July 9

Bon Jour!! Everything is going well here. The kids and their dogs are working very hard and as an onlooker it is very interesting to watch. The trainers, Giles, Karen and Natalie work with the kids and dogs from 8:30 to about 5:00 everyday. The kids are very tired at the end of the day and seem to just want to hang out and enjoy each other's company. When we first got here, Ryan would call right after dinner and fill me in on the day and then meet me for a walk. Now, I am lucky if I hear from him before 9:00 pm. This is the first time Ryan has ever been around other blind kids and the same is true for some of the other kids there. It is a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with one another and share experiences.
Joanne, the director of Mira, gave me a tour of the puppy kennel yesterday! These were the most adorable things and it was everything I could do to not smuggle one of them out of there! They are VERY well taken care of and the facilities were state of the art.The puppies stay there until they are 6 weeks old and they are adopted out. The adoptees keep the dogs until they are a year and a half and then they return them for training. I can't imagine how difficult that would be! While we were there, 6 families were there to pick up their puppies. They were so excited and I just wanted to hug every one of them!! It is such a courageous thing for these people to do. At the end of our training here, we will meet the family that adopted, cared for and loved Ryan's dog. It makes me cry just thinking about it.
Here are some pictures of the kennel:

One of the three week old puppies. I took this through the glass so it's a little fuzzy.

Some of the puppies being adopted and their adoptees.

This little guy was literally hugging my arm! He had a grip around my arm and when I tried to pull away he would pull tighter! They are lucky that one didn't end up under my jacket!

One more thing! The very first question we have been asked in regard to Ryan's dog is "What is the dog's name?" We have been advised to keep the name of the dog a secret for a while. It was explained to me that when we bring the dog home, people will want to meet the dog and call out to the dog if they know his name, particularly when he gets to school. This would be a distraction for the dog and make things very difficult for Ryan. Once Ryan and his dog have more time to work together, create a bond and really understand one another and his dog becomes used to his new home and new master, we will share his name. I can tell you, it is not a hockey player. Ryan loves him anyway. :)