Maggie

If a month ago, you would have told me my summer would be full of puppy moments and puppy training I would have looked at you strangely. As I have written about several times this past year, a dog was what I ached for and wanted so badly, yet the time wasn't right. My husband was honest with me and wasn't sure he wanted another dog in the house, I understood and would pray that God would remove the desire from heart to own a dog. I even begged for Him to please take the pain away or help my husband see how badly I need a dog in my life. I wasn't mad and I wasn't upset, but I knew the time wasn't right.

Then a few weeks ago, while surfing on the computer my eyes fell upon the words "Lab Puppies for Sale". I looked and the puppies were being sold by a family we knew for years. The mother is beautiful and I often would watch her when I went past their house and thought how nice she always seemed and played well with kids. Hmmm....could now be the time? After a lot of praying, talking and thinking it through we decided to call and see if any females were left? There were. One more piece of the puzzle, the last piece had to be put into place before I could call. I needed my husband's blessing on this. I could have gone out and bought the puppy, I could have made the choice on my own and I could have even had the kids on my side and I could have hoped that once he saw her, he would love her too! But you know what, that would be a miserable life. I needed to know he was okay with it, more than I needed the puppy, and I NEEDED the puppy! We had several heart felt talks and we both decided to pray about it. After several days, I had learned a few things, I never would have learned if we didn't handle it this way.  I learned that my husband sometimes does things for me, because he truly loves me, and he shared his concerns and I heard them. I realized that I need to step up to the plate and take more responsibility with caring for a pet. I cried when he said he would go with me to see them. We went as a team. The girls and I had gone earlier in the day to look at two litters. When we found one we liked he went with me in the evening. He liked her as well and we picked a puppy, she would be coming home in a few weeks. The time went fast and before I knew it she was home. Her name is Maggie.

I have not been this tired for years, but she is worth it. She wakes us up at early morning hours and plays hard. But she sleeps too! She is happiest when she is with one of us and she loves laying in front of a fan. She turned 9 weeks this past Wednesday and it was like a light switch, she plays more than she sleeps now and everything is an adventure. She realized she loves water and helps water plants in the evening. She also loves to eats my plants, which is not funny, but she looks cute doing it. She now is on a leash more because she wants to run.

 Notice the wet head? She loves my hanging basket and how the water runs out if I get too much in it. In the evening when we all sit down together to watch TV as a family, she likes to be right with us. That is one of the things I love about Labs. She also likes the cool kitchen floor and sleeps in some of the strangest positions. I would be stiff and sore when I woke up, but not her.

I have learned a few things this past month: don't give up on something deep in your heart that you always wanted, it may not be a no forever, just for a season. I waited and prayed for over three years for a dog. When the answer came, I wasn't expecting it! I also learned sometimes we need to say yes to something because of what it means to the other person. My husband loves dogs, just more outside then in. We had to come to an agreement. We compromised. Isn't that what we do in life. I also learned, that when you think you are so tired you can't move, someone will step in to help. Our teenage daughters help so much and love taking her for runs and walks. We are doing this as a family. Matter of fact, I have caught my husband talking to her and even laying in the grass with her. She runs up to his feet when he comes home each night. She saw his work clothes on the laundry pile and immediately the tail started going and she was all excited.

I know God was smiling with me on the day we picked her up and I even had tears in my eyes when we got her. I think He did too. He loves us and He gives us what is best at the time it is best. I had to come to true peace that if I never owned another dog, life would be okay. I had to let go of the disappointment and sadness of not having a dog. He gave me cats to fill the void for awhile, but then He gave me Maggie. She really is a gift. Speaking of the cats: "my dog", Snoopy, they touch noses now. Patches is getting better, but Toby, not so much.....

I think with time, they will stand each other, but I don't think they will ever be buds. So he gets one on one attention when Maggie is sleeping. Life is still good for the cats, they just had to adjust.

I hope you get to soon see one of life's many, many surprises and that you are able to praise the giver of all gifts, Our Heavenly Father.