A Lena

October 6th — the day of the Harvest Moon — my little Lena was adopted. Always bittersweet. Cheryl and her dad drove three hours to meet Lena. When I opened the door, Lena and my two other Yorkies greeted them with a chorus of barking. Lena, who can be very territorial and is often frightened by men, wasted no time making her feelings known—she went straight for Cheryl’s dad’s shoes, trying to give them a good nip. Not exactly the perfect first impression! We all sat down on opposite couches, talking as Lena continued barking until, finally, she curled up on my lap—still cautious, but calmer. Cheryl gently approached, giving Lena time to feel safe. Slowly, Lena allowed herself to be held, and we managed to capture our first photo together. When it came time to say goodbye, I didn’t walk them to the car. That’s always the hardest moment for me—watching them drive away. I kissed Lena and whispered, “I love you.” Then I went to my window and watched as she was carefully placed in the car, my heart in my throat, worrying she might think she was being taken away from everything she knew. But just a few hours later, Cheryl called. “She was quiet the whole way home,” she said. “Now she’s exploring the house!” Whew. My heart began to relax. The next day brought even more reassurance—Lena had slept through the night, enjoyed her breakfast, went for a walk, and was now sitting happily on Cheryl’s lap while she worked. All my fears melted away in that moment. Lena didn’t see it as being taken—she knew she was on her way home. A forever home. Forever safe. Forever loved. Congratulations Lena!!!