One year ago today 03.29.09

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

One year ago today we welcomed eleven precious labradoodle babies into this world. This single event was so life changing for our own family; little did I know it was but a rain drop in the ocean whose tide would be far reaching. You never met our eleventh little girl, sadly either did we. The children and I named her Faith, reminding us that sometimes you have to trust even that which you cannot see or ever glimpse an explanation of.

One year ago today my commitment to my role in touching lives through the offering of these magnificent dogs was cemented; it was immediately apparant that I could not possibly imagine NOT doing this. Much like our roles as parents this has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding paths in my life. My heart has enlarged to proportions I could not have anticipated and I have learned so much (most recently that carpet is not condusive to breeding ~ just ripped it all up and replaced flooring single handedly and so my handy skills have also expanded). Over and over I am asked how do you do it? Don't you get attached? Isn't is hard to let them go? Yes would be the answer to each of those questions and many more, but let me share with you why I AM able to let go.

As many of you are aware it is very important to me to play an active role in helping families discover their perfect canine family member. Often the results have been in our doodle darlings remaining with us much longer than is considered the norm. I am completely dedicated to the mission of a perfect match over 'selling' a puppy and am completely willing to wait for our puppy families to reveal themselves. Through this practice we have formed incredible relationships with countless individuals, some who have gone on to become our puppy families and others who have not. This practice does have the potential to be challenging if you place your involvements before marketing but it has served both our new friends and us well. I think that this is the key to being able to 'let go', we do not lose a puppy ~ we gain relationships. Some are more active than others but I like to think that everyone is aware that despite geographical or chronological barriers it always remains there and can be picked up, renewed or briefed at any time. Our involvement does not end with the departure of a doodle baby from our home and I view this departure as the vehicle that permits us to arrive at the next destination. We have been incredibly blessed as each of you have shared your pictures, stories, challenges and more with us. We have met people that we may have never crossed paths with from a variety of backgrounds. We have had the opportunity to help those who thought they could not own dogs to have them, to provide 'therapy' companions even if only in the service of mending a broken heart and of watching other relationships cultivated among our families despite the miles between them. This is only the tip of the iceberg and it is my sincere wish that each of you know that Trinity Doodles is what it is because of YOU. Without your input, feedback , involvement, stories, referrals and more we could not experience the same level of satisfaction.

Today I celebrate the birth of those precious doodle babies of yours as well as the birth of so many opportunities to be blessed and to help bless others. Happy Birthday babies, oops er I mean big boys and girls ~ enjoy many cuddles with your humans today!