Welcome home, Gator!

Welcome home, Gator!  After learning we were matched with Gator in August we have been looking forward to this day! Gator is coming home! It was about 6 weeks earlier than we had first anticipated but we found out about a week ago that he had passed all his tests and was ready to come home! Saturday morning we woke up early and traveled the ninety minutes to Gator's training facility.  It was the first time Grace had laid eyes on Gator and she was over the moon excited!

There is something about the bond between a service dog and his owner.  The bond was instantaneous! We stopped at Cabela's on the way home and he had his first public experience with us as his handlers. He did fabulous!

Sunday he attended church with us - 850+ people and a rock band praise team!  He did great - several people talked to us after we were seated and did not even notice he was there!

After church Grace had to do her daily training walk with him.  He is used to responding to commands spoken with authority.  Her baby voice is not very authoritative so we have to work on that.

 

 

Today (Monday) we went to the eye doctor in Fort Worth.  I told Daddy this was trial by fire - I was taking Gator and Grace to the doctor and on my own for the very first time.  I was the only nervous one!

 



Gator was very attentive to Grace.  Even the doctor commented how he watched her and was constantly making sure she is okay.  When her anxiety started to go up and she was resisting the glaucoma test he put his head up in her lap in the exam chair.  He kept nudging her and making sure she was focusing on him and her breathing calmed. I think he is going to be an amazing blessing!

This is just the very beginning of a beautiful relationship.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone who helped make this happen - from helping fund Grace's adoption to helping fund Gator and his training.  God is good and he is faithful. His love never fails as evidenced again and again.