Cleaning Out the Crap

Our basement has been the bane of our existences ever since my parents moved out of their house here in STL and I had to get my 25 years of crap out of their house and into ours. We really don't have much storage in our little split level so finding places for everything was a bear. So, needless to say, we shoved everything in our newly finished basement with hopes of one day sorting through everything and finding all my little trinkets a home.

We finally made time to get started on this HUGE task. When I say we packed the basement... I mean we PACKED the basement.

Our first task was to go through everything and throw out anything that I don't need, want, or have no use for. Trust me, this is going against every part of my being seeing as I'm an artist and can use everything for something. Plus I we want to homeschool so I can, again, use anything for something. So Luke stayed strong and if I had a smidgen of hesitance in my answer, he tossed it. Don't worry, we didn't just check everything, we sorted trash from Goodwill so at least some of my years and years of collecting crap will go to some good use.

After 2 1/2 hours of work, we got a bunch out of the way. The picture below is where the basement is at right now. It almost looks worse, but trust me... it's sooooooo much better. Our next task is to go through all the "keep" stuff and sort it out into air-tight containers for storage. We will continue to throw things away, but the goal is to get the basement spic and span so we can actually have an extra room in the house to use... seeing as that's why we had it finished in the first place. I hate cleaning, but it feels good after its done.

A New Beginning

Alrighty, the family with 5 kids, a dog and a kitten didn't come Tuesday because the girls got sick but they came over last night. After staying for an hour, playing with James, watching the dogs play together, watching James pee on the floor, bark at them, and run a muck... they decided with all certainty that they wanted to adopt him.

They saw every side of him which was good. The girls all played with him and it seemed to be a great fit. They are a homeschool family so they're home pretty much all day. That way James can run around and play and not have to worry about being alone for hours at a time. Plus, their dog and him seemed to get along pretty well. Padawan, their 20 lb Cavelier, was a bit more calm than James... the 14 lb 10 month old. James definitly wore him out in an hour but there was no growling or anything like that. Just a few barks when James wasn't satisfied with the amount of attention being given. They'll have to work that out between the two of them.

At the end of the hour, they were all pretty certain they wanted him. The girls all thought he was adorable and full of fun and energy. The mom was impressed by the amount of training that we had gotten him to learn... trust me, I was surprised too but hey, whatever man. She knew what she was doing to stop biting, playing too rough, all that stuff. I think and really hope that this works out. With 5 kids, another dog and kitten, I would think there'd be enough attention and stimulation to keep James busy and his mind off his first home and parents.

Good luck little guy! Enjoy your new digs!

Fingers Crossed

Ok, after James came back to us when the first couple decided after a day that they didn't want him afterall, Luke put our ad back on Craigs List. We got flooded with emails once again. After responding to a couple of them, we set up a visit for a couple ladies looking for a pup to play with their current dog. They came and went after James decided to impress them with constant barking. Needless to say, James is stull with us.

We recieved an email from a lady that said she has 5 kids, a 3 year old dog and a kitten and they're looking to add another dog to the mix. I liked this set up since the beginning and was excited when she emailed back today saying that she would still like to meet James. She's coming tonight at 7 with her daughters and their current dog. We'll see how they interact. I just really hope that James doesn't bark at them the whole time like on Saturday. With having the other dog in the house, it should distract him enough. He does play well with other animals for the most part. He tends to have more energy than anything else I've seen and his curiosity tends to get him into trouble.

I just really want this to work out because it sounds like the perfect situation for my little guy. Hopefully he behaves himself... -crosses fingers-

He's Baaaaack...

So the girl that I thought would be great for James... isn't. After only a day, she emails Luke and says "We can't take James, he's more than we can handle right now."

We were honest honest with her and her husband about what to expect. Yes, he's energetic with a capital E... yes, he'll bark sometimes... yes, it will take him about a week to get aclimated to your home and schedule...

Now he's coming home tonight andw ill be at out house when we get home from work. Starting from square one, we're back to finding him a good home. If you know anyone looking for a non-shedder that isn't afraid of putting some work into the little guy, I've got the dog for them. We just want to get him in a good home that gives him what he needs. Maybe even with another dog for him to play with. It will work out... things always do.

Bitter-Sweet

The day finally came... little James was going to his new home. We woke up early Sunday morning because his new family was coming at 8:30 in the morning. We got all his stuff together... toys, cages, care tools, treats, food, etc. We fed him, brushed him, and loved on him as much as we could for the last moments we had.

(I'm tearing up as I type...)

James was my first dog and will always hold a special place in my heart. He was a handful, yes, but he was asweetheart. Unfortunately with the baby coming, we just didn't have the time that he needed for proper training, attention, and all the other things he needed. He was perfect for us but our new lifestyle just isn't condusive to having a puppy that's still learning the ways of our world.

The new puppy mom was extatic. She was so excited to come and get him. After Jamsie calmed down shortly after their arrival, she picked him up and he sat calmly in her arms. She'll be great for him. I was holding strong... no sign of tears yet... until she spoke the words, "This is killing you isn't it?" I almost lost it then. I muttered yes and had to look away. There are so many memories I have of the little guy, the cuddles, the kisses, the playtime... I'll miss it.

Luke helped her and her husband take all James' stuff out to their car. They loaded it all in, we put his leash on him and off they went. Luke shut the door behind them and I lost it. Tears flowed. I couldn't stop. That was MY puppy... I raised him. I taught him his tricks. I knew what each bark meant. I knew when he had to go potty or needed to eat. I knew when he was going to want to cuddle or be left alone. His red stuffed toy was his favorite for fetch. Tug of war with his tiger was the daily routine. No more wet puppy kisses. No more cold noses trying to get under the bed covers with me. No more little snores that were annoying at the time but looking back... priceless. No more waking up to him spooning Luke and having both their heads on the same pillow.

Time for a new season. Time to move on. We have a baby on the way and we need to focus on that. James is behind us and living a new life in Jeff City with a new, great family that will be wonderful for him. Maybe someday we can get another dog when our kids are old enough to hlep out and take responsibility for it. Until then, our kids will be our pets. They can be taught to sit, stay, laydown and fetch too. Oh the fun that is to be had...