The Puppy

We got a puppy.

The puppy's eyes are the only ones you can see in this picture.   We're doing the super squinty, happy smile.  The puppy looks a little scared.

I'm not really a puppy person or an animal person.  I've mentioned my feeling about cats before (and got some major flak, cat people can be so catty).  But my family talked me into it.  Actually my husband, suggested either a puppy or a baby.  So, we got a puppy.

And because we I am obsessed with Les Miserables, we I named her Cossette.  Cosi for short.

I don't see anything wrong with naming a dog after a character from a musical. Especially if the theme of that musical is compassion and love and faith and goodness--"to love another person is to see the face of God."

On the ride home, JT and Cosi bonded.

When we drove away with our new little Cosi, I had the music all cued up for the perfect song from the soundtrack.  The song is The Bargain and the lyrics go something like this:

"Cossette shall live in my protection....
I shall not foresake my vow...
Cossette shall have a father now!"

We changed "father" to "family."  Too much?  Oh it was so sweet.


Singing the song, romanticized getting a puppy just like people do with having babies.  Yeah, puppies and babies are cute and sweet, but they are also a hell of a lot of work.  And they are gross.  But you know what?  None of my babies ever ate a dead mole.  And yeah, my puppy did that the other day.  It has me totally rethinking the whole baby/puppy decision.

Yesterday after school, the kids came home begging to take Cosi out for a walk.  So they leashed her up and set off down the driveway.

"She found a rat!," I heard my son yell.

"What?!?!?!?!"  I came running outside.  "What the hell? Oh my god, shit, damn, oh my god," I yelled because I am the queen of calm, always.

"It's not a rat, it's a dead mole," my oldest son informed me.

"Get it out, oh my god that's so gross!" I screamed.  "Get it out of her mouth! Oh Jesus, she's eating it! Oh shit. No!!!!!! Call your father!!!"

Well, it's been a long few days.  

I should have remembered this whole house training thing, the sleepless nights, the chewing on EVERYTHING (even dead animals).    You see, right after Tim and I got married we got a puppy, Al.  He was our first baby.  But I forgot how it was those first few months, it's a blur, just like all of my babies first few weeks (it's that way for everyone right?).

I simply remember Al as the greatest dog that ever lived.  I hated that he shed like crazy and never once chased squirrels out of our yard (because you know how I feel about squirrels!).  But I loved how he was the kindest, most gentle of dogs.  He was my first crack at real responsibility of another living creature besides my spider plant (that I guess anyone can keep alive).   He was my buddy as I battled demons of depression during my first pregnancy, he gave me comfort when I thought no one would understand.  And he loved my babies, he loved all of us.  

When he died, I swore off dogs and became more of a non animal person.  But after five years and my kids and my husband begging, I gave in and we have a puppy. 

I found this quote quite amusing since I posted a pic of my new puppy on Facebook and it got more "likes" than the announcement pic of my fourth baby.  People love dogs.

A puppy that will become the dog that my kids remember.  The dog that will comfort them through dark days of middle school and high school when they don't feel like anyone understands. 

This will be the dog that Peyton says good-bye to when he heads to college in about 7 years. Gulp. How can that be?

The dog that goes to their baseball games and races.  The dog that they take for walks through the park and play fetch with in the backyard.  They will grow up together.

Cosette will be the dog that helps teach and reinforce the lessons of compassion and love and responsibility.  

But first, Cossette has to be the puppy that eats dead moles and pees in the house.  And that's okay, I guess.  

Just like if we had a baby, Tim and I are playing the Who Has It Worse Game.  Do you know that game?  Tim has been working late all week and it's been rough.  He dared to say his meetings were worse. Um, whaaaat?  I set him straight.

Woo-hoo I win! Wait, I don't want to win this one. Waaa.