The five service pups I've raised...

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Perseverance

I attended a friend's celebration dinner at the Beach House in Cardiff by the Sea tonight; she graduated today from Cal State San Marcos with a degree in Accounting. Now, she started taking college classes when her daughter was 13. Her lovely daughter is now a college student herself. Yet perseverence is a quality she knows first hand. Many a time she had to turn down social plans since she had to study. And today it paid off as she received her Bachelors degree with honors! Josh Billings said, "Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there." And from Henry Ward Beecher, "The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't." Well I believe my friend has this very spirit deep inside her. I admire those who work full time, and go to college too. My little sister did this, as did my father, while married with tiny children to provide for. It takes a resourceful person to set their mind to a goal and achieve it.

Tenaciousness. What a great quality. Staying with something until you see it through. Now I'm sure my friend was derailed a time or two, but for as long as I have known her, she has been "in school". When she puts her mind to something, she keeps at it until she has her success. Such fun this celebration; where her husband gathered her closest friends who always supported her, to treat us to a night out beach side, for a scrumptious dinner and wine.

For the toast to his wife of 5 years, her husband said "many people say they are going to do something and then never do it; I have learned when my wife says she wants something, not to doubt her." Her next goal, studying and sitting for her CPA exams which need to be completed within 18 months...I have no doubt she will diligently work toward this goal as well.

Speaking of graduations...today was May's graduation for Canine Companions for Independence. And 5 teams graduated in Oceanside.
Jim turned-in his boy, 3rd puppy Napal for Advanced Training. Friend Nancy turned-in her first pup Columba...many tears as these fur kids leave their puppy raiser families of 14-16 months, to go on to doggie college for their advanced training in preparation for their potential life as a service dog.

I took little Miss Francie. She was a squirmy muffin and seemed to think every applause was her fans. Finally she settled in, teething on a bone from my "bag of tricks".
In this photo Francie is in her training CCI cape and big boy Napal is wearing his matriculation blue cape and yellow halti (CCI colors). She seems to be saying, someday this will be me. (yes it will little one....in August 2010 - that's her matriculation date).

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