Prosaic Poppy 2005-2006

Happy Adoption Day Roxy!

Dog with balloon on head.

Quite honestly, I have never been a dog person. Thinking them to be slobbering, over excited, and dirty animals. However, last year I began a mad search for a dog. I don't know why, I can't exactly explain it...except to say that I was quite likely obsessed with the idea. All of a sudden I wanted a dog. As if I needed a dog. I have three children, and I was planning our wedding.

I think it was the wedding planning that put me over the top on so many levels. And at the time, getting a dog made absolutely no sense, because it would clearly mean more stress.

However, I was driven. We were actually going to get a puppy. I had finally broken Caleb down to getting a dog, because he isn't a pet person either. His mom never allowed pets, so the prospect of having a dog in the house was not his ideal.

I found some puppies on Petfinder.com. I was trying to get a littermate of a puppy that our friends had just adopted. I thought it would be cool to have the puppies visit each other as they grew older. I missed my mark, it wasn't the same litter. However the puppies were adorable. Little black balls of fur.

[and if you ever decide to get a dog, young or old, I highly recommend Petfinder.com]

We couldn't decide, so we figured we go back for a second visit, and bring our friends Dale and Erin along becuase they are dog owners and I wanted some support in the decision as Caleb was still less than enthusiastic.

During the second visit I had talked myself out of a puppy. Working full time, planning a wedding, three children; a puppy would have been too much, and unfair to cage it all day long.

However, I now was interested in getting an older dog. And the older dog that I decided on was the mommy dog of the puppies we had been considering. It was likely that no one would adopt her any time soon. She was still nursing, and she had been abandoned by her previous owner.

I think part of it was the way that she tolerated Kimi hanging on her neck while her puppies were scampering around her feet. How she didn't mind if we handled her pups, and she was just generally quiet and gentle. For me, it was the fact that she is a momma. Which I am. Therefore we already had something in common.

During the wedding planning stages of my life, things had been going up and down emotionally, and I am fortunate to have a few select friends who were very very supportive during this time. But I needed more. I needed constant support.

And this dog, who was a momma, who had been through some terribly tough times ended up being the most wonderful cure to my worries. She forced me to get out and walk, taking quiet time for her [thus myself]. She is an excellent listener in a busy world.

Certainly, the wedding planning is over. And dog ownership has not always been easy, or convenient...some of her quirks drive me nuts. But she is my Roxy, and she has been a wonderful companion for this past year. And I am thankful to have her in our family.

posted by Kassi Gilbert @ 8:59 AM