Happy Beagle-baby Anniversary

I just can't believe that it was eight years ago today that we drove down to Paragould Arkansas to adopt our little beagle-baby.  Someone had found a box of beagle mix puppies on the side of the road and taken them to the Paragould Paws.  I had just graduated from the University of Iowa and had moved down to Carbondale into Dan's infamous Sugartree apartment.  And I had my heart set on getting a dog. 

We decided that a beagle would be a good breed for us given that they aren't too big, are friendly, creative, and independent.  And holy wow are beagle puppies cute... those big eyes and ears sold me.

So we filled out the little application.  Picked up the basic puppy supplies at the nearby Wal-Mart (if you ever want to watch a very funny wild-eyed, speed shopper then take Dan to the Carbondale Wal-Mart).  And headed down to Paragould to pick up little Betty Lou.

The first item on the agenda was to pick out a new name as Betty Lou was not going to do.  Dan's version of picking out the name: Since Dan is quite the petrol-head, he suggested Shelby, after the famous Carroll Shelby...as in Shelby Mustangs.  I figured why not let him have this one. The real version: there was a song on the radio by some singer with the name Shelby, so I suggested it.  Dan immediately said "oh yeah, like the Shelby Mustangs" and thus Betty Lou became Shelby.

Shelby was hard not to love at 2 months- she was 5 pounds of big floppy soft ears, nose, and brown eyes with a dash of a white tail.  The adventures and laughs and snuggles began immediately...

When Shelby was only a few months old her favorite place to sleep was either right up against your chest or curled up against your shoulder...

Tonight to celebrate the eighth anniversary of Shelby joining our little family we just might have given her a few bites of her favorite shrimpies.

Love you beagie!