When our Beloved Hopie Boy passed over the Rainbow Bridge on 4-27-25, the hearts of my Husband and I were broken and saddened. So much grief and sadness!
The following morning, we sat in bed and spent two hours discussing our feelings and thoughts.
I shared my Journal entry from that morning:
“Dearest Trinity, what are we going to do now? Where is our Joy? Our soft voices of Love, deep Love, for Hopie? How can we go on without him? Where shall we turn? How can we find another furry baby to love and nurture? We weren’t looking for Hope. He magically appeared in a sewer where he was trapped. We heard his voice crying for help, and we rescued him. Please, please blessed Trinity, help us find another baby to rescue, adopt, and love. Our hearts are willing. Show us the Time- The Place – the Babies. We need Softness and Joy. We need little children to pick up and hold and kiss and cherish. Little babies we can talk to in soft voices. Little children to play with, hold, sleep and breathe with. We are great loving parents. Please guide us and help us find our next babies, at the right time. We have the skills, the hearts, the desire, the need to love, protect, and nurture. I know YOU will help us!”
My husband and I tentatively came up with a plan: We would take 3 months to recover from Hopie’s loss and spend time together as a couple – traveling, focusing on rebuilding our bodies and stamina, learning to draw from our own inner strength to recover body, mind, emotions and spirit. At the end of that time, we would actively pursue finding a puppy and kitty to adopt.
Well folks, God had another plan, and it came much sooner than we expected!
On Sunday, May 4th, we went to the Brentwood Farmer’s Market. I hopped out and was going to buy some tamales, while my husband waited in the car. My husband parked the car and decided to join me. We headed to pick up my tamale order and turned around to see a beautiful Australian puppy in a stroller right next to us.
At that moment, time stood still as we approached the puppy and his breeder. We were struck by his beauty and calmness. I bent down to greet him and stared into his eyes. He gently kissed me and I kissed him. The breeder asked if I would like to pick him up.
The moment I picked him up, I instantly fell deeply in love with him. He was imprinted in my heart, and I knew he was meant to be ours!
We arranged to meet at the Breeder’s house the following Saturday. I told her I wanted to see this litter of 8 puppies, watch the interaction of this puppy with his siblings, sit on the ground and interact with all of them, assess how we felt with each other. I told her we would make a decision about adopting him by the end of the visit.
The rest is history!
WE BROUGHT HIM HOME ON MAY 12, 2025.
He is a 3-month-old Australian Shepherd Blue Merl puppy. He was raised by the infamous breeder, Pam Ridley, who raises and shows championship Australian Shepherds. Her phone number and website are:
(310) 924-9883 Website: [email protected]
I named him Lakota Joy, inspired by his markings which reminded me of Lakota Sioux paint pony running freely on the prairie. His middle name was inspired by his Joy of being alive, much like our boys Hopie and Brutie.
By the second day of being at home with us, he has blossomed, found his “Authentic Voice” and free spirit. The Spirit told me I would bring them out.
I knew it would happen but never imagined it would happen so quickly. Praise God on High!
He is the perfect little boy for us, and I knew it the moment I held him in my arms.
PLEASE WELCOME OUR LAKOTA JOY!
https://youtube.com/shorts/4vIGGZqeTMM
Blessings to people around the world.
YOU CAN RECOVER FROM LOSS AND GRIEF!
TRUST THAT GOD WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY AND SUPPORT YOU ON THE JOURNEY