Well, even without going into detail on the perfect family & second-runner up family I met for Sunny….I still must have jinxed it.  Despite leaving Pet Club with a leash fitted to Sunny (it was purple, our favorite color), food, a dog bed, bones & toys….the perfect family never submitted an application for her.  Nor did the second runner-up family, who visited Sunny two days in a row and told me after the second time that they were going home to submit the app.  I was devastated for Sunny.  I’m glad I didn’t tell her that a family was soon coming for her when I dropped her off previously at dog daycare.  It made me feel better that she didn’t know, and had instead just been looking forward to seeing me in few days, when it was the weekend again.  Just like I look forward to every weekend with her! 🙂

(Apparently, RESCUE told me this happens quite often.  People seem committed to the dog in person, but once they go home, they start to have second thoughts. This is why we don’t allow same day adoptions; require matchmaker applications to be filled out; and do home visits.)

So what did I do to make up for it?  I decided to make two weekends full of fun “firsts” for Sunny!

1) Sunny’s first homemade dog treats!  My wonderful coworker Rhiannon surprised me one morning with this adorable little dog bone cookie cutter & recipe!  I went to work right that night, making peanut butter treats for Sunny, which she kindly shared with Guinness.  She loved them!  She ate so many that she passed right away, just like I pass out after eating too much Chili’s soup 😉

2) Sunny’s first playdate! Sunny finally met her wannabe cousin, Guinness!  After Guinness scared the living daylights out of her by attacking her with kisses, they shared a peanut butter treat snack, wrestled a bit on the ground, played with their toys, and had some licorice.

3) Sunny’s first time as the copilot! Normally, Sunny likes to be a backseat driver.  On this past Saturday though, she decided she was in the copilot mood!  I asked her to help remind me about the ever-changing speed limits on Rural Rd., bark if she saw anything fun to do, and also find me a good parking spot.  She did an excellent job!….Well, until she fell asleep again!

 4) Sunny’s first time allowed on the bed! Also on this past Saturday, when I picked my Sunny Girl up, she beelined straight for the bed!  I’ve never allowed her on it before, but up she confidently hopped right on it & made herself at home.

5) Sunny’s first time shopping! Sunny has discovered that she has me wrapped around her little paw.  This weekend, at Pet Club, she snuck down the dog bone aisle by herself & came back with the bone of her choice….FOUR times!  Yep, four times she went on her own little, unsupervised, very clever shopping spree.  You would think she’s a spoiled brat, but I think she is instead a bargain shopper, because she only chose to spend $15 on her four trips.  Awesome fiscal responsibility, Sunny!  (Okay, okay, this may have been because the >$5 bones were on the high shelves she couldn’t reach.  It could have just been because she’s smart though too!)

6) Sunny’s first time controlling the TV remote! Seeing as Sunny had a rough night at dog day care this past Friday & was snoozing her life away on Saturday, I woke up around 3PM from our shared nap & was surprised to find this site– Sunny avidly watching Dateline NBC in the living room.  By herself!  Boy is her confidence blooming lately 🙂

7) Sunny’s first sleepover!  Now this is a big one.  I had the wonderful pleasure of having a sleepover with my gorgeous Miss Sunny this weekend!  She was an absolute angel.  After hogging the bed all day, when I told her it was bedtime, showed her where her nightlight, food & water were, she immediatley hopped on the couch & was silent all night.  I found her in the morning, around 6:30AM, waiting very quietly for me to wake up.  What a perfect dog!  She started thumping her tail wildly on the couch the second she saw me; she had been waiting ever so patiently for me to wake up!

8) Sunny’s first appearance as a stunt devil! This past Sunday was one of RESCUE’s main annual fundraisers: Beauty to the RESCUE!  The event is held at a beauty salon in the Biltmore area, where all of the proceeds that day are donated to RESCUE.  In the parking lot they have different vendors set up, as well as live music, doggie haircuts, & food.  Sunny alternated between cuddling in the corner on a quiet bench with me and performing stunts on the folding chairs!  She kept climbing to sit on any human chair she could, and then racing across all of the chairs as fast as she could!  She was making me very nervous since they were folding chairs– eek!  I should have known to trust her though, as she proved herself to be a very brave stunt dog!  Here are some random pics from the event.

My mom, dad, stepmom, and mom’s boyfriend ALL came to the Beauty event.  It meant more to me than I know how to describe!  It just felt really cool to have my whole family supporting me & Sunny at such a big day for her and her RESCUe friends.  I wish I would have thought to take pictures 😦 (I was too concerned with making sure Sunny’s hips weren’t hurting her & that she wasn’t going to try any new dangerous stunts.)  Thank you all though for stopping by.  It really, really meant a lot to me!  Sunny also enjoyed meeting you.  She LOVED her treats from Dad & Cherie!  (They smelt so good I had to go double check they were dog-friendly!  Just like snickerdoodles!  I almost ate one!)  And Sunny was stoked to go back to dog daycare & brag to everyone that Shaun won the raffle– woohoo!

9) Sunny’s first interview! Yesterday was a busy day!  After the big RESCUE event all morning, Sunny and I were interviewed by my great grand little in my sorority, Morgan.  Morgan is a journalism major at ASU and she’s doing a class project on dog rescues.  Sunny is the star of the show– just the way she likes it! 🙂  Morgan is now also applying to be a dog caretaker for RESCUE too!  I’m really excited.

10) Sunny’s first time doing chores! Welp, seeing as Sunny has been spending 8-10 days out of each month with me, I decided it was time she finally pitch in and help!  Late yesterday afternoon, I yanked my Sunny-ified sheets off of my bed & asked her to please bring them to the laundry room.  I went to start the water running & pour in some soap….only to find this.  No, Sunny, that’s not exactly what I meant by “help.” 🙂 🙂 🙂  I guess next time I’ll try having her unload the dishwasher or something.

After I got over how adorable she was and snapped the pics, I wrapped her tigher in the blankets, like a burrito, and kept acting like I was going to eat her.  I would come at her like you do with little babies that you’re going to tickle, and she was going nuts!  She couldn’t stop smiling or wagging her tail or trying to inch away from me, all while wrapped like a little burrito!  When I finally went to unwrap her, we played peek-a-poo for a few minutes too.  She is too cute!

Those are all of the Sunny updates for now!  I’m out of town for the next two weekends 😦 so it is very likely I think that I won’t see her again.  I am very sad, but like I said last time, more happy for her than I could ever be sad for myself.  She deserves the perfect home so much!