Don't Make Me Adopt You to Jesus

I remember growing up hearing the phrase "I gave you life, I can take it away" from TV parents. Although my parents never said those exact words to me, I'm sure there were thoughts similar to those that entered their minds from time to time.

Over the last few months, I have found myself uttering a similar phrase for a couple of my extra special furballs of joy. For the most part, I love what I do. I love the dogs being here, watching them heal and evolve. But there are just a few that love to push boundaries and try my patience as much as possible.

This morning, I had to get up at 4 am to appear on the WJCL and FOX 28 morning shows. This requires me getting up extra early to take all the dogs out, give them a small snack to appease them until I return at breakfast time, as well as actually do some makeup and something with my hair. Today, I donned my pirate costume to promote our event with the Tybee Island Pirate Fest this weekend. So I went through the process, got everyone ready, or so I thought. I did the headcount in the house and found that someone was missing. I went back out, and there was Hope in the yard, tossing a toy she had found up in the air and catching it then tossing it again. I was so proud watching her finally play. But here it was, just after 5 am and time for me to load up Junior and head to the TV studio. But at that same moment in time, Hope developed amnesia to her name and proceeded to play her new game all around the full half acre of our fenced in yard. I conceded and closed her in the big play yard and proceeded back to the house to leave.

After our show, I had to pick up a dog that was being returned. Returns are never easy, but it's even harder when the dog you are picking up was adopted out as a cute, bouncy puppy. Everyone wants cute puppies, very few want larger, grown dogs. And as it turns out, this one has never heard of the word discipline. Within a couple of hours of being here, she tore apart some chainlink, dug a nearly three-foot wide hole, and refused to obey any commands. She is all puppy all the time, and I am seriously going to have my work cut out for me if I'm ever going to find her another home.

So every day, I wear my St. Francis of Assisi medallion around my neck and hold it tight, finding the strength I need to bring out the best in these pets.