I remember why I DON'T have a dog

This weekend I took on the task of dog-sitting for a friend of mine. She assured me that he was a perfectly well behaved dog and pretty much does nothing but lie around the house. Early in my marriage to Robbie, we had two labs. So I thought, "Hey I've done this before...I can do it again." So I agreed...Even though I was a little hesitant. I wasn't hesitant about my children being around the dog, or my house being destroyed(even though I JUST had the carpets cleaned). I just had this uneasy feeling.


I realized what that uneasy feeling was all about today...

I let Buddy (the dog) out to use the restroom when we go home from church. Then Colby (not knowing I had already let Buddy out once) let him out again. This time, since Buddy didn't have any pressing business to get done, caught the smell of something in the woods and was off. I saw this all happen, but couldn't react fast enough.

We spent the next half hour screaming Buddy's name to no avail. My mind was spinning with what I was going to tell my friend when she came to retrieve her dog. My stomach was sick as I remembered the times (yes, that is plural - TIMES) we lost our dogs due to some interesting smell in the woods. This is when I also remembered why I currently do NOT have a dog. It is stressful enough for me to keep up with my children and their every move, much less to have to do it with an animal also.

After several prayers and some time to think, I remembered what we would do when our dogs ran off in the woods. We would go driving down the road and call out their names until we found them. So, I loaded the boys up and the three of us shouted Buddy's name. We found him! Not more than 100 feet from my house. He was laying in a stream too hot and tired to even come to me. (Obviously more excitement than this city dog normally gets in a day.) I hesitantly allowed his muddy body to get into my car. (Cause heaven knows, I wasn't going to trust him to get back to my house on his own!)

Buddy is now securely attached to his cable out back...and don't expect me to dog-sit for anyone else ANYTIME soon...because I remember why I don't have a dog!