In Loving Memory of Anderson

Saving just one dog won't change the world... but surely the world will change for that one dog. - Unknown

Anderson Dolores Parsons March 2002 - January 17, 2011

On May 13, 2005 you changed our lives forever. You had been rescued from a bad breeder who was going to put you down because you couldn’t have any more puppies, but you were only three. A nice man wouldn’t let this happen so he took you in long enough for Daddy and Mama to come find you. Daddy was really nervous because he had never had a dog before, Mama was excited because she had wanted you for practically her whole life. From the moment we saw you we knew you were meant to be ours. Daddy put on your leash with tears of joy in his eyes and you never looked back.

Your name had been Lucy, but you wouldn’t answer to it at all. We tried so many names. Finally, Daddy called out “Anderson” and you came barreling toward him. We shared the most amazing 6 years with you and you were spoiled every step of the way. You had beds all over the house, but you loved the couches and great-grandpa Sandy’s chair the most. You lived for going to work with mama and for getting love from all your work buddies. You loved hearing how cute, pretty, adorable, beautiful, precious, and funny you were. You dabbled in modeling for Amazon and Jones Soda. Mama and Daddy even let you carry their rings down the aisle. You loved suckling anything that looked like a cow and you would hold it gently in your mouth for hours. You even tolerated Mama and Aunt Jen dressing you up in costumes for six holiday cards a year. You adored and were adored by your pug cousin Tug. You were always so excited to see him so you both could patrol the scene should anything arise. You even had a country home in Olympia where you spent vacations with Grandma and Grandpa and learned to pick blueberries from the bush (we credit Tug with showing you how). Your most favorite food in the world was bananas, they were your number one treat. You would dance around like a crazy girl to let anyone who had one know that you would like some too. They say dogs are colorblind, but you could see yellow from a mile away, sometimes it wasn’t actually a banana and you would pout. You were the best cuddlier in the world, whether on the couch, in a chair, or in bed. You’d nuzzle your not so little head into us and instantly be snoring away. Daddy lived for Saturdays and Sundays because he knew that meant he would be able to have morning cuddles with “His Girl” and you know he didn’t mean Mama. Every night like clockwork you would wake up from your post dinner nap and eagerly stare at the door for five minutes listening for Daddy’s bus to drive by. Daddy would rub you down and you would eagerly follow him into the kitchen for one of your many nightly treats. You weren’t a huge fan of walking, but you’d do it for us. You’d much rather be sunning yourself on the deck and wading in your pool.

Everyone who met you loved y