Love Is Patient...

    Good Golly Miss Molly! 

    The day we went to the shelter, we had no intention of bringing anything home. My daughter wanted to go to see what it was like. She had seen animal shelters on television and wanted to see one in person. My husband had never walked the kennels in the back either. So I prepared my children for the sadness and we all went. I was, of course, the only one crying walking through it. We went into the puppy room and ooohed and aaahed over the babies. We went to the adult kennels and walked to the end then turned to walk back. I had passed all of the dogs already, we had remarked on all of the beautiful looking dogs, and my husband had mentioned how much he liked the ones that weren't adding to the deafening noise. I have no idea what made me stop. We had passed her on the way through and noted nothing remarkable. Maybe it was the fact that we happened to lock eyes and she seemed to know something that I didn't. A wise soul in an eight month old hound's body. She just leaned into her kennel door and stared into my soul. I told my husband that I would like to get her out to meet her. We walked through the cat room. They all pulled at my heart. I wanted out of there. The cats, the dogs, the puppies... they were all crying for a safe home of their own and someone to love them. I was breaking. 

    They brought the little basset hound mix with the wise eyes to us when we asked to see her. We took her for a walk outside. I let my husband take her, pet her, talk to her, and fall for her just a little. After she had worked her magic on us all we decided to get her. Kaylee had saved some of her birthday money for a dog sometime down the line, so it wasn't too much of a stretch for us to throw in the rest. We were told we could get her the next day. I barely slept all night. It felt that I had a new baby that I knew was in a horrible place and I couldn't bring her home. When I got the phone call the next morning to come get her I could hardly contain myself. I knew there would be challenges, but I was looking forward to knowing that we had saved even just one. 

    Since coming home she has chewed toys, taken off with shoes, clothes and anything she can get her mouth on. She cowers from my husband and broke my heart that she ran terrified when I brought the broom out to sweep the floors. She hasn't had an accident in the house, but jumps on everyone and tries to nip fingers and toes. My kids are losing patience with her. I am reminded of them being small. Trying to teach them to stay out of something for months on end and wondering if they would ever learn to listen. Constantly worrying about them finding something small enough to choke on and doing several sweeps through the house a day to make sure nothing is within reach. Love is patient. I have learned that patience, kindness, gentleness and love will get me far in teaching something new. I know once Miss Molly learns what is hers and what is not that we will have a really great dog to help me teach the kids the virtues that I want them to learn. That learning starts now. They are learning that Love Is Patient...

Be Blessed!

Maygan