Happy Birthday Ham!

Almost a year ago, July 13th to be exact, we brought Honey Ham home with us.  We rescued her from a pet store on a total whim.   We had stopped into the store just to torture ourselves and "take a look."  We had no intentions of leaving with anything other than some fish food for the gold fish that my sister abandoned on my doorstep 2 years before.  

The moment we saw Honey we just knew that she was ours.  We had NEVER planned on a Bulldog.  We are "big dog" people.  We wanted a Lab.  We are against pet stores!  What about puppy mills?!  So we left...in tears.  There was lots of debate.  We decided it was only fair to first go to North Shore Animal League and see if there was any dog there that we could adopt. How could we buy a dog when so many out there were orphans?  Long story short, there was nothing at the shelter that we could have provided a suitable home for.  We didn't have the room in our miniscule apartment. 

So it was back to the pet store we drove.  We said if she was still there,  then it was clearly meant to be.  We took Honey to the little pen area to get to know her.  She was biting Mr. T's goatee.  She followed me when I walked.   Her face was the cutest thing we had ever seen.  That was it.  I of course bargained them down on the price and we left, as a family,  to get back to our non-puppy proofed apartment.   

That is the story how we were blessed with our first "child."

Her actual birthday is today.  She is 1 year old! Time flies when you have a bulldog. 

Almost a year ago: 

(Her first tantrum!) 

The Ham today, May 6th: