Charlottes Story- the beginning anyway

Nearly 11 years ago my husband and I got our first dog, Miss Oreo. She without a doubt is the sweetest, kindest and gentlest dog you will ever meet. My son came along and she earned the nickname "little momma" because she would watch over him as he played, quick to bark if he started to wander, or come wake me when he woke. She tolerated his terrible twos, allowing him to use her as his personal horse or step stool. She was/is just all around love. In the last year she has slowed down, content just to sleep as she ages and her bones have started to suffer from arthritis. Still eager to participate her stamina is limited. This is where are decision to add another dog to our family comes in...
For two years now my son has begged for a puppy. He is dog obsessed. Every week he brings home a different library book about a different dog breed. Initially against the idea after a while it came to light what this dog really meant for my son. He is an only child, and we live in an area where there are no other kids his age. With Oreo aging he has lost his playmate. So the decision was made. We planned on getting him a puppy for his birthday in November. Not really wanting to pay for a dog from a breeder, I began stalking web sites of animal shelters within a 100mile radius but puppies in this area are rare and the odds that we would get one specifically for his birthday were little. Until an article in the paper about our local shelter getting puppies from over crowded shelters in the Midwest where they have a high kill rate. I called my husband at work and we agreed I should go pay a visit. The shelter was crowded with people wanting to get a glimpse of the little cuties, I couldn't get close enough to see. I called my husband and told him how crazy it was, we both felt we should fill out an application for a puppy and see where it got us. I filled out an application, the assistant read me descriptions of the dog as I could not see them. On mere speculation I picked a dog named Amy. The assistant told me to wait she would have the manager review my application and check references with my current vet. Within ten minutes she came back and told me the dog was mine I could pick her up Friday. I asked if I could meet her, so they led me to a private room and brought her in. I'm not gonna lie and this will sound sappy but I could not stop crying- she was perfect, she was going to be the perfect addition and the perfect best friend for my son.
So this Friday I brought he home, hid her in my room. Picked my son up after school, he immediately came home and took Miss Oreo out as he has always done. I hollered out to him what about the other one, "what?" he said and that's when I let her out. She immediately ran to him. He looked shocked, and was at a loss for words. Eventually as he took it all in he asked me "is this for real"! The two were smitten "is she mine?, can I name her, cause she looks like her name should be Charlotte" -So Charlotte she became. I was crazily snapping pictures of the meeting and he went over to Miss Oreo (the older dog) hugged her and said "I have enough love for you both"...... And so our new adventure with Charlotte begins