Aslan’s First Birthday

I’ve experienced a whole lot of firsts on the farm, and here’s yet another one: a birthday party for a dog. Now, I know for some of you dog lovers out there, this might be normal. But for a girl who never thought she’d have a dog, and certainly not one in the house, the idea of a party with lots of effort just never crossed my mind. But when you have a daughter who loves to bake, loves to make people {and dogs} feel special, and who’s crazy about her puppy, she has a party!

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Laura Finley has a special bond with Aslan. I never saw it coming. When she holds him in her arms, he melts like butter. He can be wild and crazy one minute and melting in her arms the next. Hallie has always been a dog person, so I expected her to love having a dog in the house, but I’m beginning to think Aslan was meant for Laura Finley. He’s seems to be therapeutic for her in a way I never imagined a dog could be.

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When I asked her what she thinks it is that makes her feel so connected to Aslan, her response leveled me inside: “We’re both a mess. We both have things we can’t eat. And we’re both different together. I don’t feel lonely when I’m with Aslan.” Now if that doesn’t make me want to keep a dog despite his heavy shedding in the house, I don’t know what will. She likes having someone to be a mess with in our family. Gosh, don’t we all need to be with someone who loves us in our mess?

I’m just going to have to get over the fact that he sheds so much. I don’t know if it’s possible to overlook all the black hair on the white linen slipcovers and all the white hair on the dark floors, but if it is, I’d like not to notice it as much. I’d like to become less obsessive about vaccuuming, or at the very least, more joyful about vacuuming. It’s pretty funny that my neighbor said Shelties don’t shed, and that I didn’t bother to do my own research. Because when you research…you find out they are one of the top shedding breeds. Ha! God has such a sense of humor!

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On the days when I vent my frustration with all the dog hair in the house, my oldest daughter reminds me that if I give Aslan away, God will find another way to mess up my love of clean. Yep. He’s been doing it ever since we moved here…exposing my addiction to cleanliness and control and giving me grace to embrace the mess. Thank you, Aslan. You’ve taken the mess to a whole new level!

While Laura Finley baked, Hallie played with Aslan on the farm. He was even allowed to “herd” ducks. An impossible task when they fly every which way, but he sure had fun! And Hallie took some great photos:

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This birthday boy knows he’s loved. And while all his shedding, following me everywhere I go in the house, and insatiable desire to play has rocked my peaceful, clean and quiet homebody self, there’s no doubt he’s meant to be in our family. For therapy, for disruption, for love, for play. He may even be meant for me as much as he is for Laura Finley.

And on the days when I wonder what on earth I was thinking to bring a puppy home without researching, I just go back to this story and watch video of the day we surprised the girls:

Heart melted. Mess accepted.