canine and crazy both begin with "c"

i heard that familiar walk into our bedroom. the shuffle of little feet. he was wrapped in his blanket. the house was still dark. barely any grey peeking in our windows. our littlest boy was in pursuit of an early morning snuggle. but he wasn't alone. he had a puppy on his heels. both climbed into our cozy bed. the Mister rolled over softly snoring. "daddy's like a caveman", whispered this boy who helped himself to our layers of blankets. the puppy in his arms shifted in, making herself at home. and my heart was so full. seeing my littlest sweetly snuggle this adorable pup. the cuteness was intoxicating. and i thought.

for so long i thought of myself as NOT a dog{or animal} person. i would visit with friends who shared their home with furry family members and leave thinking, "i don't know how they do it." the smell. the rituals. the trouble. the expense of it all. much like friends must feel when they leave our house with all these wild boys.

i remember being at my friend annette's once. her gentle giant doberman named pilot threw up on the rug. i about lost it. she very nonchalantly grabbed a can of spray and some towels to wipe it up without skipping a beat. it was as though i was watching a blind man bake a cake. "how?!" and a few months later, here i am. doing the same. without skipping a beat. grabbing the plastic bag and gloves and just wiping it up.

now i get to hear breakfast chats like, "meg, who do you love more: me or charlie? o, she looked at me so she must love ME more." or "i do not want her licking me. she eats her own vomit." and i get to see my boys come alive like they have never been as they cuddle and chase and feed and wrestle these new family members.

the dogs run through the house like our boys. they are scolded and reprimanded. they are loved and admonished. those dirty feet have soiled the carpet and my sofa. damn it. but what's a little dirt is the grand scheme of life? are we not taught to use things and love people {and in this scenario-dogs}?

don't get me wrong. dogs {and animals in general} are a huge responsibility. they encompass so much of our time as well as our hearts. up until our dog kipling, we only kept rabbits. and after we buried our second one, my oldest, whose heart had been broken with his beloveds' burials not once but twice, said, "i'm done with rabbits." 

dogs bring such a sweetness to a home. companionship. they bring kindness and adventure. they force us to relax. they teach us to let go of worry and embrace spontaneity with wild abandon. they teach us that dirty floors matter not when it comes to memories that our children will carry with them. memories of early morning snuggles and walks to the park and chasing down a wayward canine. 

our home grew by two this past year. two! i am astounded and surprised by myself really. my friends think i am insane. and i am. but i was crazy long before the dogs came. 

xo,

gf