Happy Mothers Day, All!

Hi.....Cody here - wanted to sneak a note to you on my first week in my new home. My mom and dad are making dinner and I wanted to say Hi & Thank You.

Mother's Day wouldn't be complete without wishing the Word's Greatest Foster Mom a "Happy Mother's Day"!

They talk about the blog they are finishing and how they are trying to get a family photo to send to you as well. I hear them say it will be done soon so they can send to you.

My first week has been so much fun......exploring new things. My parents are showing me how to go potty in one spot in the yard and then I am allowed to walk and explore the yard. They are training me on these white flags that are somehow part of an invisible fence - dad says I'll be trained in no time since I'm such a smart boy.

I love to lie around on the floor with mom, dad and Billy - we kinda hang out at night as we watch TV. In the mornings, I get to go out w/Mom and then run and find Daddy. Then Daddy takes me out and we play until he has to go to this thing called a J.O.B....

I hear them say over and over how very happy they are to have me here. It's nice to get all of the hugs I get. We visited a nice doctor this weekend, Dr. Maxin. He said something that I'm good for Mom & Dad and said I'm healthy, but just underweight. He said I needed to be another 15-20 pounds and that on his scale I was 53.8, but mom and dad said I already gained some weight. He likes the food they are feeding me (something about all the protein). He was a nice man, said for me to come in anytime.

We all kinda laugh when I drool...they say it builds character (I think they are just funning with me)....

I learned to sit (some people call it whoa, but my dad is a "stay" kinda guy and I'm digging it too). So, I'm making everyone proud when I sit and stay while they open the door. I know they know better then to totally trust me, but I am really doing a great job.

I hear them talk about some sort of cousin of mine I am going to meet on Wednesday. His name is Duke (but his full name is Dukis Rielly Hamilton) he is a chocolate lab. I'm only part brown, so I hope we get along. I hear they are having pizza, but I don't think we will be allowed any. I hear Duke is a little crazy, but I have a few moments of my own. So I think we are going to be okay.

I do know I have another cousin who looks kinda like Duke and his name is Moose. In due time I hear I will get to meet him. Maybe the three of us can be buddies, I sure hope so - because it would be fun for all of us to go to Maine. I heard my Dad say by the end of the Summer, I'm going to be taking a vacation to Maine. Mom & Dad have a log cabin on this really big lake. I don't know what a duck is, but Dad thinks he can teach me how to out swim and bring one back to him. I'll let you know how it goes. He's getting me something called a camo-neoprene vest so I keep warm when I'm swimming. Dad says there is also other birds in the woods that he knows I'll like to point at. They are called grouse around here and in Maine they like to call them partridge. I don't know what they look or smell like, but Dad said he would teach me.

In the Fall around here, there is another bird called a Pheasant -- I already smelled what one smells like and I'm looking forward to going hunting with Dad around here. We don't have to go too far and Thanksgiving's the big day for us. Even little Billy will come home from College to go with us.

When I'm home inside my crate, I lay next to Dad's oldest pet, Stripes who is a 26 year-old fish. Dad's known him longer than Mommy. We look at each other all day and try to figure out what the other one is doing. We don't talk much, but I think we are pretty close.

I love to go upstairs and explore all the rooms. I look for little Billy, but Dad and Mom say he's only here every other weekend. I'm not really sure what that means. But I found him in his bed this morning. It was pretty neat to jump on top of him and lick him when he was sound asleep.

Dad thinks him and I get along really well. He said we really hit it off because Dad thinks I may be a little bit of a hillbilly from Arkansas because I'm always trying to get/drink his coffee and every time he walks me past his pick up truck, I jump right in the back. I think Dad is a little bit of a hillbilly too.

Anyway, if it wasn't for you rescuing me from Arkansas and brining me to NJ, I would have never had an opportunity to meet my new family. You are the greatest mom ever. Foster parents are the greatest thing on earth. Thank you for taking the time to see what a wonderful dog I really can be. Thank you for matching me up with my new family.

I'll write again soon......

Woof....