Bon Jovi @ Jazz Fest

Puddin Pie

April 12, 2006 is a day that I will never forget. I had my tax refund in hand and decided I was going to get a puppy. For weeks I had been looking in the classifieds to find the right one. Finally, I decided to go meet a lady that had tiny Chihuahuas.

When I got there it was around 5:30 and as the sun was starting to set, there was a spring chill in the air. The lady had the puppies in a large crate that could be moved to a different spot of grass for the pups to play on. As I leaned over to look in she told me there were two litters in the pen. One group were 6 week old chocolates and the others were 8 week old tan and whites. As I looked in I knew that I wanted one of the chocolates.

They were not what I expected the small breed to behave like at all. They were bouncing around and running and hitting one another knocking each other over. I found two that caught my eye. One was a girl with a white dot on the tip of her tail the other was just like her except he didn't have the dot. So I decided to get him. The little puppy happily climbed up in my arms and never looked back as I stuck him in my scrubs pocket to keep him warm. From that moment on he would be forever only mine and I would forever be his baba.

We went straight to Pet Smart to buy food, because it was the only store that would let me take him in with me. As I held him cupped in my hand, he barely filled it up weighing in at 13 ounces. I wanted to buy him a shirt, but he was too tiny to wear any. He was 5 1/2 weeks old at the time and wouldn't fit into a 3x small until he had reached 10 weeks.

We went home that Thursday afternoon and played until bed time. The next day I had to go to work, since I hadn't bought a carrier for the puppy yet, I decided to use a table to make him a small cage in the corner. When I came in at lunch to check on him he had escaped. I finally found him behind my clothes hamper. It was funny because I had startled him and the tiny little speck of a pup popped out and fussed till I scooped him up.

I have many wonderful memories with Rio and many that are very memorable. Like the time he ate the honey bee.. Or the time he first met his "Pack" at granny's house. How he loves his duck. Watching him play in his first snow. How he loves to help fold laundry. Or how he talks to the car when I leave for work. And sitting on my shoulder. Or the time I found him hopping behind a cricket making only the same moves the cricket made.

He sleeps at the foot of my bed in his blue box every night. He has two boxes of toys. He lives the good life. We play "give me that shoe" and usually I lose. I love looking at those little green eyes when he appreciates his chew bone.

As another birthday comes and goes for my little man, I have to say he was the the best tax refund that I have ever received. HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIO!

Jonathan

Jonathan Richard Cater

He is such a cutie pie!

8 lbs. 6 oz.

20 inches long

arrived at 1:02 am

Arrival

Cindy and Chase got the perfect Valentine's Day present! Baby Cater has finally arrived! We are all very excited and ready to see him! We love you guys! I will be getting pics very soon!

Tribute

Biloxi's Memorial

I took these pictures at Biloxi's Town Green, home of the Hurricane Katrina Memorial.

The memorial was dedicated by "Extreme Makeover" in 2006.

The case contains items from buildings and homes in the area.

Over 235 people died in Mississippi that day.




The top reaches 12 feet, the same height of the surge waters in that area.

The water came over 90 past Hard Rock Casino.