Ritz and Rover are two of the family dogs. They belong to Donovan and Vanessa but just like with Tonto, we have all had a turn in taking care of them both. Ritz and Rover are miniature Australian Shepherds…little dogs.
Following Father as I do makes for an interesting lifestyle…unique journey.
As I have mentioned before on this site, I love animals, but I prefer to enjoy other people’s pets…not own a pet myself. When Father told me to get a dog, I cried. Like a baby.
In this adult body.
Yep…😭 buckets of tears.
I did NOT want a dog. So much work. Call me lazy, I don’t care. I like the freedom being pet free leaves me. No worries man…me just doing me.
BUT…through tears of anger, frustration, and sorrow…I obeyed. I purchased Tonto.
Dog Drama
When my dad was dying, I packed my bags and moved in with Dad and Tammy until he passed away. Since I couldn’t take Tonto with me, Donovan and Vanessa took care of Tonto for me. I was extremely grateful for their help. No need to worry over him…he was well taken care of. That freed me up to focus on my time with my dad.
Fast forward, Donovan and Vanessa were moving to Colorado. At this same time, I was living in Illinois in a friend’s little cabin in the woods, but I was preparing to move back to Indiana. I was moving into Donovan and Vanessa’s home while they were moving out of it…and Bobbi and Mitchell were preparing to move into Donovan and Vanessa’s home with me as well. We were all moving…repositioning.
From the onset of getting a dog, I fought it. Lots of reasons, raising a puppy is a lot of work if you want a decently trained dog. I don’t like disobedient children and I certainly don’t like disobedient dogs. It is difficult for me to live with disobedience when I am obedient to an extreme. It makes me miserable.
During this time, I was considering shooting Tonto and putting us both out of our misery. I sent Vanessa a text telling her what I was thinking of doing. She spread the word. The family was in an uproar over it. Not happy with Momma.
Musical Dogs
I called Donovan and he recommended giving him to a shelter instead. We had several phone conversations about the situation. He was struggling because he was hoping Mitchell would keep his dogs for him while he was in Colorado because he didn’t want to move them into the apartment for many reasons. With the new baby coming and a major move, he felt they would be better off with Mitchell in their home in Indiana. The plan was for Donovan to find land and a home in the country and take the dogs to the new home.
After several discussions between the kids and I, Father told me the plan for the dogs. I was supposed to take charge of Ritz and Rover along with Tonto while they lived in Indiana with me…but Mitchell and Bobbi would be helping take care of them because we would all be living under one household.
Incredulous! I didn’t want one dog to care for and now I have three. Wow…so not happy with Father about that. 😳
We managed. During that time, Bobbi…who is super funny…named Ritz and Rover…Rat and Tat. Hysterical because it fits them so well. We have laughed many times over that. You have to know Bobbi…and the dogs.
Fast forward, Donovan and Vanessa took the boys back to Colorado. Then I moved to Colorado while Tonto stayed with Mitchell and Bobbi…until I moved with Tonto to Michigan.
Tonto is loving the freedom he has in Michigan on the acreage here and things are going swell for us all. 😍
Couldn’t Be
For the last 30 years, I have heard so many times…you don’t know “God,” that couldn’t be Father telling you to do that, leave Father out of it, you are hearing from demons, you need mental health help, etc. It is the LIFEstyle…persecution comes with it. It’s a PERK! 😳😩🤔🙃😉😂
I have experienced so much of what “couldn’t BE” Father…and indeed it is. It solidified in my mind…He is way crazier than I am. His ways…are NOT our ways. We have it all inverted here. 🤷♀️
2 thoughts on “Ritz and Rover”
Oh, the naysayers Amen sister!!
They will always be there! *Shrugs*