On Puppiness

There are dog people and non-dog people. Then there are the dog-phobic and the dog-devoted.

I am admittedly a member of the latter.  Please see my Pinterest Puppiness board! So much fun!!

As a kid, I always wanted a dog.  Saba and Savta, who had previously had a dog (who had to be adopted out when she kept using UM as a chew toy), went the proverbial "when you are an adult and have your own house, you can get a dog."

When I met Trip'n Daddy, he had a dog. A monster Akita named "Sad Eyes." I admit he made me nervous. He was big. He was tough looking. And he was a tiny bit jealous of me. My heart broke for Trip'n Daddy when he had to be put down, but I didn't really get it.  The only pet I had ever lost was a couple of fish and a pair of white mice.

After being married for 4 years, we finally decided to take the plunge and get a puppy of our own.  I researched breeds and breeders and we found our Nili (AKA "Trouble"). I could write pages and pages of Nili stories.  She has been, and continues to be, a source of unconditional love, laughs, frustration, pride, and joy. She is a member of our family and has been dutifully vigilant in her role of  Master Comfort Giver, President of Licking, and CEO of Cuddling.

One of my favorite Nili pics I call "Tutu Much Silliness"

Did someone say "Chicken?"

After a tough day of Purim crime fighting

While pregnant with the Trips, I was on bed rest for 12 weeks.  Nili was by my side for every moment or cuddled under my belly. She was thrilled when the Trips came home and relished her new jobs as protector, face cleaner, and under the highchair vacuum. When Trip'n Daddy was so sick from chemo, Nili was found cuddled at his knees. Even now, at almost 10 years old and having suffered the indignity of being shipped to this new, dusty, mountainous place, she is there for me in my nighttime breakdowns, licking away my tears, tolerating my hugs, and serving as a heating pad in the freezing Neve Daniel nights.

I love it when she sleeps like this

Most recent Nili picture

So when my close friend, D, approached me with the possibility that her Peke, Coco, miiiiight be pregnant, I had this funny feeling that we would be getting a new dog. Then, when Coco had trouble delivering and I drove her and D to the vet in Ma'ale Adumim for a C-Section, it was pretty much guaranteed.

I know that there are those of you our there who are having the same response as MrsS, and I quote "You need to have your head examined!"

But there really is something to puppy love.  And love is something we need a lot of around here.  You have to see the Trips (and me) cuddling this little bundle of fur to fully appreciate how restorative it can be.

So, I am proud to introduce our "Sabra."  We are puppy-sitting for her and her Mommy for a few weeks and can already see how much she is going to add to our lives.

Trying Mommy's food for the first time

Taking over Nili's bed

Sabra in a bucket 

It's been a while...

But since 2 out of 3 Trips are running a fever, it is a lazy Sunday in the Trip'n House. If this isn't a good time for an update, I don't know what is.

We are having a rough season. C had THE FLU. You know, the one that sparked the jokes about pigs flying...

Luckily, it wasn't that bad. He ran a fever for a few days, but otherwise was in great spirits. The scariest part was that since Trip'n Daddy's major health scare last spring, any minor sickness becomes a bit tricky. In the end, Thank G-d, Trip'n Daddy was diagnosed with a very treatable auto-immune disease and not the terrible disease we really thought it was. He is being treated with steroids, which is an adventure in itself. But the combination of the disease and the medication make his immune system really weak. So our pediatrician did the flu test to confirm it, and Trip'n Daddy got a round of TamiFlu.

Next, we were struck with a stomach virus. It has gone around the house starting with B, to me, to Trip'n Daddy (who of course had it the worst of any us, poor guy) then to C. Even Trouble threw up this week! Only A has been spared, but I am still waiting. It seems to have gotten eclipsed by this newest thing...

Now, A and B are running a fever, have stuffy, snotty noses, and nasty coughs. I was going to run them over to the doctor for a Flu Test, but he has taken today off (the nerve!) A strange symptom of this one is extreme talkativeness, which we are used to in A, but is really different for B. The combo of both of them is enough to give any adult a pounding headache.

Also of interest is that I have started a new job. I am working in the administrative office for a sleep away camp for Yeshivish/Bais Yaakov girls. The irony of working for a place that would not accept my daughters as campers is not lost, and some of the things I am encountering have provided much fodder for open-mouthed wonderment, snickering, and just plain confusion.

I will leave you with just one little morsel and feel free to try to explain it, because I don't get it. (Disclaimer: I am usually very tolerant of tznius rules and respect what is asked of me. But when things go from machmir to ridiculous...)

The girls are not allowed to wear skirts with back pockets...or front zippers.

Bodily Fluid Fiesta!

****GROSSNESS ALERT****

Just a snapshot of how crazy life with 5 year old triplets and a dog can get.

One of the reason Trouble has earned this nickname is due to a weak bladder. She has been known to pee in fear, anger, happiness, change in weather, just because. Lucky for us, she is a small dog, so the puddles tend to be small. Along with this, she occasionally gets minor bladder infections where she looses control more often. Thank G-d these tend to be few and far between, but they happen.

Over the past few days, Trouble has had some tinkles that indicate to me she may have something going on. Tonight I am sure.

B came into our room a little while ago and just sat on H's lap. When pressed, she said she couldn't sleep. After sitting there quietly for about 15 minutes, H asked her if she was feeling okay. She responded, "No, my tummy hurts and I think I am going to throw up." At least she gave us warning! H grabbed the garbage pail and a second later, she did in fact vomit. Trouble had been asleep at the foot of H's bed. When the commotion started she jumped up and moved to the foot of my bed.

We quickly mobilized getting B cleaned up, throwing out the garbage bag, and giving her a little water to wash out her mouth. Then we all went to settle back into bed when H noticed a dark stain at the foot of his bed. We looked at Trouble who was guiltily cleaning her little rump.

Bodily fluids all over the place. Yuck!!!

This is my life. And I love it. And I laugh A LOT.

Living Up to Her Name

One of the biggest dilemmas we had planning this trip was figuring out what to do with Trouble. There is a local open boarding establishment that we, and she, love. However, the cost for the extended amount of time that we are going to be away was staggering.

We were able to find another frum dog lover who was willing to exchange dog sitting. So we watched her dog over the Yomim Noraim, and she now has Trouble.

Big Trouble.

Apparently, Trouble is having a hard time adjusting, and is using their ENTIRE house as a toilet. I am embarrassed, upset, frustrated, and feeling awful. But I am also thousands of miles away!

Thinking about how confused and angry she must be is breaking my heart. But thinking about cleaning up those messes is just terrible. It's a sacrifice that's hard to ask someone to make.

I have to give her credit though, the woman watching her is being a trouper. She just wants some ideas on how to deal with it.

I have no idea.

Trouble.

Insomniac Ramblings

It's 4:30 am and it appears that I have insomnia. This is not surprising given all that is going on in my world and in the rest of the world.

Firstly, it's Election Day! Whoopee! Today we find out what the people of the United States are really thinking, and in what direction they want this country to go. Some would argue, myself included, that the overwhelming popularity of Obama, and even the mere fact that he is a nominee is an indicator. Since I have been voting, the Presidential elections have been pretty exciting, but I have a strange feeling that this one is going to provide tons of stories for my grandchildren. Certainly, just the race and gender issues alone make it historic. Then there is the idea that an unpopular war and bad economy can make people so desperate for what they feel is "change," that they want to go in as far an opposite direction as they can from the current administration. It astounds me that the Cold War, the USSR, Cuba, China, etc. don't come to mind when people hear phrases like "redistribution of wealth" and a government health plan for "universal health care."

Now, I don't vote based on policies towards Israel alone. I don't think that is fair to the country of my birth and the one in which I live and pay taxes. However, as a student of Jewish history (my college major), a Zionist, and a Jew, I do take notice. How a candidate feels about Israel MIGHT be a good indicator of how he feels about Jews in general. It seems that even the most pro-Israel, well-meaning President and State Department (Pro-Israel State Department? Okay, that's an oxymoron...) can do great damage. It terrifies me what someone with ties to the PLO could do. Alright, I am selfish, I just want there to be an Israel left for me to move to when I want or NEED.

That's something to lose sleep over.

Next, is our trip to Israel. We leave in a week, and while I have begun packing, it is just in the beginning stages. We have a Bar-Mitzvah Shabbat and party, Wedding, Sheva Brachot, trips to the North and Eilat all squeezed into the three weeks we are there. Given the rate the Trips go through clothes (I think my girls are convinced that they are award show hosts who need to change after each commercial break), I feel like we could bring 5000 lbs of clothes and it would still not be enough. We are only entitled to 500 lbs...

Then I am worried about the dog. Trouble is going to stay with a new friend who's dog we watched over the Yomim Noraim. Funny how she already knows something is up. She gets weird whenever suitcases come out. Intellectually, I know she'll be fine, but emotionally, I know she doesn't understand what is going on. She is going to feel abandoned until we come back to pick her up. Then she'll pee on the floor, wag her tail like a helicopter propeller, and all will be good again. Also, how am I going to sleep for three weeks without her warm little body on my feet and her snoring like a freight train?

Next, I am a little worried about my general well-being. I popped something in my neck last week and have been suffering pretty badly. The doctor gave me a cortisone shot, steroids, and muscle relaxers to try to help me get better quickly. Later today I am going for an MRI and I am supposed to fit in a couple of physical therapy sessions before we leave. Right.

Finally, work has become incredibly stressful. I am so thankful for my position and my ability to work for an unbelievable institution that does really important work. My position there has evolved into a senior management position and I love most of it. Unfortunately, a huge part of my job has become finances and development. This is never where I expected to see myself! Let's just say I am more of a humanities person. Nonprofits suffer tremendously in economies like this one, and ours is no exception.

You know it's funny (Baruch Hashem! Bli Ayin Hara! Poo-poo-poo! and all that) that none of the Trips are on my list of current worries .

Maybe that's something I should be worried about...