Amanda, age 10

I’m Amanda, and my mission is to bring love and comfort to terminal patients. Every Wednesday, I accompany my mom Ginger, who volunteers as a chaplain at Omega House hospice in Montrose. In this photo, I’m wearing my uniform – Ginger’s altered t-shirt emblazoned with angels from the city of Puebla de los Ángeles, Mexico. Before I was born, my parents, Mark and Ginger, lived in Puebla for 15 years. When they moved to Houston, they brought along Marisol, their Mini Schnauzer. After Marisol died, they could not bear to be “dog-less.” They found me cooped up inside a small cage at Poodle Rescue of Houston. I was already toilet-trained and felt sad that my prior owners gave me away – I was too bouncy for them. My parents changed my name to Amanda, which means “worthy of love”. Mark and Ginger delight in my ability to bounce as high as their heads, especially when I’m climbing tree trunks to chase pesky squirrels.

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