Slacker!

Well, here it is the last full week of April, 2012...I'm still working on things I said I'd do several months ago.

I won't go into details...suffice it to say that I had a lengthy post written up the other day, and after re-reading it several times I realized that it was whiny, negative, trash-talking...and therefore, I deleted it.

I'm trying really hard, but it makes me frustrated sometimes when you can have a conversation with someone (spouse, friend, business partner,whatever) one day spelling out exactly what it is you would like to have happen - their input, cooperation, communication, assistance, etc, and they agree wholeheartedly with you, and then, the next day, it is as though you had spoken with a body double, or pod person...

Needless to say, that has been the gist of things around here recently, and I'm just not sure what to do about it.

I've been praying that I'll be able to control my temper, that I'll be able to be sweet, and have kind words for my husband and children (still being firm with the kids, but I don't need to be pissy or screaming things!).  I am trying really hard to stay in control of my words and actions (it is SO not me controlling, but the Holy Spirit, that's for certain!)

I have a boatload of goals I'd like to accomplish before Summer Break begins.  Captain "graduates" from Kindergarten 4 weeks from yesterday...Princess finishes pre-school the week prior...we're holding a neighborhood garage sale the weekend of the 19th, and BB will be at Captain's first baseball tournament the same day...

I should NOT be sitting here blogging, surfing, facebooking, whatevering...I should be working through the boxes of things we decided to keep on the last go around of "operation purge basement" and determine what things we can now part with.

The troulbe is that BB came home a week ago with a surprise:  a new dog!  We'd talked several times about it, most recently 2 weekends ago, while he was at an auction and I took the kids to the Humane Society to see the pets (it gets our fix for furry things in, and we don't walk away because most residents are NOT compatible with both cats and young children!)...and I absolutely fell in love with a big old lummox of a puppy...

We talked about it, put a hold on him so BB could go visit with him and see what he thought.  Before BB went to visit, they called and told us the family ahead of us had decided to move forward with adopting him. I said thanks, hung up and told BB that we'd have to wait to find another dog.  He asked if I was ok with that, and I honestly, sincerely said that I was!  I realized the afternoon of my initial visit that I would be the one doing the training - all the teaching of commands and manners), grooming, cleaning up after, socializing...and I realized that I already have 3 children, one of whom is not potty trained.  I decided that I was simply not ready to invest what little free time I do have in training a second-hand dog.  I know that sounds harsh, but really - this dog is 1 year old, has NO training other than housebreaking, and is fully grown.  He will only bulk up, doubling his 78 pounds...

SO, on Wednesday last week, imagine my surprise when the Humane Society called us to say the first family decided they couldn't afford the dog and all the associated costs of food, vet, supplies etc!  I called BB and said "if you want to go check him out, do so.  They'll hold him until tomorrow before allowing others to adopt him".  He called me back an hour or so later and was visiting with him.  I said "so you'll come and we'll discuss this?"  He said yes.  2 hours later he walked in with a dog on a leash.

GAH!

SO, my last week has been changed from cleaning house, cooking, laundry, sorting, organizing, pricing etc to dog training.

This boy is unmannered.  He jumps gates and fences, on people, on furniture, he barks at anything that moves, he whines, and he's technically still a baby (large dogs aren't fully matured until they're 2) so he chews on everything...

It's been frustrating, and I can't, in good conscience, say "OH HECK NO!" and make BB take him back and surrender him.  Mostly because I'm cheap and can't stomach the thought of the few hundred dollars BB shelled out last week for food, leash, collar, toys, and adoption fees...

Please be praying for us - that this dog will be a fast and good learner of commands and manners, and for me, that I'll be thorough and committed to the training.  For Littlest One, that she'll get this whole potty training thing FAST so we can stop spending $40 a month on disposable training pants as we're suddenly jettisoned into the wide world of youth sports and all it entails.