Hello? Is it me you're looking for?

Well! Long time, no see! Where the heck did the time go? It's absolutely crazy that it's been over 8 years since I've hopped on to this blog and shared snippets of life here at Calypso Breeze Australian Labradoodles. A lot has happened in that time, good and bad. Let's get the bad right out of the way.

A little less than a year after my last blog post, I lost my husband and Calypso Breeze Co-founder, Jerry, to cancer. It was, for the most part, very sudden and set my world into a tailspin. There have been many ups and downs and trials and triumphs in the years since, but the constant has been that Calypso Breeze remains a huge part of my life.

In the first months after Jerry passed, life, of course, was extremely difficult. I'm not sure what I would've done without the love- and distraction- of my crazy doodles. They're sweet and silly, kind and goofy, sometimes exasperating, but ALWAYS entertaining, and most importantly, they're loving. They have, most likely, held me together and they've definitely made me stronger.

THIS is why I've continued on my journey of breeding these incredible dogs. The connection they have with their human is undeniable and nothing less than amazing. I've seen them help folks of all walks of life, with different abilities, and of different ages, in countless ways. And when I see this, it makes my heart smile. It fills my soul with a sense of joy, of contentment, of hopefulness that the world CAN be a better place. 

Speaking of making the world a better place...let's talk about some of the GOOD that has happened. Before Jerry passed, we placed two pups as our very first Service Dog pups. I still remember how proud he was when the trainer chose our dogs and how happy he was to see one of those dogs in action when she visited him in the hospital. Since then, several Calypso Breeze Australian Labradoodles have gone on to be Service or Therapy dogs. I'm amazed at the many different tasks they can perform. 

Some assist with opening doors, carrying items, and retrieving  objects, while others are seizure or diabetic alert dogs. Some help people with Autism or Down's syndrome, some are therapy dogs, some provide emotional support for their humans. Most of my puppies are family companions...but ALL of them are fantastically magnificent and give that unconditional love that we humans are so blessed to receive.

I don't have to tell you how insane the past few years have been for EVERYONE. And maybe I'm finally feeling my head bob above the surface of the water, but somehow I'm feeling a bit recharged. It seems as if life has been in a holding pattern for me, and I've not really moved forward (could this be why I've not written a blog in several years?), so I'm challenging myself to do better. And that includes visiting here once a week to offer some dog knowledge and/or random happenings of life here in Tennessee with my doodles.

And now, I challenge you. Stop what you're doing and go and give your dog, or cat, or hairy tarantula (EEK!) a big hug and then come back here and tell me what makes your pet so special in your life. Please remember to use caution if you're hugging your hedgehog or venomous snake, and send pictures if you're hugging your Wallaroo or Scottish Highland Coo. 

Wishing you Peace,
Brenn

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