I grew up on a farm, and as such, I was surrounded by animals.

A lot of farm kids get to the point where they can distinguish between the animals that are there for the the purposes of the farm and those that are pets.

I never really achieved that.

I raised swine for 4-H, and I was usually so upset after my animals were sold that my dad would have to go back to the fairgrounds and clean out their pens.

I had a black chicken named Greased Lightning that I walked on a leash. My Black New Zealand rabbit Snoopy was so tame from being handled and played with so much that I could sit him on the ground and he would follow me around.

True stories.

One of the things I miss the most about being a country girls is having gaggles of animals. So right now I'm heaping all my love on the two I do have.

Most of the love goes to my Jack Russell Terrier, Bruiser. I also have a cat, Gemini, but he only wants to be loved when it's his idea (as is typical with cats, I've found).

On Sunday, we took Bruiser to a Blessing of the Animals ceremony at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. There were several other dogs there, as well as a couple of cats and a newt.

You heard me, a newt.

Anyway, as I sat there with my dog, I listened to Rev. Bill Wieland talk about how God gave us the animals to be our companions. I thought about how these wonderful creatures love us so unconditionally. They expect very little from us, and yet they give and give and give.

When I come home from work in the afternoon, Bruiser is always standing in the big window in the kitchen waiting for me. You'd think I was coming home from war. He jumps into my arms and covers my face with doggie kisses like I've been gone for a year.

What a gift that is.

As Rev. Wieland blessed my dog, my heart just swelled. He is a truly beautiful, wonderful part of my life.

The blessing is just as much mine.