The New Year's eve fireworks have finally started and my Marco is NOT a happy boy!!! He has been so calm and peacefully settled during the previous months, so it really surprised me how frantic he became when the noise started.

Although he's only been with us a short 7 months it seems like a lifetime. I have no other knowledge of his upbringing other than knowing he was chained inside a storage shed in someone's backyard for the first two years of his life. As the fireworks continue to go off he hides under the bed and then he comes out and jumps on the couch with me which really makes my heart happy because I know that he feels like he's in a safe haven.

On the eve of a new year and decade, I truely struggle in finding the words to thank Jacquie, Lynne, and all of the other volunteers who dedicate such a huge part of their lives to bring all of the "Marco's" of the world to us.