3 Baseballs & A Cool Dog

I just love Jasper! He can drive me crazy at times and requires lots of care and attention, however, i do think he is my favorite kid. I'm sure that is primarily because i get to lock him up when i leave the house. He really is just the sweetest dog and is my total buddy in the land of nothing. I have no friends, well I have friends, just nobody closer than 45 minutes and I am okay with that. This isn’t a complaining post, I really am fine with my only friend being a dog and a partial friend in my snooty cat. Most of my time revolves around the kids but the school hours revolve around Jasper. Jasper and I run the trail every morning. I know everyone’s schedule pretty much that uses the trail so I can get there at a time where Jasper and I have it all to ourselves. It’s wonderful because this way he can be off his leash and run free! He is the sniffer and loves to follow his nose! It’s hard for him to do this on a leash as I have no desire to leave the trail or go into the water, or more like swamp….I am scared every time he disappears into the dense shrubs or jumps in the water! I worry about him being bitten by snakes or coming out with an alligator chasing him. I’m sure he could outrun the alligator, however, I am positive I will not be able to! Aside from my fears we have a great time running every morning. There are 2 dogs that get to the trail most mornings about the time we are done. They are Jasper’s girls, Jessie a lab and dalmation mix and Bailey who is on the husky side. Jasper loves Jessie, Jessie likes Jasper and Bailey LOVES Jasper!! On certain parts of the trail all three dogs will be off their leashes and they are soooo cute to watch! Jessie is such a sweetheart and Bailey loves to run side by side with Jasper growling at him and swishing her big fluffy tail in his face if he isn’t paying enough attention to her! One day we were walking along and Jasper dove into the bushes and disappeared. We heard all kinds of rustling of branches cracking and leaves shaking. Jasper appeared out of nowhere and dropped a baseball at Jessie’s feet. We all went, “awwwwww”. Jessie walked happily with her gift in her mouth. A few minutes later Jasper disappeared again into the shrubs. Same sound effects as before and presto Jasper appears and drops a baseball at Bailey’s feet. Bailey is thrilled and is walking with her ball in her mouth and again we say “awwwwwwwww” followed by “wow!!!” Believe it or not, Jasper now jumps into the thickery of the shrubs a third time. Same commotion, and like, wow, he comes out with a baseball in HIS mouth!!! Is he the coolest dog or what?! If I was a dog, I would soooo want Jasper to be my boyfriend! But, instead I’m happy to have him as my buddy. I wake up to him in my face in the morning and fall asleep with him trying to take most of my pillow every night.