Hi Everyone!
Well, its been almost two weeks since I started telling my life story. I think I have kept you in suspense long enough! Woof! In this chapter, I will tell you about how I came to be in this world and why Nancy kept me. 
If you recall, in chapter 1 I told you the story of how Nancy was inspired to become a breeder because of her love and respect for a dog named Reliance. And through her desire to carry on his bloodline she was able to locate his nephew, Synergy. And through the help of others Nancy was blessed to find Shine, who was to become the matriarch of the Good as Gold family. At this point, I should be telling you the touching, heart warming (and funny!) story of Synergy and Shine’s courtship but I will have to save that story for another time.
Needless to say, the courtship was successful and Shine was expecting to have the first Good as Gold Golden Retriever puppies (how exciting!). This was to be the first litter in Nancy’s breeding program where she dreamed of raising healthy, hearty and intelligent Golden Retrievers to love and live with, just like Reliance.
Now, you have to remember, Nancy was very new to the puppy birthing experience. To prepare herself she researched and asked her veterinarian, breeders, and others who have had experience with animal births what to expect. Everyone told her mother dogs giving birth to puppies was completely natural and there was nothing to worry about. So in the evening of the 62nd day of Shine’s pregnancy, she went into labour. But not everything went exactly as planned…
24 hours later, the miracle of birth started well and out came the first girl puppy. She was big and beautiful! Nancy had always dreamed of having the perfect girl Golden Retriever related to Reliance and here she was…Reliance’s Grand Niece had arrived! As the night wore on other puppies were born. With 7 puppies alive and well Shine laboured to push the last puppy out. Nancy was getting concerned. Finally, the last puppy was born.
She was a small girl..half the size of the other puppies…and she wasn’t breathing! Nancy was frantically working to save the pup all the while she was hysterically crying while on the phone with the vet. 15 minutes later, Nancy’s prayers were answered and the wee little girl took her first breath. Nancy kissed the little girl on the nose and whispered a promise to keep her forever if only she would fight to live! The little pup was on the edge between Heaven and this earth with Heaven’s horizon in the distance. When it became clear the tough tiny puppy was going to survive, that became her name..Heaven’s Horizon.
So! Once that crisis was passed Nancy spent tireless time and effort caring for Shine and her eight puppies. As the puppies grew and their eyes opened and they started to move and play, Nancy noticed that very big first born girl seemed to be constantly watching her. Everywhere Nancy went while in the room with the pups, the large girl pup’s eyes followed. Nancy wanted to keep her. She was her dream girl dog after all. But everyone told her that she couldn’t keep all the puppies. She had to keep her emotions in check and Nancy was to only keep one puppy. Well, that pup had to be Horizon. Nancy promised. But as the weeks went by and homes were found for the other 6 brothers and sisters, Nancy struggled to let her dream girl go.
Then one night just before the pups were to go to their forever homes, Nancy put them all to bed, turned out the lights and settled down to go to sleep herself. It was a beautiful evening and the moon was shining in through the window. Nancy looked over at the puppies and there she was. Illuminated by the night sky, her dream girl was sitting there staring right at her while her brothers and sisters slept. Nancy’s heart melted as she thought Moon Beamer would make a great name. At that moment her decision was made and Nancy had the most peaceful sleep she had in weeks.
The next morning family friends arrived for breakfast. Nancy got up, fed the pups and got ready to go downstairs to greet their guests. She strengthened her resolve, picked up her dream girl and carried her down. In front of their company and her family, Nancy suddenly burst into tears and declared “I don’t care what anyone says, I’m keeping her!”
As the room sat silently staring at the tear stained face of the puppies’ caregiver, Nancy, her mother took a deep breath and said “I knew you would”
And that is how I began my life with Nancy.
