Christmas day brought someone to El Jordan that really was a true gift. I came downstairs to Heidi and Keiden looking around. "Have you seen a dog? It's beautiful, dark brown and it just came and made itself at home." We searched around El Jordan and there was no dog to be found. Finally we found him in a back room sleeping contently. It was true, he was beautiful. With silky red-brown hair and a calm, laid-back personality, it took everything in me not to get too attached. It was obvious he lived on the streets. He was skinny, and a little dirty and many people had seen him wandering around and eating out of garbage cans for the past year or so. So we tried to figure out what to do. Finally we had a plan. We decided to give him to a boys' home about 45 minutes away. So, we put him in the truck and dropped him off. The boys were ecstatic- each taking turns taking pictures with him. The very next day, though, he ran off and didn't return to them. So we all, sadly, gave up hope of finding him again.

Two days ago and a week after he escaped he was waiting on the corner for us to pick him up. He had walked for a week to find us. After that, we knew we couldn't give him up. So we tried to think of a way to keep him. It was decided that once the property for the new boys' section of El Jordan is ready, he'll go live there to protect it. Meanwhile, for the next few months, I get to take care of him. What a wonderful Christmas gift.

So, yesterday we took him to the vet to get fixed. They asked if we wanted to watch, so we did. It was interesting. But we figured he would be a little lethargic for a couple days until he healed. I woke up this morning at the usual 6:30am (he seems to have an inner clock and wakes me up at 6:30 on the dot every morning) to a jumpy, wiggling, excited dog, ready for his morning walk. I was pretty shocked, he doesn't seem to notice anything is different. So, we went down the road a ways and turned onto a dirt alley. On the other end, a big dog stopped in our path. Knowing Silas was a very protective dog and wouldn't turn down a fight and therefore injure himself, I stopped in my tracks and tried to turn around. But it was two late, the dogs were staring each other down. I started running the other way, sure a fight would break out, but Silas wriggled out of his collar and stood his ground. The dog was running at us now, so I knew I had to scare it away. So, I looked around and saw a rock. I picked it up and threw it at the dog, purposely missing. It stopped for a second, then started at us again. So, I picked up another rock. This time I raised it above my head and yelled in my scariest voice. I'm not sure exactly what I yelled, but it did the trick. The poor dog ran as fast as it could in the other direction. If it had a tail, I'm sure it would be between his legs.

I told Heidi about this later and described the dog to her. Apparently his name is princess and he wouldn't have picked a fight, but was spastic and just wanted to play with us. Poor thing probably had the fright of his life. But I'm positive there would have been a fight started by Silas (I'm still working on his social skills with other dogs and cats), so I spared Princessa even more terror.