a HUGE milestone.

but it's not for who you think!

today was a big big day for the infamous tucker murphy, our (sometimes) beloved pooch.

a quick tucker background-

the first year billy and i moved to pa, we decided we wanted to adopt a boxer.
i tracked down a local boxer rescue group and filled out an application.
we asked specifically for a purebred female, preferably brindle, and under six months.

we got tucker.

basically he is the polar opposite of everything i requested.

but when we found out he'd been sitting in a crate for the past eight months waiting for a family, we couldn't say no.  he was an absolute disaster, found as a stray, and he has been wreaking havoc in our lives for the past four years.  he makes us laugh, he makes us cry, he makes me proud, and (more often than not) he makes me want to punch him in the face.  he makes me a better person.

i have always wanted to take tucker to this big off leash dog park about a mile from our house, but we never have.  mostly because once tucker gets off the leash he doesn't typically like to return to the leash, and also because he's kind of a punk.  we go to this park a lot lately because they have great swings and a tot lot, but tucker always waits in the car while finn and i play.

but for some reason today was different.  we went to the tot lot and left tucker in the car as usual, but i was feeling brave and decided after we had our fill of the swings that we were going to get tucker and attempt the off leash park. 

it's a huuuuge park with wide open spaces, a wooded area, a creek, and lots of opportunities for disaster to strike.  it was packed full of dogs.  we were parked at the other end of the parking lot, so i flung finn on my hip and kept tucker right at my other side as we trekked over.  i tried to think positively and talk reassuringly to tucker.  none of us had any idea what to expect. 

once we got to the gate, i just let him go.
it was scary, and it was glorious.
he was suddenly well mannered and wonderful!  he galloped in, and immediately ran up to a huge male german shepherd.  i stiffened.  but tucker practically shook his hand like a politician and then strode off to say hello to a yellow lab.  it was unreal!  there was no barking or dominance issues like we've had in the past.  he played for about 45 minutes, and he absolutely loved it. 

although tucker seemed to get along swimmingly with everyone at the park, i think i managed to drive everyone bonkers.  mostly because i ran around like a lunatic stage mom screaming "tucker! look at you! you're doing it! you're playing so well!  you're doing such a good job! you're so nice! look how happy you are! look how happy he is! he's doing it! we're doing it! i'm doing it!!!! he's playing! he's running! he's saying hi! tuck you're saying hi! that was so nice! you're being so nice! tucker i'm so proud of you! finn we are so proud of tucker aren't we so proud of tucker we're so proud of tucker!!!!"

finn loved being outside too, and he laughed every time tucker played with another dog.  i was so happy that everything was going so well, and i even managed to get tucker back ON the leash without too much trouble.  mission accomplished.

i have to say i am feeling pretty proud of myself for attempting this expedition solo and succeeding, but i am even more proud of tucker.  i am sure he will do something ridiculous in the near future to exasperate me entirely, but right now i am reveling in this one wonderful afternoon in which he surprised me in a good way.

way to go, tuck!

(he's that little white fleck at 3 o'clock)