Hi everyone.  I feel like I know you all already, and I realized today that even though I'm silently here, I hadn't properly introduced ourselves. At first I didn't post because Cricket was very new to us and was already a tripawd when we got her, and I quickly noticed that many of you had gone through a great deal before becoming tripawd parents. That left me feeling quite underqualified to be here. Once I finally decided to post, I had started posts several times and been interrupted, or accidentally closed the tab without finishing the post. But I'm posting now. Finally.

We adopted our tripawd, Cricket, this past October. She was found as a stray with a badly broken leg and dislocated knee. The injury had already begun to heal badly, so the vet and the rescue group opted to amputate Cricket's front right leg. We adopted her about three weeks post-amputation. We went to the rescue group looking for a pug mix, and ended up with a pomeranian, of all things, which is something I never imagined we'd have. We're low-maintenance people, so a "fancy" dog wasn't who we expected to fall in love with. But, it was love at first snuggle. Our entire family is head over heels in love with her.  

Cricket is a tiny ball of energy, which is to be expected, since she's a pomeranian who is estimated to be a bit over a year old. Her favorite hobbies include running at a very high rate of speed around the yard while my older son tries to race her, wrestling with our 14 pound cat, wrestling with our bulldog mix's head while he lies on his back at Cricket's mercy, getting into trouble, and wrapping up the day by snuggling under the blankets.

The addition of Cricket into our lives is one of the most wonderful things that's ever happened to me, personally. Prior to having children, my husband and I took in special needs cats and dogs (and even the occasional 'less than perfect' chicken) over the course of several years. We're no strangers to animals who prove that their disabilities or flaws don't hold them back.  But, Cricket is one of those creatures that just grabs your heart and holds it. She came into our lives shortly after I had suffered a major health crash (not life threatening) of my own, and had been an immense source of love, laughter, and most importantly a reminder that my own limitations do not make me a "less than." I can't imagine our lives and our home without her.