Indigo's Post

They say there's a story behind everything, and this couldn't ring more true than the reasons why I decided to get Indigo. I was quite nervous about writing this, as it gets quite personal but I wanted to share more than just a birthday post with you.

It was Indigo's 4th birthday while we were away, so we had to celebrate on a different day for the first time in her little life. This made me feel like a bad dog mum, but hey, it's not like she'd know any different, right? We took her and Molly Mouse to Hylands Park which is a really beautiful local park, bought her some presents and a specially made cake for dogs, which you can see here.

I owe a lot to her, which is why I spoil her so much. The first time I saw her I knew she was everything I needed. That's because four years ago my stepdad died of a brain tumour. It happened completely out of the blue and unravelled very quickly. He suddenly started to forget little things, which we thought might be old age creeping in. But after a few tests doctors were saying the C word, and everything happened really quickly from there.  He had stage four glioblastoma, and three months from his diagnosis he died. I didn't take it very well, we were really close. He was my dad, the one I looked up to and turned to. I was in quite a dark place, and while this was going on my long term relationship broke down, and I found myself living alone for the first time in my life. While living alone can be fun, anyone that's been there knows how depressing it can be coming home to an empty house day after day.

I suppose my life changed a lot that year, and I needed something positive to focus on. So I decided to get a little Shih Tzu, and quite honestly she's the best investment I've ever made. Slowly, day by day, this fluffy little dog made me happy again. For that I'll always be grateful to her.  

I'll never forget how she pulled me out of that dark place and made me smile again. I'm not saying the answer to a bereavement is as simple as getting a pet. But for me, she gave me a reason to get up in the mornings and made me enjoy life again.

Puppies, babies, weddings, we all need something positive to focus on. There's something beautiful about new beginnings isn't there. If you can relate to my story, or have a special one of your own I'd love to hear it.