Now that she said ‘yes’….

The Trojan dog has entered the house and has been received with joy by all the occupants.  Saturday was spent in frantic revelry involving dog-tag, long dog-walks, and a good amount of ‘SEE! I told you she likes me more!’  When Saturday evening came, the dog collapsed into her bed without a whimper despite being shut off from the family.  I believe she was too tired to complain about anything.  She complained when she was shut in her bedroom (the laundry room) a bit more last night.  So far she has not been rescued by one of the kids and spent the night on a bed – to my knowledge anyway.  A lot of things go on in the house that I am never aware of.

 

Having a dog in the house has simultaneously relaxed the concerns while increasing the pressure.  The conversations are not about if we ever get a dog, but instead they are about how I get to be the one to chose the dog when we get a dog.  With eight children there are at least eight different ideas:  One wants a tea-cup dog, another wants a dog that can pull a sled.  Still another insists that a big, fluffy, English Sheepdog is the only kind to get while another wants a Shepherd.  One thinks a big, slobbery tongue is cool while another wants a dog that is dignified and dainty.  All I want is a huntin’ dog.

 

The pressure is amplified because I will be the one responsible for every bad habit and every bit of bad behavior committed.  You can just bet that instead of chewing on an old pair of sneakers, any puppy I will bring into the house will have a taste for expensive varnish when it is teething.  It is also a guarantee that the puppy will not be able to tell the difference between inside-business and outside-business, that it will bark hysterically at the slightest provocation, and that it will shed like a cheap pair of winter socks.

 

I see that my wife has learned too well:  Instead of saying ‘No’, it works better to say ‘Yes – but you are responsible for making it work out’.  Having a dog is a lot of responsibility.  It may just be too much responsibility for me to shoulder right now.

 

My wife keeps reminding me that things will be different in 12 years when the kids have all grown.  She tries to focus my attention on all the time and money that we won’t be spending on children.  It helps, but every time she encourages me to be patient for another 12 years to pass, I get a mental image of the graph of my energy level.  At the current slope of the graph, my energy level will slide below zero long before the house is empty.

 

The now or never urgency is sliding toward the ‘never’ end of the scale.  This time there is no one to blame but my self.  It is still a dream that is worth hanging on to.

 

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One Man