

Maxx's first Christmas & Christmas Tree Hunting

 Maxx's first time at the beach!

 So just like his mommy when we took Maxx to the beach for the first time he LOVED it...he had SO much fun running in the sand & running up to the water...you know what else he likes? The Mall...NO JOKE..he loves the mall...when I take him with me he is literally smiling & wagging his tail the whole time...my mom & I like to call him a mall rat because he always looks like he out looking for trouble, barking at the other dogs at the mall...he seriously loves it though.   

 Christmas time at the beach with my baby   & now just a little collage of Maxx from the past year with us.... 

  So maybe this September 11 do something for someone else & rescue an animal...there are SO many homeless animals in need of homes - please, PLEASE before you adopt - think & rescue...DON'T BREED - I can't stress this enough - you can find 100% breeds that need to be rescued too....we do not need any more animals, there are already too many homeless ones as it is, so do yourself a favor & save a life. I promise you it will be the BEST decision of your life....Maxx & all of our animals are GIFTS from God & we are SO lucky to have them - RESCUE!

  I hope you enjoyed hearing about how Maxx came to be apart of the family - & coming up September 14-16 is National Adoption Weekend - so do yourself a favor - SAVE A LIFE & RESCUE!   Don't forget to enter to win $40 Gift Card to Victora Secret HERE  

 Scentsy Giveaway HERE