I have written before about the dog which I found on my street. I found her the Thursday before Father’s Day when the skies were brewing with storm clouds.

God has given me a tender spot in my heart for children, animals and the elderly. If He puts something in my pathway He knows I will take care of it, even if I think I have no need for it.

The last thing I needed was a dog to take care of but I put her in my backyard. My neighbors were kind enough to feed her while I was visiting my Father on the holiday.

I tried hard to find out who she belonged to. I had my HOA post a picture of her on their Facebook page. My boyfriend got me in touch with a rescue organization to see if someone had reported her as being lost. I went to local vets to report her as being found.

I suspected she was deaf because she did not respond at all to sound. I also suspected she had been abused because she flinched every time I tried to pet her. She was not house trained, so I only let her inside for small amounts of time. I kept a good watch on her while she was in my house.

At first I really was trying to find her owners. I would have given them a good talking to if they ever showed up because there is never any reason to abuse a child, an animal or the elderly. I liked her and didn’t mind her being in my backyard but I didn’t feel like I was her owner, merely just a foster parent, until she could go back home.

Each morning when I let her inside to eat she is so excited to see me. She literally jumps with joy. She was overjoyed when I came home from my trip to New York City. She makes me giggle every time I see her excitement.

As I have lavished her with love and acceptance the flinching has stopped. She still does not respond to me when I take her out front and she wanders away, so I have kept her in the backyard.

She does bark a bit more than I care for. Last night she was barking so much I let her inside for the night. Storms were predicted to pass over my area and she does not go into the dog house I have outside, so I invited her in for the night.

This morning as I got up, and tiptoed around her so as not to wake her up, I looked at her sleek frame. She was sprawled out on my bedroom floor and looked so lovely and peaceful. I was so thankful that I took her in and protected her from the storm and I realized that she is no longer a stray dog. She has found her home and it is the one which I am blessed enough to share with her.