I just had to write and let you know what my human Mom and I have been doing! She calls it “volunteering”, but I think it’s just plain fun! My human Mom heard about an organization called “Three Trees” and she takes me there each Tuesday evening while they are having classes. She is the “hostess” for that evening. She bakes cookies each Tuesday morning, which we take for that night. The kids really like home made cookies. (My human Mom says making these cookies is a snap – 1 cake mix, 2 eggs and 1/3 cup oil. Roll into small balls, smash with sugar and bake for 5 minutes at 375 degrees.) Now back to my story.
Before the cookies are baked, I always get a bath, my nails trimmed and grooming. My human Mom says that I have to be the cleanest dog there. I don’t understand that at all because I’m the only dog there -- but w-h-a-t-e-v-e-r. (Zoey and Lilly also get baths too, but they stay home -- .) When my human Mom starts loading the Tesco bag, I know that we are getting ready to go. She puts my collar on with the green leaves -- my name is Ivy, you know -- and we’re on our way. I ride shotgun and my Mom drives. I try and watch for other dogs and cars and like to look out the window. It’s a long drive, but I don’t mind because my Mom is always petting me. 
When we get there, Charlene is waiting for us and usually some of the facilitators are already there. (My Mom will take the facilitator training the end of February. She says that she is looking forward to that very much.) While my Mom makes coffee and puts out snacks, I usually check out the rooms to see if any of the kids are there yet. I love it when they start coming because they always ask about me and come looking for me if I’m not in the front waiting for them. I think that they really like me and I know that I like them. The first night, I stayed in the 5-6 year old room for the whole class because one little boy was almost crying and I think he liked it because I was with him. I really liked that room because they have BIG soft pillows for the kids and me to lie on. Some nights, I just stay with my Mom during class unless someone else needs me. They have a big table that I like to lie under when I’m just relaxing. For two classes, I got to stay in the Ocean Room because a little girl was lonesome and she wanted me to watch her paint. 
Everyone thinks that I’m very well behaved. They didn’t know a lot about Cavaliers – that we’re just naturally well behaved. We are sometimes called the Comforter Spaniel too. That’s what I think this volunteering thing is all about – comforting. It makes me feel so good when the kids hug me and pet me. I like to try and hug them back. The pictures are some of my new friends at Three Trees. There is a picture of Charlene and me at the front desk, one of me waiting for the kids to come in the front door, one of me with some of the younger kids in the big clam shell in the ocean room and one of me riding home. You probably won’t be surprised that I go to sleep the minute I get in the car. I’m always tired but am still anxious to go back next week. (Three Trees is a non-profit, non-affiliated organization providing support and a comforting environment for grieving children and their families.) For more information, here’s the website http://www.kidzcope.org/
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