Last December, Matt and I had a small lapse in reasonable judgement. We decided we wanted to get the boys a puppy. We looked and looked, and we decided on a labradoodle. Then we went and looked at dogs. Luckily we brought my parents with us. My dad, in a nice "not really trying to get in your business" kind of way, told us that we had lost our minds, and that we were stupid to get a dog in the middle of December, and that Labradoodles were just mutts with an expensive price tag. (You see, my dad. . . he never really says what he thinks, it has always been a problem with him!) So we waited. And waited. And waited. But, because we like being pecked to death with questions from our children. . . we told them that we were going to get them a puppy. So the great puppy search began. Everyday for weeks Hyatt would bring us pictures of a different breed. He would research them and print pictures, and tell us that this was the dog for him. Then I would find something wrong with the breed, and crush his hopes and dreams over and over again. It became a ritual. Then my dad called us one day and told us he had found the dog for us. A hunting dog, of course. Not some wimpy sissy dog, like a labradoodle, but a rugged "boys dog" that will bring pheasants back to you after you shoot them out of the sky with your shot gun.
"A cocker spaniel" my dad said over the phone.
"A what?" I said.
"You mean to tell me that you want me to get the same dog as Oprah freakin' Winfrey? "
"Yep"
"Well, that's rugged." I thought.
"But, not just any Cocker Spaniel, a Field Cocker, they are totally different" He said. " They will hunt all day AND make the perfect pet, and I have found the best breeder in the United States and he will have a pup to you by June."
"JUNE!" I said. "It's only January, and I am already undergoing a slow form of torture with questions about WHEN, WHEN, WHEN!"
But, it was done. So the wait began. Hyatt marked off the days in his calendar. He talked about it with all his friends, and anyone else who would listen. The twins thought up names, and played make-believe in the little dog crate we had in the garage.We read all the books, watched all the videos. Googled images of Field Cocker's until the keyboard wore out. Then June finally came. 2 puppies in that litter.
Both males.
So we went on waiting.
This time the date was August. The week school starts, we told the boys. Well, that week came and it went. The poor kids couldn't take it anymore. It was like moving the date of Christmas, or changing the finish line at a marathon. But, last week, the day finally arrived. The boys all loaded in Grandma and Grandpa's car and left school early to make the trip to the airport to get the dog. There were pictures taken, hugs and kisses for the dog, even some welcome home posters made. They brought the dog home and loved it for 3 whole hours. . . right up until I walked in, took one look at the dog, and told them it was the
WRONG DOG.
"Not our dog" I said, "Not the dog from the pictures, not the dog we were promised, and look a little closer here, NOT EVEN A FEMALE!" (Because I am wildly outnumbered here, this was an important detail. I was not about to get a male dog, do you think I am crazy? )
So, upon further inspection( and a priceless look of embarrassment on my dad's face for not even noticing) it was discovered that our dog had been switched at the airport, and sent to Georgia. We had a dog alright, but it was our dogs brother.
I thought my kids were going to die.
They cried and they moaned, and they bitterly wrapped their little "Christmas present" back up, and took him back to the airport. So, we began the waiting game again. Luckily we only had to wait one day. Back to the airport, new posters, new pictures. New Dog. And now we have our dog. The right dog. The perfect dog. The dog we have been waiting for all year.
And. . . she was worth the wait!
Sky Blue Sage
"SAGE"
"A cocker spaniel" my dad said over the phone.
"A what?" I said.
"You mean to tell me that you want me to get the same dog as Oprah freakin' Winfrey? "
"Yep"
"Well, that's rugged." I thought.
"But, not just any Cocker Spaniel, a Field Cocker, they are totally different" He said. " They will hunt all day AND make the perfect pet, and I have found the best breeder in the United States and he will have a pup to you by June."
"JUNE!" I said. "It's only January, and I am already undergoing a slow form of torture with questions about WHEN, WHEN, WHEN!"
But, it was done. So the wait began. Hyatt marked off the days in his calendar. He talked about it with all his friends, and anyone else who would listen. The twins thought up names, and played make-believe in the little dog crate we had in the garage.We read all the books, watched all the videos. Googled images of Field Cocker's until the keyboard wore out. Then June finally came. 2 puppies in that litter.
Both males.
So we went on waiting.
This time the date was August. The week school starts, we told the boys. Well, that week came and it went. The poor kids couldn't take it anymore. It was like moving the date of Christmas, or changing the finish line at a marathon. But, last week, the day finally arrived. The boys all loaded in Grandma and Grandpa's car and left school early to make the trip to the airport to get the dog. There were pictures taken, hugs and kisses for the dog, even some welcome home posters made. They brought the dog home and loved it for 3 whole hours. . . right up until I walked in, took one look at the dog, and told them it was the
WRONG DOG.
"Not our dog" I said, "Not the dog from the pictures, not the dog we were promised, and look a little closer here, NOT EVEN A FEMALE!" (Because I am wildly outnumbered here, this was an important detail. I was not about to get a male dog, do you think I am crazy? )
So, upon further inspection( and a priceless look of embarrassment on my dad's face for not even noticing) it was discovered that our dog had been switched at the airport, and sent to Georgia. We had a dog alright, but it was our dogs brother.
I thought my kids were going to die.
They cried and they moaned, and they bitterly wrapped their little "Christmas present" back up, and took him back to the airport. So, we began the waiting game again. Luckily we only had to wait one day. Back to the airport, new posters, new pictures. New Dog. And now we have our dog. The right dog. The perfect dog. The dog we have been waiting for all year.
And. . . she was worth the wait!
Sky Blue Sage
"SAGE"
Footnote: In fairness to my dad, he clearly would have noticed that this was the wrong dog if he hadn't be swept up in the emotion of three little boys jumping for joy about a new dog. I don't even think he got a chance to look at the dog, because the boys were mauling him. So Dad, you know I am going to hassle you about this forever, but let it be said, that it really would have happened to anyone, and we love you for finding us the perfect dog.
Now will you help us train her?
Please?
This is her brother.
Brady insisted we call him "Kevin".
I'm not sure why, but it may be because he recently was subjected to a screening of the movie
"Footloose"
Anyway, we liked Kevin, but he was not nearly as cute, and we were happy to trade.
2 comments:
You are right...Sage is SO much cuter. Happy she arrived and that all (well, almost, all) the kids are in love with her. Have fun creating memories!
Awesome story...and Sage is much cuter!!!
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