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As you already know my name is Wendy. I want to tell you about myself and my family and how FAMILY AFFAIR STANDARDS began and our future plans. My older sister Holley and I were born in the sand hills of North Carolina and lived here all our lives. Most of the time when we were children, it was just our mom, Cindy, and the two of us. My mama had accepted Christ as a teenager so we all attended a bible believing church. Holley and I were blessed to have accepted Christ as our personal Savoir at a young age. We also attended and graduated from Christian schools. Some of my earliest child hood memories are of cuddling puppies and kittens, feeding chickens and horseback riding.
Because of our love for God’s creatures, and my mama’s desire to be at home with Holley and I as much as possible, mama decided to open a grooming and boarding facility at our home in 1989. After opening the grooming shop we were surprised that we fell in love with the Standard Poodle and Westie, because our favorite breeds had always been the Collie and Sheltie (mini collie). Keegan and Venus were two Standard Poodles that were in the shop and in our home on a regular base. We grew to love their more confident, protective nature and large size in comparison to the Shelties. A huge plus in comparing the breed to the Collie was no shedding or odor. These qualities and the intelligence and loyalty of Keegan and Venus convinced us this was a breed worth sharing with everyone.
The next few years of our lives were full with showing Saddlebred and Morgan horses, raising Standard Poodles and Westies, and operating the grooming and boarding kennel, known as Autumn Acres. This was not always easy for my mom, as a single parent, or for us two young girls. We had lots of support and help from our family, friends, and great employees. We drew most of our strength and wisdom from our Lord and Savior.
Suddenly, my sister was a young teenager and into our lives walked a handsome young fellow, Brian. He was a tall, slender, gentle giant with green eyes and dark hair and was only 16 and Holley only 14. He became our right hand man and we depended on him during some difficult and trying times. They would become husband and wife after Holley graduated from high school in 1998.
After putting up with three women for four years relief arrived for Brian. Mom met David!!!!! He soon became the spiritual leader and husband my mom had prayed for and desired. He was also the “Daddy” Holley and I needed. He gave us all a since of humor and taught us his favorite quote “It’s all about respect”.
Soon after the arrival of “Daddy” I found myself to be a young teenager. I started flying lessons and thinking about my future. I started praying that God would let me soon meet my husband to be. While taking flying lessons God answered my prayers I met Blake. He had blue eyes and dark hair. He was handsome and soft spoken. He also like me had a dream of becoming a pilot.
We were still busy showing horses, although it had changed to Palomino Quarter horses. Raising Standard Poodles and Westies and operating the grooming and boarding facilities with David, Brian and Blake sharing the load made things a lot easier. Believe it or not we had time to add riding tractors, four wheelers and hunting to our busy lives. Little did we know by the time I would graduate in 2001 there would be three “human” bundles of joy added to our family!
Brian and Holley were blessed with a beautiful brown eyed, brown haired little girl in 1999. In 2000 only 13 months later they would have a chubby cheeked, brown eyed, laughing little boy. Savannah and Scott were a joy to us all. In the summer of 2001 we added the third bundle of joy. Holley and I became the big sisters of a smiling little boy with big blue eyes. Mama and Daddy adopted Luke and took him home from the hospital at one day old. Savannah, Scott and Luke fell right in to cuddling puppies, showing horses and the hustle and bustle of our lives.
In the fall shortly after Luke was born I left for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, with Sprite, my Westie, in tow. I missed my family so I came home frequently thus Sprite and I acquired a lot of air miles. Health issues I had as a child escalated and forced me to give up my dream of becoming a pilot. I began seeking a degree and career as an aeronautical engineer. The health issues became even worse so I gave up a career in aviation all together and returned home to attend a local college, NC State University, to pursue graphic communications and website design. While still in college in the fall of 2003 Blake and I got married.
After Holley and I got married and started our families’ Mama and Daddy wanted to have more time as parents and grandparents. They chose to sell the grooming and boarding business and their small house and lot, in Wilson, NC. Both dreaming of owning a small farm with little rolling hills , were blessed to find exactly that with twelve acres just outside of Spring Hope, NC. In the past the Tuscarora Indians had inhabited this property and as they cleared the land for construction they found beautiful arrowheads. Because of the heritage of the land and a new beginning for all of us they changed the name from Autumn Acres to Arrowhead Acres. While not knowing exactly how quickly the move and construction would take place they decided to retire our Standard Poodles.
After being without our Standards for several years Holley started longing for the companionship of a Standard Poodle again. We all loved the breed and missed them dearly. With Mama and Daddy settled at Arrowhead Acres a yearlong search began and we found breeders, Steve and Debbie Euker, They had the quality of Standards that we wanted. There was no contact made with them until we knew that we were ready and had the time and finances to invest. Holley and I watched the website for over a year.
After Thanksgiving of 2006 mom was browsing around Debbie’s site and saw a little red female staring back at her from the screen. She had the sweetest eyes and the prettiest face. She told Daddy this little red head was what she wanted. They did not tell Holley and I that they had bought her. She landed at RDU airport a few days before Christmas and was kept hidden from Holley and I.
Brian, Holley’s husband, felt like his family was ready and Mama and Daddy decided to buy me a Standard for a graduation present. I was graduating December 20th so Brian and my parents wanted to surprise both of us with Standard Poodles for Christmas.
Holley and I had told everyone that we wanted the color brown for our girls when we got them. Two deposits were sent. Brian sent one for a brown female for Holley. Mama and Daddy requested a second brown female for me. Still neither of us had any clue what was happening. There was a box under the tree with a collar, leash and a picture of the parents of our puppies. Also included was an I.O.U. for the puppies due to be born in April. We also got to meet Mama’s little redheaded girl, Noel, Christmas day.
In the meantime Mama had been trying to convince my Meema who had some health problems, that she needed a Standard Poodle to give her some motivation. Meema had raised Springer Spaniels and Maltese for 20 years but had been completely retired for a couple of years. She did not have any dogs and missed the canine companionship. After much thought and prayer Meema and Grandpa Billy got on board.
Last but certainly not least Daddy decided he wanted one that would make a good retriever and sporting companion. He wanted a black male. So we sent Debbie and Steve two more deposits. These two puppies would not be born until April either so the long wait for spring and our four new babies began.
We decided as a family, including my Meema and Grandpa Billy, to again provide the general public with this almost human family member. Thus FAMILY AFFAIR STANDARDS was born.
As you read earlier in this short biography. I have wanted to become a pilot since I was a small child but I discovered the Lord had other plans for me. Although it has been difficult at times, in my heart I knew “HIS” plan was better than mine. I had been blessed with another passion and one I had grown up with, my love for all of God’s creatures. So with lots of prayer and the Lord’s guidance I have decided to raise Standards full time along with designing and building websites. I will be able to stay at home and still help Blake provide for our family doing something that I love and know well because of the skills and knowledge that mama has passed on to Holley and I. My plan is to someday have our own facility and acreage that we will call “Legacy Landing”. Until then ours and the rest of the FAMILY AFFAIR babies will be born and raised at Arrowhead Acres, my parent’s home place. There they will have lots of country air, room to run and play, and lots of affection from all the children and my entire family.
Blake and I want to add more human bundles of joy to our family in the future but for now we are content with our canine babies. Sprite is our 16yr old Westie, the cornerstone of moms Arrowhead Acres Westies. We also have Harley our 3yr old Westie and our beloved FAMILY AFFAIR STANDARDS.
We are dedicated to the future health and well being of the Standard Poodle. We love this breed and believe the Standard Poodle makes an ideal companion and friend. If you have decided to make a Standard Poodle a member of your family we hope you will make it a FAMILY AFFAIR STANDARD.
My Mama and sister wrote this short biography of my life in June of 2008.
To read my Mamas story see her Westie website at www.arrowheadacreswesties.com
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