Gas Station Nachos: Happy birthday my little angel!

Today is Rocco's "Gotcha Day" (adoption anniversary), and his unofficial 4th birthday! I'm so thankful he walked (or sulked, as it really worked out) into our lives two years ago.

Here's a little story, accompanied with pictures, on how we found Rocco Charles Velociraptor two years ago.

I was at the shelter to pick up my TNR cats from surgery. I walked through the runs to waste time as they were finishing up. There I saw Rocco's pitiful face and knew immediately that he needed to be ours. His head was practically glued to the ground like this...

...and you could just see the FML look in his eyes (he was sharing a run with a Jack Russell that was jumping off the walls (literally), and Rocco isn't exactly known for his love of high energy dogs or loud settings).

In the next few weeks, it was crystap clear by his behavior that he had been abused in the last. He was very fearful, had no clue how to play with toys, growled at almost anything, and flinched or cowered if you moved too quickly. His medical care had also been neglected, and he had this lovely tumor growing out of his ear:

The night before we brought him home, I was in absolute tears because, as much as I wanted to bring him into our family, I was terrified that there was no way that I could love him as much as I love Lizzi. Two years later, I'm cracking up at how I worried for nothing - he's our sweet angel boy, and I undoubtedly love him just as much as Liz. Plus, look at how perfect these two are for each other. How they survived without the other is beyond me.

The past two years have involved a lot of patience and love in rehabbing Rocco from his past life, but we wouldn't have it any other way. He's perfect just the way he is, and he makes our family whole.

Tonight Rocco enjoyed some delicious birthday cookies, and tomorrow he'll have his birthday cake (I was a bad momma and didn't have all the ingredients I needed today). And of course Sunday is Hound Dog Homecoming, so I'm hoping as a belated birthday gift he gets crowned Homecoming King (last minute donations are still welcome)!

And now, it's off to snuggle in bed with my birthday boy. And my human boy. And Lizzi. And probably Emma and a cat or two. I need a bigger bed...

Rocco's regal pose