From that point on, I logged on almost daily to check out the "Available Dogs" page on NEOESR website.  I would print almost every picture and bring them home to show my mother - sometimes putting them up on the refrigerator (I thought a little guilt may help my cause!).  Although I was an adult, I was living with my parents - so if I was going to get another dog - my mother and father had to approve.    We had two female Old English Sheepdogs at the time, Brittney (who we had adopted in 1994 at the age of 2) and Presley (who was only 6 months old.)   My mother was only interested in adopting a female (and preferably young) - if she was interested at all. 

In February 2002, after two years of checking the website, printing pictures, and begging - all to no avail - Grannie Annie signed off a post on the OES-List saying "I wish someone wanted a darling 10 week old deaf mostly with a tail".  Well, I thought, this could be it - I could be this "someone"!   I immediately called Grannie Annie for more information (particularly the sex of the puppy).  This was a female "mostly" that was deaf and needed a special home with other dogs and someone willing to spend a lot of time training a deaf dog.   She told me to think seriously about it and get back to her.  It didn't take me long to decide (I had decided before I even got off the phone) - but now I needed to convince my parents that this was a good idea.    I started to work on my mother immediately!  I was like a little kid begging for their first puppy (I'll feed her, I'll walk her, I'll brush her, etc. …)!  I called Grannie Annie to start the process (before I had finished convincing my mother).  I asked my father - "Dad, do you mind if we get another dog?".  His response, "What the hell do we need another dog for?" Before I could respond, he said "I don't care!" (that was easy!).  I called the dog training school and enrolled in puppy class.   If I could convince my mother - I would be all set!   She had some concerns but eventually she agreed (I think! )  I made arrangements to pick this puppy up that Sunday (sight un-seen!) at a rest area in CT. 

I had no idea what to expect.  As my niece, Stephanie, and I wait at the rest area, I start to wonder what this puppy would look like.  A lot of the deaf sheepies that I had seen had a lot of white fur - but this was a mostly - so she could have looked like anything as far as I was concerned.  As we approached the truck she arrived in, I saw a tiny little travel crate but couldn't see inside.  At this point, I'm expecting a scraggly looking white non-sheepie looking puppy!   Much to my relief, the woman reached in the crate and out came this little black and white ball of fur.  She was adorable!  She jumped in my arms like she realized I was her Mom and she never looked back.  This little ball of fur is now known as Sydney. 

Sydney has been a wonderful addition to our family!  She quickly became one of the "Girls" and got along surprisingly well with her new sisters (which was another relief!).  Brittney (11 yrs old) and Presley (4 yrs old) love her and are extremely tolerant of her antics (of which there are many!).  My father (who always liked the dogs but never made a big fuss over them) treats her like a princess - she is definitely his favorite!   My mother also loves her and I think most of her original concerns dissipated quickly.  And needless to say, she is my "little girl" and although I gave up what little social life I had, to take care of a deaf puppy, it has all been well worth it!   It is as if she was meant to be a part of our family! 

Sydney's deafness is not as much of a problem as I had expected.  We went through several weeks of training and she did great (I could use a little more work!).   She has learned several hand signals, including - sit, down, come, "good girl", NO, leave-it, shake, bow and "I Love You" (well, I hope she knows that one!) Sydney spends a lot of time with me (she's like my little "travel size sheepie") and often gets to "go away" - spending several weekends at my sister's house - playing with her best friend, Mosi, and being tolerated by Zoe (her basset hound cousins).  She even got to go to Newport, Rhode Island on my parents' boat last year and will be "boating with Nana & Grampy" a lot this summer as well. 

On December 1, 2002, Sydney turned one year old.  She is a little furry clown - more "active" than a full-bred OES - but not quite as big!  Sydney is quite the character! 

A great big THANKS to Grannie Annie and NEOESR, Inc. for giving me this special little girl!   By the way, I still check the "Available Dogs" website everyday!

This quilt square is in honor of Sydney - NEOESR Rescue - February 2002.  I could not have done a quilt square for Sydney (pictured in the middle square) without including her sisters, Presley (bottom right) and Brittney (top left), who are a big part of her life.   I have also included the hand signals I use for "Good Girl" (bottom left) and "I Love You" (top right) in tribute to Sydney's deafness!