Have you ever had a dog so loyal that you know with every ounce of your being would literally jump in front of a car or a bullet for you? Well I have. This dog pictured above here is by far the best dog I have ever owned. Her name was Bandit and she was an Aussie/Collie mix with the most amazing heart. She was originally my brothers dog, and when him and my dad were away working my step-mother tied her outdoors and neglected to feed or water her for I don’t know how long. When I found her, she could not even hold her head up with her collar and the chain on. Of course I immediately took her, went to my grandmas and fed her every single leftover in my grandparents fridge. You could instantly see the gratitude in her eyes. My husband and I took her home with us and from that point on I don’t think that dog left my side. She would follow me everywhere, including the bathroom. I immediately became attached, I think more than her to me, and when my brother came back I could not part with her. In a short time we had created an unbreakable bond, and my wonderful brother understood, or at least he eventually did.

About a year later we got our other dog, Scooter. At first, Bandit wanted nothing to do with him, but soon warmed up. When Scooter was about 8 months old we were preparing to take him to the vet to get neutered. And about a month later I couldn’t help but notice that Bandit had started getting fat. She had not been spayed yet, and while rubbing her belly one night I discovered my hand was covered in milk. She was pregnant! Scooter had obviously bred her before we got him in to the vet. I was 7 months pregnant with our son at the time. One week before welcoming our son, Bandit had seven healthy puppies. It was her first litter and she knew exactly what to do, she was a fierce first time mama. We would have to lock her and the puppies in the garage when people would come over to see the baby, and if they wanted to see the puppies, we would have to take her out. She would sleep right next to my son’s bassinet and nudge me with her nose when he woke up. She was extraordinary.

What I’m about to tell you is the exact reason why I knew she would do anything for me. I don’t think I have ever told anyone this since it’s not really dinner table conversation. Just remember everything happens for a reason in our lives. I was pregnant with our third child, when at 12 weeks we found out the fetus had died. I was given the option to have a DNC or allow my body to do its natural thing. I chose to just allow my body to do its thing naturally. After about three weeks I finally began to bleed and I knew it was coming. It was the night of January 7, 2013. I had made it through the night, I was in pain but not much more than period cramps. The next morning a few hours after my husband and kids had left I began to hemorrhaging. Blood clots the size of softballs and then bigger began. I couldn’t walk and would literally crawl to the bathroom, with that faithful Bandit by my side the entire time. I would pass out and wake up to her licking my face. That happened at least half a dozen times before my husband got home. I hardly remember anything from that horrific morning exactly six years ago today, but I vividly remember Bandit and her amazing effort to try and help me.

After that event it was an extremely difficult time for me, mentally. Everyday I came home I could count on Bandit to be there for comfort and emotional support. It took almost six months for me to recover and I give all the credit to that dog. A month later we had to put her down due to cancerous tumors that were affecting her quality of life. And just when it felt like it just wasn’t a good year, I found out I was pregnant with our youngest daughter. It wasn’t an easy pregnancy, but she was born perfectly healthy. She was born with an incredible amount of passion for life that she has become a huge inspiration for our whole family.

Always remember events happen in our lives for a reason and the good lord above only knows why. Animals and people cross of our lives for some reason or another, just remember to enjoy and love, always love. I never intended to get Bandit, however, she knew that she was intended for me.