Samwise on his 4th Anniversary

There are days when it is easy to take Samwise for granted. He’s his own fellow, after all, and does not require much attention. The old soul in him lets me know when he desires to be held, wants to go out, or if the water bowl needs refilling. Other than that, he’s so quiet and still, he blends in with his environment. If you’ve seen us on a book tour, you’ll note that he naps almost the entire time I’m talking.

While Emily is bonded to me, Samwise is bonded to the world before his eyes. You can see evidence of this in most of the photos of the two. Emily usually looks to me, while Samwise has his back to us, surveying a river, the forest, or the mountains rolling off into the distance.

This past weekend marked the fourth anniversary of when six-month-old Samwise came north from Texarkana, Texas, to start his life anew. He’d been on death row with less than twenty-four hours to breathe. He’d been a street dog, and when he was locked up, no one wanted him.

I found out about him eight d…