Hope

We decided to welcome some sunshine into our lives...and here she is:

We've been thinking about getting a puppy for a while. Yes, we have a million pets! They are all becoming senior citizens, though - Dagny is 11, Maddie is 14.5, Annie is at least 13.5, and our remaining bunny, Phineas, is 10. Those are some old pets! So we wanted to bring a little life into the roster, while Dagny is still not too old so that it would drive her crazy (and D could use a diversion)...someone who could help us (hopefully way down the road still) when we lose our darling old pets.

I had Irish Setters growing up, and finding this puppy was a whirlwind. First we got it into our heads, then we found one in California and I whined for Bill to let me fly out there in mid-December to pick it up. Last night he found this litter in Lansing, and today we drove there and returned with our new girl.

So crazy. Yes, I have a surgery coming up in 2 weeks. Yes, Sybil is starting chemo TOMORROW. But we have had a crazy year, and sometimes you just react to craziness by being crazy.

But seriously, I have three of the most gentle kids ever (at least with pets, if not each other)...and this puppy has the potential to be THE puppy they grow up with. And sometimes, you can't just let cancer dictate your whole life. I think a part of us did not want to make everything wait because of cancer (and hey, at least we didn't find a puppy before chemo, like we were considering!).

Wish us luck! Actually, don't. I'm saving my luck for bigger things...and I think this is going to be fun!

OH...and we are thinking we'll call her Hope.