I Get to Go to the Library!

Today is going to be such fun!  I get to go to the library and read to the kids with my Dad.  It is such a nice library and we get to sit by a big window.  Mom says she hopes the sun comes out so the library will be happy feeling.  If the Army doesn't move up the flight, I get to go see the soldiers as soon as I finish reading to the kids.  I have to go now and get a bath before I go to the library. 

Saturday, 30 October 2010 - TRUNK OR TREAT!

I had a GREAT time on Saturday!  I got to meet about 125 soldiers and then we hurried home to get into our costumes....well, just me and Mom.  Dad didn't wear one.  Said he wouldn't be caught dead in one.  I was dressed as a devil.  Mom was dressed as a monster.  Dad kept calling it "moron."  We got to the church about 10 minutes before Trunk or Treat started, but there were already lots of kids there.  It was fun to meet the kids, but the best part was eating all of the dropped popcorn from the parking lot.  I also ate a bag of chips and lots of dog treats.  I got my picture taken a lot!  There were a couple of kids scared of me and that made me feel bad because I wouldn't hurt any of them.  Maybe a squirrel, but never a kid!  Dad and I walked all over the paking lot and Mom stayed with our van and gave kids candy from the trunk.  Our trunk was decorated like a cave.  It even had a huge fake spider web.  I am already looking forward to next year's trunk or treat.  Maybe next year they will have Cheetos, my favorite!

Thursday, 28 October 2010

Wow!  What a super day Dad and I had.  The soldiers didn't come in until 3:00pm, so Mom was able to go with us.  The weather was great!  Mom said it was a beautiful day for the 150 soldiers who came home and anyone else who would take the time to really notice.

The best part was waiting with two soldiers who were waiting for their families to show up.  I took a nap on the sidewalk while Mom and Dad talked to the soldiers.  One was playing a ukulele he took out from a small blue case.  The other one was using Mom's cell phone and taking real funny.  He said he was going to the "Islands" not far from where the planes were loaded with "Little Boy" and "Fat Man," two big bombs that brought an end to WWII a very long time ago.  The soldier finally said he was from Saipan which made Mom ask what the native language was there.  He said "Chamorro" and less than 200,000 people in the entire world speak it, that it is a dying language. He asked for Mom's address so he could send us a flag that he was going to ask a pilot to fly over Iraq just for us.  It is supposed to come with a certificate saying it really was flown over Iraq.  The soldier with the ukulele gave Mom a coin a general presented him when he received his CIB (Combat Infantray Badge).  Some of his buddies received purple hearts, too.  Mom was so overcome, I thought she would cry.  She made sure both soldiers knew how much we appreciated what they had given us.  Mom said she would never forget it.

Tuesday, 26 October 2010

This is my Mom's favorite picture of a child from Afghanistan.  Mom has this picture on our refrigerator at home and a filing cabinet at the church office.  Mom says every time she looks at it, she wonders what happened to the little girl.  Mom said the sad part is that I live a lot better than most of those kids in Afghanistan and I'm a dog.  Mom likes to send boxes to Afghanistan to help the children, but can't send them any more because Dad doesn't have a job.  Mom says Dad's search for a job is like a long road trip in the van and we are just now backing out the driveway.  I guess that means it may take awhile for Dad to find a job.  I know Mom worries, but I sure like having Dad home and we get to go to the airport every day to see the soldiers.

Am I ever excited!  Mom came home from work and said "Trunk or Treat" will now be on Saturday, October 30, at the church where she works.  That means I get to wear my costume after all!  I am hoping to see a lot of kids and get to eat some treats as well.  Dad said he wouldn't be caught dead in a costume. 

Dad and I went to meet the soldiers today.  As always, we had a great time.  Dad and I were lucky to meet 150 soldiers, all heroes, according to Mom.  Another therpy dog also came to meet the soldiers.  His name was Rory and he was a Gordon Setter.  I liked Rory a lot, but Dad said I liked Rory's mom better because she had such good treats.  I gave lots of fives today to the soldiers and sneaked in a few kisses as well. 

Sunday, 24 October 2010

You won’t believe what happened today!  A man who has been filming the soldiers come in at the airport caught me giving a sergeant major a big kiss and put that in the video he put on Youtube.  I have included the link so everyone can see.  The best part of the video is that you will see some really happy families!  It’s great to see what happens inside the airport when the soldiers come home because Mom, Dad and I are always on the sidewalk outside the terminal.  I'm not allowed in the airport because even though I'm a certified therapy dog, I'm not a service dog.  You know, I don't help a blind person or someone who is in a wheelchair. 

Mom has to stay outside as well because even though she is known as "The Candy Lady" and passes out Tootsie Pops, gum and a lot of other things to the soldiers, she also passes out cigarettes, matches and lights soldiers' cigarettes for them.  Mom says she is "politically incorrect" with the cigarettes but doesn't care since she is not going to tell grown ups what to do, particularly grown ups coming out of a combat zone.  A lot of people think Mom is bad because of the cigarettes, but she doesn't let that bother her.  Mom has never smoked and has never wanted a cigarette.  As for me. I'd rather thave a sausage biscuit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANL8bRvxy5I

Saturday, 22 October 2010

Was Mom ever excited today at R&R!   She met identical twin soldiers from Hawaii and asked them all of the “twin questions.”  Are you identical or fraternal?  How far apart were you born?  Which one is the oldest?  Which one is the boss?  (Aunt Tootsie hates it when Mom starts asking “twin questions.”  Mom and Aunt Tootsie are twins.)  Mom was so excited, she stood between them and had her picture taken.  I was more excited than Mom was over the twins because Tony Moreno, one of the best volunteers at the airport, brought me a sausage biscuit. Oh, it was so good! 

Mom may have gotten her picture taken with the twins, but I got my picture taken several times.  One time I was giving big kisses to a sergeant major who was one of the last soldiers off the plane.  I also kissed one real little girl in the mouth and she almost cried.  Everyone else laughed.  I didn’t mean to scare her.

It took forever for the all the soldiers to come out since the belt that moves the soldiers’ luggage got jammed by a huge TV one of the soldiers had brought back with him.

When we got home from the airport, Mom received a call that “Trunk or Treat” at the church where Mom works had been called off because of the pouring rain.  I won’t get to wear my new costume.  I am so disappointed!

Friday, 22 October 2010

Another great day!  Mom went with me and Dad to the airport since she got out of jury duty in time.  Dad and I were happy about that.  Dad was running late again and didn’t get to bathe.  Mom said that was okay this time since he took Mom out to lunch with Aunt Tootsie before the soldiers came in.  But Mom said he had to bathe tomorrow before people started thinking the water at our house had been turned off.  Mom says everyone knows Dad is laid off and that’s the first thing they would think if Dad started to stink.  I didn’t stink since I had a bath on Wednesday.  Mom never stinks since she takes two showers a day. 

I got to meet 120 soldiers today!  I even met a Navy Commander.  I got on all the troop buses and made the soldiers smile.  A group of ladies from a church wanted their picture taken with me.  I like to have my picture taken.  There was one soldier left after all the other soldiers had gone.  Dad, Mom and I stayed with him until his father made it to the airport.  He was real nice.  Mom asked him a lot of questions about Kuwait.  He said he was hoping to see some camels.  I’m just hoping I catch a squirrel before the day is over.

Thursday, 21 October 2010

Dad and I had such a great day together!  In case you are wondering why Dad and I are always together, Dad was laid off on Wednesday, 4 August, and still hasn’t found a job.  That’s bad, but it’s good that Dad and I can spend a lot of time together and go to the airport every day.  We didn’t have to worry about Mom fussing at us for being late since she was at work.  That made Dad really happy!  (Dad doesn’t want Mom to know that he was so late, he didn’t get to take a shower before we left for the airport.)

The first flight came in at 10:10am and I got to meet 150 soldiers!  (Mom calls them “service members” since we get to meet men and women from the Navy, Marines, Air Force and Army.)  One of my favorite things to do is to get on the troop buses and meet each and every soldier.  I go up and down the aisle and give as many kisses as I can and look for food.  Sometimes there will be a soldier who is afraid of me.  The other soldiers always laugh at the one who is afraid, particularly if he jumps when he sees me.

I took a nap stretched out on the sidewalk between flights as Dad and I waited on the second flight.  The sidewalk was so warm from the sun and there was a nice breeze.  I don’t know what Dad did while I was asleep, except I know he stayed with me.  Dad got me up as the first soldier came out at noon.  Mom always calls it a “double header” when two flights come in on one day.   I had my own double header because two volunteers each gave me a sausage biscuit.  I gobbled them down because they were so good, almost as good as Cheetos! 

When Mom came in from work, she had bought me a Halloween costume!

Wednesday, 20 October 2010

What a fun day I had!  Maggie, Baby Girl and I played outside in the back yard again while Dad worked some more on the house.  It was such a beautiful day.  Not too hot and not too cold.  Perfect for squirrel hunting!  Dad hurried so he could stop and bathe me and do my nails before going to see the soldiers.  They were supposed to be in at 3:30, but the Army phone recording said the flight had been moved up to 2:40pm.  Mom and Dad had “words” (as Mom calls it) because Dad and I were running late again.  Mom told Dad will be late to his own cremation (whatever that is) and if there is such a thing as reincarnation (don’t know what that is either), Dad will have to come back and learn to be on time. 

I had such fun at the airport!  I got to see 150 soldiers and even a Marine colonel.  I was given two more unit patches for my vest that I wear that Mom made me.  The best part of the day (besides the treats) happened when a soldier pointed to a patch on my vest and said he had one just like it, but it had stolen.  Dad then took off my patch and gave it to the soldier.  He was so happy!  Then Dad was happy and I was happy.  Mom didn’t see it because she was busy helping other soldiers, but she would have been happy as well.

Can’t wait to go again tomorrow to the airport.  There are two be two flights.  One at 9:30am and the other at 12:30pm.  Mom says the 9:30am is the flight that didn’t make it here on Tuesday.  WOOF!!! WOOF!!

Saturday I go to “Trunk or Treat” at the church where Mom works.  Mom is going to make me a costume.

Tuesday, 19 October 2010

I was so sad today because Dad and I didn’t get to greet any soldiers because no plane came in at D/FW Airport.  Bummer!  I didn’t get to shake any hands, give any kisses or bum any treats form the soldiers!  Mom said she hated it because no plane meant a lot of soldiers and their families were disappointed because no one was able to make it home. 

But the day wasn’t a total waste.  The weather was beautiful and Baby Girl, Maggie and I played outside all afternoon while Dad got the house ready to paint.  He worked and we played.  He worked and we played.  It went that way the whole afternoon.  I got mad at Maggie because she kept trying to steal my big red bone.  Baby Girl was a pest as usual, but at least Clarence wasn’t out there.  (He’s not allowed outside the house.  He has to stay inside with the rest of the cats.)  Maggie and I tried to catch a couple of squirrels.  When Mom came home from work, she said she was relieved we didn’t catch any.  Dad calls them “tree rats,” but Mom says their lives are as important to them as mine is to me, whatever that is supposed to mean.

The plane with soldiers is supposed to come in at 3:30pm tomorrow.  Now that’s what I’m barking about!

Boomer Greets the Soldiers for the First Time

Dad had to go out of town to some place far away from here that had a lot of lakes.  It was real cold there since it was in December.  He had to go because of his job.  He was gone almost a week and all of us couldn’t wait for him to come back home.  I missed him a lot and was thrilled when Dad asked Mom to bring me to D/FW Airport to pick him up on 23 December, just two days before Christmas. I couldn’t wait to see Dad because I had missed him so much.

By the time Dad got off the plane at the airport, it was about 30 minutes before a plane with soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan was to land at the airport to go on 15 days R&R.  (Mom says R&R means rest and recuperation.)  Mom told Dad we all needed to stay at the airport to welcome and thank the soldiers since every one of them is helping our county and are heroes.  We stayed and am I ever glad we did!!  Dad and I will never forget what happened when the soldiers came off the plane.  (Mom knew what to expect since she had been going to the airport since 10 July 2005.)  We heard a lot of cheering and clapping inside Terminal B and before we knew it, soldiers and Marines came out the double doors to get on buses to go to other terminals for their connecting flights home.   Some looked so happy and others looked like you couldn’t tell what they were thinking or feeling.  Mom uses the word “somber” and says those are the ones who are really happy inside but trying not to let everyone know they are close to tears.  Some hurried to get on the buses and Mom says those are the ones that need to be alone and think about everything.  Dad said he saw a soldier with tears in his eyes.   Most had big smiles on their faces.

Dad and I had so much fun that day!  I shook hands with a lot of the soldiers and even gave a few kisses.  Dad says I brought smiles to their faces.  The best part was when a soldier gave me some of his Cheetos.  That’s the day I feel in love with R&R and Cheetos all at the same time.  (Mom says the real name is “Welcome Home a Hero Program”.)  From that day on, Dad and I have always gone to the airport with Mom to thank the soldiers.  My Mom is called “The candy Lady.”  More on that later. 

The Beginning

The following is a true story. Read how Boomer, who was slated to go to the pound, became the unofficial four-legged mascot at the “Welcome Home a Hero Program” at D/FW Airport, as well as a certified therapy dog and in doing so, has proven that anything is possible in the great country of America provided you have a little help…..

                                                   "Baby Boomer" - 9 weeks, 15 lbs.

My name is Boomer. I’m a 5-year-old Fila Brasileiro, a Brazilian mastiff, Fila for short. You know, just like the tennis shoe. I was named after a big orange tabby cat and not a football team. (That is a true story because Mom named me herself.) I have tiger stripes, but Dad says my stripes are called “brindle.”

Dad says the Fila is the national dog of Brazil. Don’t know where Brazil is exactly, but I know it’s a long way away from where I live. I live with my Mom and Dad along with 2 other dogs and 7 cats in Arlington, Texas. Arlington is between Dallas and Fort Worth.

My mom says I prove that anything good can happen to anyone in America, animals included. Here is what happened to me. I was supposed to go to the pound and had no home; had no one to love me. Dad says my sister was with me, but I don’t remember her. Some bad people (Dad called them “Gang Bangers”) had me, my sister and several pit bulls at a house somewhere in Arlington. A man Dad works found us and tried to help us, but couldn’t keep us all. That’s when he called Dad and Dad called Mom at work and asked if I could become a member of the family. To this day, Mom doesn’t know why she said it without even thinking, but she said YES! That was on Thursday, 16 February 2006, when I was about two months old and weighed 15 pounds. (I’m all gown up now and weigh 120 pounds. I’m small for a Fila.)

I was very thin and hungry and had no toys. I wasn’t scared when I met my Dad; I liked him immediately, but I was a little scared when I came to my new home and had to meet my Mom and all of my instant brothers and sisters. Boujeaux, the old Bouvier (He went to the Other Side on 8 October 2009.) didn’t really care whether I was there or not, but Baby Girl wanted to play and play so hard, she scared me. I had an instant playmate.

The cats were cool except for that Clarence cat. He is white and very fat. (Mom says he broke the record for the biggest cat to ever weigh in at Jason Little Road Animal Clinic in Arlington and they’ve been in business for 30 years. He’s 29 pounds and supposed to be on a diet and Mom says I’m NEVER to call him fat because it’s not nice.) He thinks he is superior to people (except Mom) and most of all, dogs. He really likes Mom a LOT! He thinks he’s so smart! He talks about us dogs all the time and I get so tired of it. He says things like, “Cats are smart and dogs are dumb!” Dad says to just “consider the source,” whatever that means. I hate it when he tries to sleep in the dryer. Now how dumb is that?

If you think I was lucky to get to live with my Mom and Dad, then I got even luckier on Sunday, 7 May 2006, when Mom and my Aunt Tootsie were in the parking lot of a local discount store and Mom spotted a small blonde dog running around like she was lost. Mom was afraid the dog would get hit by a car and immediately called the dog to come to her. The minute the dog heard Mom’s voice, she ran as fast as she could, jumping in my Mom’s lap in the front seat of Aunt Tootsie’s prized Mercedes. Mom later said she didn’t know what scared her the most, the thought of the dog getting hit by a car or the dog tearing the leather seats in Aunt Tootsie’s car.

Once the dog was safely in the car, Mom slammed the car door shut and Aunt Tootsie drove the dog straight home. The minute Dad saw Mom on the driveway holding the dog, he yelled a couple of naughty words followed by, “You’ve picked up a pit bull!” My mom didn’t believe or maybe she didn’t want to believe it because she was always so afraid of pits because people say such scary things about them. Mom put all of that aside because she said pits don’t usually find homes if they go to the pound and told us all that the dog was the newest member of the family and would be called Maggie. Maggie and I became instant friends.

My life was so great with Dad, Mom and all of the cats (even Clarence), but I didn’t know that in December of 2006, it would get even better.....