If you know me at all you know how much I love animals. I thought that this blog would be about the Phelan family animals – Mille and Molle (pronounced as Molly). They are both Labrador Retrievers. Mille (pronounced Millie) is black and Molle is chocolate.

Mille was a gift from Ryan (my brother) to my dad on Christmas of 99. My dad opened a card and there was a picture of a puppy in it. As soon as the puppies were weaned it was all his, the Christmas card explained. My dad was so excited, but my mom wasn’t – my brother purposely didn’t ask because he knew she would say, “no.” But he knew that my dad is an animal lover (where I get it from) and would fall in love with the dog the instant he saw the picture. So, the countdown began and Mille arrived in January of 2000.

In fact, her name is short for Millennium. Mille – Millennium, get it? Oh we are sooo clever.

Anyway, I don’t remember how long, but it must have been a couple of years (and after Brooke and Ryan got married), after we got Mille that I had a dream about her. I dreamt that I was in my parent’s back yard and they had two dogs. The were both dark Labrador Retrievers and I was so shocked that they now had two dogs, especially when my mom could barely handle one. In my dream I asked my parents what was going on and they said that they got another dog and decided to name her Molle. When I woke up from the dream the next morning I called and told my parents. They thought it was so funny because their names matched, but they assured me that one dog was enough. Somehow Brooke and Ryan were also told the story. Unbeknownst to me they had been thinking about getting a dog. And wouldn’t you know it – they decided on a chocolate Labrador Retriever and named her…Molle.

I love coming home to CA to see family and friends, and of course I love seeing the dogs too. I still consider Mille my dog even though technically she isn’t. Mille cracks me up. She is the spoiled child now that Ryan and I are gone. She gets a two-mile run every morning (rain or shine) and she loooooves to swim. She is in my parent’s pool more then anyone else. She is quite the swimmer actually.

And Molle is really mourning the fact that she is no longer the only child at Brooke and Ryan’s house. Now that Sullivan is there, Molle is constantly trying to get people to turn their attention to her. She will bring toys and drop them in your lap, and she is always at your heels. She really is a sweet dog and good with the baby, so of course we don’t mind. When I was there yesterday, I was sitting on the couch holding the baby in my lap. Brooke came by and picked up the baby to change her, and as soon as I let go of Sullivan, Molle climbed up, all the way, in my lap. Can you imagine having a full-grown, 70ish pound dog in your lap trying to be a baby? I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants. She is just a big puppy who wants to be loved too.

If I could I would have an animal in New Jersey. But, I am gone way too much for it to be fair to the animal. They are so much company though, and I love them so much. When I can get one I will get a Labrador Retriever though, although I think a yellow one. But what should I name her? Mille and Molle go together, but it is hard for me to think of something else that fits. Hmmmm… I don’t think that that's very urgent right now. Ha! I will cross that bridge when I get there, which won’t be for at least a year and possibly more.