My daughter Cate calls it "click bait" when you put a title like that one...baiting your audience to read your post! Ha! No, we have not totally lost our minds. We know our quiver is full at four. But hey, there is always the dog population to rescue. And so, in 2018, we adopted two sweet Chihuahuas.
I am a recently converted dog-lover. How I was allowed to marry into the Burwell family as a dog-tolerator is a mystery. These people love dogs. Almost as much as they love the children they have birthed. Try to beat Aunt Brenda, who currently shares her home with her 8 rescued dogs! My word. So, here I am, a dog-tolerator, trying to win the heart of a Burwell. I fooled him for a while. Yes, sure, Troy I LOVE dogs. Yes, I know that dogs are important to you. Me too. Oh yes. (What did I have in common with a rug? We LIE.) But deep down, when I looked at a dog, all I saw was a hair-shedding, poop-pooping, smelly, expensive "creature". And who needs that, I said; not this cowgirl!)
And then, in the good and canine-loving providence of God, I was driving down the street this summer and came upon a three pound Chihuahua on the side of the road. I swear God told me to stop and get her. "REALLY, LORD? Did you dial the wrong number on that one?!" Nevertheless, I obeyed. I took that sweet thing home and spent the day trying to comfort and feed her. And, cue the romantic music, I fell in puppy love. As I petted that dog and whispered words of courage to her all day long, it did something for ME. She calmed me. She practically erased anxiety. She loved me...dare I say it...unconditionally. A neighbor ended up adopting her the next day, but by then I was hooked. I HAD to have one of these "creatures". That weekend, Rihanna and Alana and I headed for the Atlanta Humane Society, and after a search we were rewarded with the most beautiful dog that ever walked the earth. (My dog is prettier than your dog, said the Dog-Mama) We changed her humane-society-given-name from Muffin (this would just make me constantly hungry) to Tessa (on my "short list" of names that I did not get to use on a child.) She is Tessa Joy, because she brings me joy. She follows me everywhere and then plants herself right beside me in bed all night long. AAHHHH....now I get it, y'all. Now I get it. And may I be so bold to say that now, I am a true Burwell...I love Troy Burwell AND I love dogs.
So, when it came time for deciding on a Christmas present for the kids, and Troy suggested, "Let's get them an Xbox", I about came unglued.
"Oh my word, are you kidding me?! That makes kids' brains turn to mush. We need to give them something that adds value to their lives, something to make them better, more responsible, more compassionate."
"Oh Babe, I know you don't think we need to get another dog."
"Well, yes, I think that since you brought it up, I will say, what a great idea!! Yes, let's get another one!"
We headed back to the Humane Society this week and found Maliboo. She is only 6 pounds and you can see her ribs through her skin. She is recovering from neglect and malnourishment. But we are nursing her back to health. And she, like Tessa, is doing the same for us.
I am so glad that God has converted me once again, this time to Dog-Lover!
And come on, you gotta love a God that thinks up the idea of dogs! Isn't He, like his creation, amazing?!