The Head and The Heart

Few topics can create a passionate debate between your head and your heart quite like puppies.  And when puppies suddenly enter into the lives of very close friends, the question of taking one home just as suddenly enters into your life.  Your heart sees the sweet little creature, hears its tiny attempts at dog noises, feels its soft fur, and implores you to bring home the puppy.

Your head on the other hand, sees the very messy little creature.  Sees how expensive it's going to be, sees how it's going to destroy your house and add more chaos to your already busy family and says a firm "no way" to the heart's emotional longing.

My 16-year-old daughter is all heart when it comes to puppies, as she should be.  She has been lobbying for a dog since she was little and she is the girl who really does love animals.  Her head, however, is nowhere near this decision.  Doesn't take into account that she is leaving for college in about 18 months, or that she is a busy high school junior whose time is filled with school, sports and a job.  She is quick to tell me that she will take care of a puppy; but when I ask her "when?",  She just smiles a sheepish grin, realizing that she knows she has no time for a puppy, but she really hopes that I do!

A puppy, combined with a child who wants a puppy, is a dangerous combination.  And if it weren't for the fact that I tend to give my heart a lot of input when making decisions, I might have some space for a puppy.  But the fact is that my heart has brought me many animals over the years.  We currently have four goats and one rabbit; but our home has hosted three guinea pigs, two other rabbits, one other goat, three hermit crabs and a few fish.  Our daughters have been raised with all sorts of animals--mostly because of the longings and wishes of our collective hearts.  And I am grateful for this.

My head, on the other hand, makes a very good case for why a puppy is not the best idea right now.  My head is very rational.  But in the end, this decision isn't made by either my head or my heart.  Because in the end, neither has the complete picture--they are just part longing and part thinking.   At some point, both voices, having been given time to win me over, become distilled into a knowing.  Sort of like a gut instinct.  And my instinct tells me that right now, things wouldn't go well for the puppy or for me at this point in time.  It's not something I'm talking myself into or out of, I just know that my plate is full to the brim with other creatures and people who depend on me.   And I'm also excited to jump into some new endeavors for me--without a puppy as a distraction.

I am, however, very grateful to have friends with puppies.  We get to watch the puppies grow, pick them up and cuddle them,  and play with them.  Even puppy-sit from time to time!  My heart and my head are both quite happy with this arrangement.  Until the next time some baby creature come along and captures my heart and we do this process all over again...

Sunset at Solstice

During this time of year, sunlight is a precious commodity.  We are at the solstice -- our darkest time.  And we live far enough north to really feel the affects of this winter season.  The sun rises in the south east, drifts high enough in the sky to send some horizontal rays our way, and then sets in the south west.  But the light we do have is beautiful.  It illuminates the snowy tops of our mountains, lights up the frosty branches and dusts the waters with a peachy glow.  

This picture was taken on the northern side of Arrow Point--a point on the western side of Bainbridge Island.  The view is towards the Kitsap Peninsula with the Olympic Mountains in the background.

Spectacular Winter Sunset!  Beautiful colors during our dark days.

 A nice finish to a pretty winter day.

A Puppy Christmas!

Some dear friends of ours are in the midst of A Christmas Puppy Miracle.  Or you could say a Christmas Puppy Crisis.  Either way, the story is so fun, I've asked if I could share it.  It starts like this...

Our friends, Jon and Jeannie, had been "dog-less" for a few months, and felt it was time to add animals back into their lives.  Two beautiful Golden Retriever/Bernese Mountain dog sisters became available for adoption, and they decided these sweet sister dogs--pups really as they are only 18 months old--would make a great addition to their family.  They have three girls and very full lives, but are the sort of people who need animals to round out the family chaos.  Probably why we are such good friends.

The dogs they adopted, Bailey and Josie, are very sweet animals.  They are the sort of dogs you know right away are more than just dogs.  For those of you who love animals and are well acquainted with them, you know what I mean when I say that.  Some dogs are just that--dogs.  But every now and then you meet one who looks you in the eye and seems to speak to you.  A dog with a soul.  These two are those kind of dogs.

The pet adoption process went well, a few weeks went by and their family life returned to a nice "normal."  Our friends went away for a Thanksgiving vacation and when they returned, after a very long flight, they of course greeted their dogs.  Only Josie seemed a little off.  And when they started to play with her, they felt something moving in her belly.

A quick bit of google research, followed by a visit to their vet, and they learned that their new "puppy" was about a week away from becoming a puppy mama!  Unbeknownst to anyone, she was pregnant when they adopted her.  And who is the father?  Anyone's guess.  When the original owners of the dogs were told of this puppy predicament, they answered that the dogs were outside on their 5 acre farm a lot.  The father could be just about anyone.

I believe some panic, and some "how on earth are we going to deal with puppies right before Christmas", consumed them for a little while.  Unplanned puppies are an exciting, but rather intrusive event!  But they got to work, accepting that life is filled with unplanned surprises, and a week later in the wee hours of the morning, Josie began to deliver her pups.  Ten tiny pups were born over the course of the night.  It was a messy, messy process.  Josie chose to deliver her pups in their old pack and play rather than in the nice whelping box Jon built.  Which sounds just about right.

These pups were born last Thursday morning and our girls have been over several times.  Truly, one never tires of watching tiny puppies wiggle and squirm and nurse and nap.  Josie, the mama dog is the most natural mother I've ever seen.  And it is sweet to watch her tend to her pups.  Bailey is a little lost as she misses her sister.  But she too is keeping a respectful distance and seems to know what her place is right now.  It helps that she is getting lots of attention because no one can walk away from her--those eyes of hers tell everyone just how she is feeling and you can't help but to sit down and offer her some attention.

Our friends are handling this puppy miracle with such grace, and word has spread around this little island very quickly.  I think they will have no problem finding homes for them all.  The best line of all has come from their youngest daughter, who is also named Grace.  When asked about what type of dog the father might be, Grace, who is four, answered, "well, it might be a hamster?"  

Thank you Jon, Jeannie, Lindsay, Caroline and Grace for sharing your puppy miracle with us.  

Bailey checking on her sister and wondering about those pups!

Three black pups and seven golden pups were born.  The black ones blend in with Josie.

Grace, Lindsay and Caroline watching the first pup be born at 2:40 AM!

Sophie holding one of the pups--you can see why Grace thought they might be part Hamster!