Madison Dudley

There is a hope chest at the foot of our bed that stores all of our favorite blankets. The hope chest itself is handmade, a gift from my dad as a "coming of age" gift when I turned 16. With the exception of the chest itself, arguably the most important item within belongs to a dog. My husband and I don't have human children; we have two fur babies, each with their own little quirks and temperaments. Pepper, our youngest, is my husband's "baby girl". Literally. The bond those two share is adorable and, quite frankly, the reason I chose to submit this story. We adopted Pepper nearly two years ago from a local breeder. She was the runt of litter and remains small for her breed. She was tiny, fierce, and utterly attached to her siblings. The breeder worried Pepper might have a hard time transitioning and gifted us with a baby blanket. The blanket was made from the bedding she shared with her mama and littermates until she was ready to leave home and join our family. Our dogs are spoiled and sleep inside (often on our bed), but to this day, we bring the blanket out when the weather turns chilly or when we travel. While it doesn't smell like her first home or siblings anymore, Pepper keeps this blanket close by whenever she snuggles into her little nest. This blanket has always brought her comfort, peace, and a sense of home, wherever that may be. For these reasons, this blanket is nearly as special as our baby girl. It holds a place in our hearts, and our hope chest, to always remind us of the joy and blessings our little nuggets bring.