I guess you could say that the most crucial part of this post, this blog, and my life is the topic of dogs. Pretty amazing creatures. They fascinated me to no end pretty much since I can ever remember. At the edge of four, my family adopted our first dog - whom was considered a 'foster fail'. The plan was to love on and care for this scruffy little homeless Beagle until the right family came along to adopt him. Apparently that family was us. He was in the middle of his life, all flea-bitten and shy, when he came into our family. But, somehow he was perfect. My grandma noticed the way we played and the way that he instantly put a smile onto my face and it was kind of love at first site, I guess you could call it. So, we named him Krypto and he became the coolest dog I had ever known.
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| Krypto in his later years |
I grew up in a family that treasured music, reading, and the arts. I was always uncomfortable around my sports-fanatic aunts, uncles, and cousins as the piano-loving kid who was obsessed with dogs. I was home-schooled, too, along with my older brother. That didn't really help with the whole fitting-in thing either.
My first best friend, Elizabeth, was met through homeschooling. I went to pre-school with her little brother and our big brothers were also friends. We would always play with Krypto when we hung out and were pretty much inseparable. I began to learn every single dog breed I could and started to become a big advocate for dog adoption. I guess the turning point in my life then was the day that Elizabeth's entire family moved to Virginia.
I was heartbroken. I cried all night at about the age of eight as my best friend in the entire world had to leave me. I became lonely pretty quickly, I guess. When I was done with my schoolwork, Krypto and I would venture around the neighborhood on leisurely walks. Before I knew it, I met a new friend through homeschooling. We were both shy at first, but soon we became best buddies. We've been crazy inseparable ever since.
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| Bigby - 2014 |
In 2011, my family decided to adopt a new dog. We went to the local shelter that we had donated to recently and fell in love with a scrappy little black-and-white terrier named Chance. We took him home the next day.
After renaming him Bigby, we became best buds. He was once neglected and abused, but through lots of outdoor time and training, Bigby grew braver and braver. We started running together and I taught him all kinds of tricks and cues - like agility and how to walk off-leash.
Bigby's love and transformation inspired me to start Project for Paws in 2012. I began by hand-sewing buttons, bows, and ribbons onto dog collars and shipping them to shelter dog rescues throughout the United States. I was constantly motivated by the grateful thank-you letters I received in reply through the mail. At the same time, I fund-raised and donated regularly to the shelter that brought Bigby into our family. That year, I also went vegetarian and couldn't be more proud.
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| During one of my first runs at the beginning of Cross Country- 2014 |
In 2014, for my first year of middle school, I started 6th grade at the local public school. I was shy and nervous and full of anxiety on my first day but I quickly befriended some very nice girls. The only thing was, I wasn't skinny and I wasn't athletic. Those two things seemed like the most important parts of being a middle-school girl and I was pressured.
After being forced to do the miler in gym class one day, Bigby and I started running. It began as a two-block-long release for his energy and my worries.
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| Bigby during a long run - summer of 2015 |
When I ran, I felt unstoppable. I was slower than a turtle, but I fell in love with running. I joined Cross Country that September and found myself simply glowing when I realized that I was part of a team. I was athletic. I was hanging with girls that made me feel on top of the world. And I was thrilled.
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| Christmas - 2015 |
I didn't care that I finished last at every single Cross Country meet; I never stopped running. I was the only kid that ran three miles over one weekend. I was the only kid that shopped at running stores. In my mind, I was kind of an ultimate runner, in my eyes. That December, I pledged to run a mile every single day from Thanksgiving until New Year's. I accidentally broke the pledge about three days before New Year's, but I felt healthier than ever. I felt proud when I looked in the mirror, and began to run even more miles with Bigby. I ran two 5ks in the next three months and was proud to call myself a runner.
I expanded Project for Paws in 2015 to make Care Packages along with those dog collars. Big-name dog treat companies, like Halo, sponsored the Packages with all kinds of dog-friendly goodies. I sent these to shelter dogs as well and the response was overwhelming. I have had over 20 sponsors just since last year.
In 2015, I also went vegan. We rescued a third dog, a terrier named Violet. I started reading the nutritional labels of nearly every thing I ate. I became conscious of what I was powering my body with. I fell in love with Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and my brand new Ninja Blender - the present for my 13th birthday. I had become healthier than I had ever been. I ran a 6:50 mile. That was also the year I fell in love with soccer. I found a new community and love for the sport that I never knew of. I learned why my cousins always played soccer, I learned why people woke up early and stayed up late to play this sport. I started playing everyday with boys from my school. I found myself becoming as good as them and I finally fit in. Soccer has brought me closer than ever with my cousins and the guys at my school. In 2016, we had to say goodbye to Krypto, the dog that brought all of this joy and goodness into my life, who passed away at the age of 15. I am now even more inspired to help all animals, including abused farm animals. I feel strong and happy and proud of myself. I have an average 7:15 pace. I have soccer games every weekend. I have an awesome group of friends that never cease to make me laugh or smile. I have become at peace with who I am inside and out. And here I am now.
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