Chloe's First Night Home

So I can still remember Chloe's first night. Why? Because like a baby, she cried pretty much all through it!!

I remember John saying, "I didn't know that all this would be involved in having a puppy!"

However, he was very gracious and I marvelled at how he took charge and looked after starting that night!

She came home with just a blanket and some kibble & bits, and we weren't quite sure where to put her until we could get out the next day and find a crate. So, for the night a fairly deep box with a blanket would do. Or would it? Somehow, she figured out how to climb right out of it, and onto our bed!!

Then, we decided to put in a 3 foot tall laundry basket thinking, 'Surely, she can't get out of this, it's about 7 times her size in height!' And somehow, her fear I suppose gave her the courage or smarts, to figure out that she could claw and climb her way right out of it! And continue crying till we came for her!

At last, we discovered that anything lined in fabric would be too easy for her to work with, and we ended up taping up the flaps of the box to create higher walls to contain her for the night. And she was then forced to sleep alone. It sounds cruel to have left her all alone on her first night. It felt worse to have to listen to her cry all through it, but it had to be done so that she would learn to be stronger and get over her fear.

The reality was, there really was nothing around her that could hurt her, and we were very close still protecting her and loving her.

I thought of all the times that I, and others have shared of times we've all felt that we were going through some kind of pain alone. And how often God had seemed so quiet -  I thought He was far away.

And then I realize that He was always there, loving and patiently waiting for us to grow up :)

Chloe's first day Home

We (my husband, John & I) had been discussing getting a puppy for the past few years, but our busy schedules and past few moves had not made this the best decision for us at the time.

However, 5 years into our marriage, we are now at a place in our lives where we would have the privilege of working from home the majority of the time, and be able to devote the time needed to nurture and train a puppy. No, we do not have children yet, but Chloe has been good training so to speak.

She arrived a few days earlier than my birthday from John, and was sitting at my doorstep with a card around her neck! It was the cutest thing ever, and her stillness made me believe she was a little stuffed animal, until she moved ever so slightly, and I shrieked! I imagine, she must have been as startled as I was! I didn't suspect this surprise at all, despite all our talks about it in the past!

It was December 3rd, and she was 9 weeks old, and all she wanted to do was stay near us and cuddle and sleep. While this still remains one of her favourite things to do, a lot has changed! I decided that it would be a good idea to keep a record about these changes to help us remember, but more so because I didn't want to forget the simple lessons that God has been teaching me through the process.

I hope that these short stories equipped with a simple lesson will help you ponder life & learn along with me :)

Cheers,

Dona