By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

Life is always full of surprises. Recently, I was at work and got an unexpected phone call from my husband of 40 years, Red Robinson.

“Can you come by the Shelby Humane Society?” asked Red. “I want you to see something.”

What in the world? After work I show up at the Humane Society and there is my Redman. I proceed to follow some staff to the back where cages of barking dogs greet me. Red has decided we might need some new children, the four-legged kind. I follow Red completely stunned and am greeted by two huge Bull Mastiff dogs in a cage together, a brother and sister, who have been at the society for six weeks. I fall in love at first sight — head over heels. I’m toast, done, completely!

We do not need more dogs. I work full-time two jobs, have major health issues and have no time to raise new children. But when I saw Honey and Stubbs, I was a goner. For the next few hours, we were interviewed and processed to be sure that we were suitable parents. I was impressed with the procedure to introduce Red and me to the dogs. These are big dogs and we are old fragile people, at least I am! Little did they know we have always loved big dogs and have trained them for years. We agreed and they agreed that the match was right. Honey and Stubbs became part of the Robinson family. They greeted their new sister Peanut, a mutt that appeared on our back deck as a puppy, abandoned and starving, years before and has been with us since.

Peanut, Honey and Stubbs sleep in our bedroom with Red and me and eat in our great room with us. We are now one big happy family — Red, me, five horses, four grands, and three dogs. Life is good in the woods on Lay Lake.

Shelby County is blessed to have the wonderful Shelby Humane Society, a true treasure, which ministers to those who cannot care for themselves. Please give it your support.