Introducing Rumi, the new Love Dog

After the loss of both our beloved Collie, Riff, and our Lab, Bill (both within 5 months of eachother), our house seemed so empty without a furry friend to follow us around. I felt a bit guilty for thinking puppy thoughts almost immediately after the loss of Bill. I soon realized that a little peice of him was leaving every day for the past few years and along with it, a little bit of me was grieving along with it. I also started to see that opening up to love a pup didn't really mean I didn't still love the Ralph.

We found ourselves (Shawn and I) searching out puppies in secret. We both stumbled upon what my friend Laura calls "puppy porn" (because its so freaking adorable, you can't stop looking at more and more pictures) website http://www.puppyfinder.com/ and fell in love with a little tri-colored collie pup just recently weaned. About the same time, I came across this You Tube video of Coleman Banks reading of "Love Dogs" by Rumi, one of my favorite poets (see below). That had to be our next pup's name.

We picked up the kids from school and told them we were going to a friend of mine's farm. Her name was Rumi. They hopped in and didn't ask a single question. This drove me insane and put Shawn on edge. He almost blew it.

When we were about 20 minutes away on our hour long drive, I ask them if they had any questions about my friend Rumi. They asked about the farm, animals on the farm, when will we be there.....I said I haven't actually met Rumi. Aidan looks puzzled, then says, "oh, so she's like a facebook person?"

I tell them that I've never talked with her either, but that I'm sure we'll all love her. Especially since she'll be living with us. Then the momentum picks up. Nevie asks, "What?!? For how long?" I tell her a long time and that she might sleep with her. Aidan prys for more specifics. I tell them she'll live with us for the next 15 to 20 years. Bingo. He gets it. "Rumi is a DOG! Are we getting a PUPPY?!?" (said in his squeeky, excited voice). Screams all around! Shawn cries. Typical.

We get to the farm in Floodwood. Puppies are everywhere. Shawn and I pretty much lose our minds and can't hold adult conversations with the owners. Her mama, Dolce, is a petite, mild mannered sweetie. Her Papa is a bounding, HUGE, friendly wild man. Her siblings are adorable. And everywhere. We are swept up by puppy cuteness right from the start. We attempt to put her in the back for the ride home. She quickly slips inbetween the dog barrier and ends up crawling all over the kids laps, admist their giggling, smiling little bodies and settles on Aidan's lap. She pukes 3 times all over him. Aidan still can't stop smiling and is more concerned with her tummy than the fact he has slimy puke all over him.

We spend the next few days soaking her up. Shawn and I are like little kids, up at 5am, not because she's whining (she's not), but because we want to play with her. We over do it and bring her everywhere. Her 8 week old little body passes out at football games, the park, and the beach. If I could nurse her I probably would.

Although my heart still hurts that my Bill is gone, it's wide open for this little furry soul. Welcome home, little Rumi. I know you'll spread just as much love as your namesake.

“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form. The child weaned from mother’s milk now drinks wine and honey mixed. The Creator’s joy moves from unmarked box to unmarked box, from cell to cell. As rainwater, down into flower bed. As roses, up from the ground. Now it looks like a plate of fish and rice, now a cliff covered with vines, now a horse being saddled. It hides within these, till one day it cracks them open.” ~Rumi~

"Listen to the moan of a dog for its master.
That whining is the connection.
There are love dogs no one knows the names of.
Give your life to be one of them." ~Rumi~