The Coming of Astro

I don’t have just one photo, but I have one story. We have long thought about getting another puppy. Another cat is non-negotiable because I firmly believe that when you have two, it can backfire on you. They might team up to torment you, or they’ll curl up in each other’s paws, rather than in the nook of your arm. I realize there are exceptions, but we’re a one-cat family. Since I keep putting off the third baby decision, and no less confusing everyone around me (like I said – they’ll deal), we got a puppy. This wasn’t long planned. It was 2 – 3 weeks and I barely kept the secret. I didn’t want my kids to know.

I was nervous. I get nervous anyway, but this was an airless room with lots of people, a presentation from the shelter, and then he was in my arms and we were whisked away pretty fast. Now we’re left stumbling around like we did when we first had a baby. A “now what” mentality. Do you just go on doing what you do, in the ways that you do? Or is nothing the same? Has the world been topsy-turvied over? Are YOU topsy-turvied over? How fast can you right yourself? Where will you land?

The short story is that my “puppy-pusher” friend, Sarah, tags me in occasional puppy rescue updates on Facebook because she knows our type. Husky-ish. Quirky-ish. Yoda ears. That something something element. The status update had photos of a litter of five and they called them, “Mini Huskies.” Astro is estimated to be a Husky-Pomeranian (Pomsky) mix, but I have my own theory. I think he’s totally a Corsky (Husky-Corgi). All the siblings have long and squat bodies. We’ll find out tomorrow what the vet says. We first applied for Astro’s sister, Angel, but she had a wait list. We hemmed and hawed over the 5 puppies or so, and then I told Cassidy to choose. Of course we got off the phone and I texted him simply one word. Astro.

We took the realist approach/route and still decided that our hearts were saying yes. Astro was ours. We waited two weeks or so and then got our transport date – May 24th. So we told the kids we had a BBQ in NJ because the rescue shelter is in NJ and the three hours in the car would seem suspicious otherwise. I mildly freaked out all week, and then all day, and I got that feeling you get when you have one baby and you’re about to have two. You feel excited/sad. Hopeful/melancholy. Will they get along? More importantly, will your first know they’re not being replaced, and that in fact, you love them madly?

A lot of questions still, and no answers. Yet. I’ll never forget the look on Scarlet’s face when she caught on. We went to the shelter and stood on a line and told her we were there to see Cassidy’s friend and pick something up. Yeah, she wasn’t buying it. She heard the puppies barking and saw the people on line filling out paperwork. “We’re here for Astro,” Cassidy said. Scarlet’s hands were shaking. Sorry to reference LOST for the 100,000th time but it was exactly like this:

The process was hard for me because anxiety gets me. And excitement anxiety is a weird one. It’s like when I met Tim Curry. I didn’t want to faint at his feet, or pass out on the floor. We went into the shelter and knelt in front of Astro’s crate. Des finally got it. Scarlet’s heart was pounding into my arms. The whole process took about an hour, and then we were out the door and into the rest of our lives. We had a three hour car ride, and split up the snuggling between two of us. Bliss.

You’re probably wondering what he’s like. Initial thoughts are mellow but puppy-like. He put his paws around my neck in a hug and played with the drawstring on my pants. He knew he was home. It’s as simple as that. We gave him food and water and he bounced from his dishes back into our arms. Back and forth and back and forth. “You’re still there! It’s still there.

He has yet to meet my camera, the way Athena has, Penny has, and Junie has. That comes with intimacy and daylight. It will probably start this weekend because I just want to squeeze him when he’s this little, and learn his ways. His soul.

This is me linking up, as one of my favorite things to do, with Finish The Sentence Friday. This week’s topic is Photo Share Friday And there’s still time to write yours. Come link up with your spin: HERE. What’s your photo? What’s its story?