Missy, my faithful dachshund, is sitting by my side relaxing in her rocker on the back porch. Yes, Missy has her own rocker; she is pretty close to human you know. With this in mind I wasn’t sure what sort of greeting to expect upon my return from my working trip to Tennessee.

I really missed the old girl while I was away and even talked to her on the phone a few times. I must have appeared pretty silly speaking baby talk to my dog and asking the dog sitter if Missy was wagging her tail at the sound of my voice. But true dog lovers will readily identify with my struggle.

Missy would have accompanied me, but the place I worked doesn’t allow pets. Since that was the case she spent over a month at a friend’s house. Though I knew my faithful companion was in good and loving hands I thought of her often and wondered how she felt about the situation.

Now, after a couple of days transitioning back to her familiar territory everything is once again flowing in a smooth and predictable pattern. Missy lazes around watching me as I go about my daily tasks. I think she must have gained a few pounds while I was away. That is a very bad thing for a dachshund since they have a tendency to have back problems. She and I will both benefit from taking a walk every day so I add that to my list of things to do.

My plants are in need of a little TLC also. No one takes care of them quite the way I think they should be taken care of. I’ve been clucking like a mother hen watering, fertilizing, and removing damaged leaves to get them back in shape since I hit the front door, I believe. Honestly, it is hard for me to understand how a person could get bored when there is always so much to do.

My church takes a break from their small groups when school is out. After the summer off the new classes are ramping up for the fall session, and I’m arriving home just in time to join a group or two. Fortunately for me, there is a Sunday night ladies Bible Study at a home right in my neighborhood. I attended last night and know already that I’m going to love this diverse and fun group.

Mike and I sat sipping our coffee enjoying one of the few mornings he gets to spend at home when we spotted someone approaching our backdoor. What a delight to see our eldest son come strolling in after dropping our grandson at school!

We were in the middle of having a quiet time when Robby arrived so we talked a while, read the Bible together, and prayed for the things weighing on our hearts. Of all the beautiful things in life, these tender moments are most precious.

Jan Penton Miller can be reached at lilsisjan@yahoo.com.