Puppy Love

Can a puppy teach you? About unconditional love? Acceptance? Tolerance? About the need to be needed...how it fufills something so human, so innate in us somehow?

Confession Time: I've been the sole holdout in our sweet family of 5 for 16 years now (hubs did have to remind me it was that long) for adopting a dog. I've had every excuse: We never had a dog growing up... they're stinky... it'll poop on the carpet....what about our cat?.....we don't have the time... the kids are too little to take care of it...blah blah blah....

Lately I've been experiencing "pre-pre-empty nest syndrome". Let me explain. Many of my friends are older (well lots are younger too...) and they're close to being or are empty nesters. This got me a thinking about my soon-to be- high schooler, how fast she's grown, etc. I admit I've been a bit maudlin  lately, moping around while they are at school (spending wayyyy too much time online reading..ahem..blogs) Maybe to distract myself? I get all teary-eyed thinking about "when they were babies" and the again, thinking about how cute they are NOW and how they will grow out of this stage too...and before you know it I'm so lonely and sad!

Soooo, this weekend we went to our beloved friends house for a Shrimp Boil (ok...now,  that's another post altogether, but my oh my if you don't know what a Shrimp Boil is, please get yourself some friends from Louisiana, ok?) and we met their new family member Sheba. 5 month old Shiba Inu.. the cutest darn thing you ever saw... and what do you know Sheba had a sister waiting for a home..  I was ready to reward the kids (and poor hubs for goshsakes) I realized: The kids are only getting bigger... my son really needs to learn how to play with a dog already! and my sweet middle girl has been begging for a doggie forever (she actually researched online and came up with this very same breed of dog as our "ideal dog" a few weeks ago. Poor thing I barely paid attention to it then.. maybe things have to align just right, right time, but now, enter....

SAMMIE!!!!

(click to enlarge)
Sammie has been such a joy! She seems so happy, grateful, even. I am learning about training a dog. She is rewarding me with so much love! Puppy kisses! Sweet smiles! Adorable looks... she really is the sweetest girl. The kids are so happy too. I am exhausted, but in a good way. It reminds me of when they kids were tiny babies.. the naptimes, feeding, the schedules. Maybe its reminding me my kids growing big and independent is FINE just FINE!!

The whole family and our friends are shocked I finally said Yes! They say: Whats got into you? Who are you and what did you do with Ann? I'm here...don't worry...watching my new "baby" discover raindrops...

 oh, and by the way, our big boy cat Murray is just FINE. They're even getting to know each other, slowly, but they are just fine....

Make it a great day!
I will be linking to Mosaic Monday at The little red house...see you there!