home visit

Jay and I have been going back and forth for quite a while on whether or not we should adopt...a puppy. We originally thought it would be too hard right now with a new baby and all that, that entails. But truly, we're pet people - and since we put Vinny down and Mrs. Mittens died, we've been waiting patiently for the right time to adopt. We decided yesterday that we are ready.

We really want a midsized dog - one that is kind of mellow, so as not to freak Emma out. A dog that can live inside when we're home and outside during the day while we're away. A dog that I can take running but that will not be running amok in our home. A dog that Jay can take fishing that won't jump from the boat and drown. A dog that can handle having his ears and tail pulled by our kids and who won't mind when one of them falls asleep in his bed. We know it's a lot to ask of a furry friend, but we're ready to wait until we find the right dog for us.

This morning Jay came across a lady who rescues dogs and we've been going back and forth all day filling out applications, researching breeds, and figuring out what we want. Tomorrow we have an official home visit. The dog rescue lady, Debi, is going to come over and make sure that our home is appropriate for taking in a dog. (It's totally weird, I feel as if we are adopting a child.) She has a really cute Beagle that we are interested in adopting, but we have to first get the green light from her.

Our research showed that Beagles are gentle dogs. They are midsized, good natured, great around kids and other animals. They are rarely aggressive, will run when lead, but also enjoy their lazy around the house time. They can be trained easily, and are generally good swimmers. (And this one is already potty trained.) On paper, they are just what we're looking for.

Tomorrow, if the home visit goes well, we will get to spend some time with the Beagle in order to help us decide if she's a good fit for our family. (I can tell you right now that if we spend time with her, I'm going to want to keep her - that's just the way I operate.) We are all excited at the prospect of bringing home a new member of our family. So, keep your fingers crossed for us and we'll keep you posted.