Lucky Rose

Last Saturday was a big day, a first for our family. We adopted an adorable dog named Lucky. Well, Lucky Rose "TD" to be exact. The details in the name come from multiple children with lots of opinions. Marissa wanted to make sure the new female in the family wasn't mistaken for a boy so she chose Rose as an official part of the dog's name. "TD"  stands for "the dog"  and comes from the 13-year-old boy who  loves to throw in nicknames and slang to prove he's down with it, hip, fly and totally lit, yo!!  😉  As  entertaining as it has been to watch my children interact with Lucky, she has seriously been a blessing in our lives. Lucky  has healed hearts and brought joy to our family in a way that is difficult to describe.  She is the new best friend Dylan desperately needed.  She is the self-proclaimed "sister" Marissa has always wanted.  She is a calming presence Preston seeks, and the fun Caleb looks for in a playmate.  But the story of Lucky is so much bigger than a cute dog, pet rescue and adoption.  So much bigger.

Thanksgiving 2017 began like any other.  Marcos and Dylan headed out with the big boys for shotgun shooting in the morning.  I hung out with the younger kids while fixing mashed potatoes for dinner.  Dinner was great, my mashed potatoes were a hit, the kids got along great, gratitude filled the air...
It was a Thanksgiving to remember!

Marcos and I had taken different cars to allow for some early black Friday shopping since Dylan is now old enough to want a "big kid" gift and the shotgun he wanted was super discounted.  After the shotgun purchase had taken place, Marcos and Dylan headed back for pie and we finished the evening off great.  At some point, I realized it was super late and time to get kids in bed.  I took the younger two home in the van and Marcos headed out in the car with Dylan and Preston.

I got kids tucked in bed and started wondering what was taking Marcos so long when he drove up with the boys.  They were super excited, attempting to relay the story of the evening.  Apparently my mom's neighbors were coming out of their house as Marcos and the boys headed for the car, which was parked on the street.  It turns out their daughter fosters dogs who have been rescued from the shelter.  She was there with her own two dogs and a third who was a foster dog.  My kids fell in love with the little beagle they met and were eager to tell me all about her.  They had even taken her over to my mom's house and my mom loved the dog (truly shocking since my mother is super practical and not the type to encourage me to add extra responsibilities to my already overflowing plate).  The kids wanted me to meet Lucky and made sure it happened by telling Marissa and Caleb all about the cute dog they met that night.  To top it all off, Marcos took me aside when the kids weren't around and said, "Hon, I know it's weird, but I feel like she's meant to be our dog."  Sigh.  Outnumbered.  I was COMPLETELY outnumbered.

The next two weeks were a blur.  We met up with the foster family the following day at a park and got to know the dog.  She was really good with the kids and is great with other dogs as well.  What I couldn't believe was how she already seemed to be our dog.  She listened to Dylan and followed him around.  She snuggled up by Marissa on a blanket, lovingly arranged just for her. It was like Lucky had always been a part of our family...only we had just met her.  I wasn't sure I wanted another pet.  Actually, to be perfectly honest, I DID NOT want another pet.  Don't get me wrong.  I love animals!  But I get super attached to them and losing Dexter this summer was an emotional process.  Plus, I already have a house full of creatures for whom I am responsible and I wasn't sure my sanity could handle one more thing.  Marcos felt the same, although he can usually be persuaded a little easier than I can in situations like this.  But instead of feeling like he was giving in, he was pretty sentimental about the whole thing. It appeared this dog was going to join our family. It's like she was already ours.

At one point, we ran into a glitch and it looked like Lucky might not be available to be adopted.  The kids were already super attached and I knew it would break their heart if this dog did not become a member of our family.  And yet, I was NOT nervous or afraid.  Every single detail had fallen into place up to this point.  From the timing of Dylan noticing Lucky on Thanksgiving to the way she interacted with our children.  From the kindness and generosity we found in the couple who was fostering Lucky to the feeling Marcos and I had that she was meant to join our family.   It all happened effortlessly.  Somehow, even in the face of potential heartbreak, I knew it would all work out the way it needed to.

Lucky is sweet and gentle, poised and dignified.  She is extremely smart and has the nose of a hunting dog.  She brings a calm demeanor to our home, something we were definitely lacking.  It still shocks me that a dog can change the energy in our home so much, but she does. Lucky also has a bit of a stubborn streak and a little bit of mischief in her nature. At first those two facts scared me.  But if I'm  being honest with myself, it likely means she is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT for our family dynamic.  It took me a couple days to warm up to the idea of having a dog again.  I was mainly making my decisions based on my observations of my children with Lucky.  However, my heart continues to soften to this new creature more and more, and I simply can't imagine our home without her now.

The story of Lucky Rose is a story of FAITH, of HOPE, of LOVE.  It's a perfect story for Thanksgiving and Christmas, the very timing this true story took place.  It's a story of gratitude, kindness and miracles.  Lucky will always be a reminder of God's love and goodness, of His infinite wisdom and His ability to manage the details of our lives.