The family dog

It is not in the title, but we also have a dog.  When we first got married, we had two cats and they were friendly personable cats that let you pet them and hung out in the same room as you, but having a dog is different.  A dog truly becomes a part of your family, especially if you have kids.

To begin with, I never, ever, thought I would be a dog owner.  Growing up, my brother and I had to take care of the dogs.  My stepmother fancied herself a "dog breeder" of some kind which really meant she was amazed how much she could sell a puppy for if it was a purebred, so she decided that she would buy another Pekinese and we could sell the puppies.  Somehow two Pekineses turned into anywhere from 3-7 Pekinese dogs, and my brother and I were responsible to feed, walk, bathe, and care for the dogs.  Anyway, when I left for college, I swore I would not get a dog ever.  I even told my wife that before we got married,  Funny what you will do sometimes when you fall in love.

So, our dog is named Lulu.  Dana never wavered, always wanted a Welsh Corgi, and finally asked that the dog would be her Mother's Day present.  I had always said that the kids needed to be older so they could take care of the dog (as I enjoyed the experience so much) but my sister finally said, "if you wait until they are teenagers and are old enough to take care of the dog, they will take care of it for four years and you will take care of it for the next fourteen after they are gone."  Lulu is a Welsh Corgi and spends her days either trying to convince you to throw a ball or toy, eating, sleeping, or listening for someone to pick up their car keys and then look really sad and pitiful that you will not take her in the car.  She has staked out the spot at the top of the stairs in the central hallway as her spot.  You can see people coming from all directions and force people to step over you, too.  Why would she move?  She is the dog and the true owner of the house.  The only time she does move is during mealtime, and then she has strategically placed herself behind one of the kids who are messy eaters in case crumbs fall to the floor. She has been wonderful with the kids and that is truly the best part. Delaney will hug her and lay on her like a pillow, Andrew loves dressing her in Halloween costumes, and she checks on them when they go to bed and will wake them each morning. I started walking her each morning more as a way for me to lose weight, but now it is more for her. As soon as I get out of bed in the morning, Lulu will follow me until I have her leash in her hand. That is when they jumping starts. She has short legs, so she always comes back from the walk, tired, with her tongue hanging out.  No matter though, her favorite part is when we return home and she rolls on her back in our front yard.  She will come bounding up the stairs, drink from her water bowl, and then take up her spot at the top of the stairs and make sure the kids get out to school.  Her life is pretty good.