Motherhood

Matt and I ran out to fix a couple things at the rental house yesterday and when we came home the front door was wide-open and our precious Nala was gone.  If our front door isn’t locked, it doesn’t always latch right, so I was not thinking someone intruded. Baby Gretel was as excited as ever to see us and she, miraculously, had not escaped.

We took to the streets immediately and frantically.  Matt, by foot, I by Jeep.  We were mostly panicked because Nala did not have her collar on and does not have a microchip.  So if someone were to find her and discover she’s the greatest dog ever, there’s no reason they shouldn’t keep her.  That was my theory as I desperately screamed “NALLLLAAAAA!!” out my car window.  I was already imagining her in her Christmas sweater in another family’s Christmas photo.  I guess Matt’s thoughts were more morbid, and perhaps more common.  He was worried about finding her flat on the road.  Ugh.  I can’t even think about that.  Either way, we were both about to puke from concern.  “Why did we not always have a collar on her? Why did we not microchip her? How could we leave the door open?  We can’t live without her steadfast, panting smile!”

I never thought a doggie could really feel like a child, but I have seldom been so worried in my life.  We had the neighborhood in on the search, and as Matt and I were about to hit the road again yelling, three doors down a sweet lady was making her way to her mailbox and held up a sign “FOUND: Goldendoodle”.  She had a stack of these signs she was about to post all over the neighborhood!  I ran and gave her a hug. I had just worked out in addition to having sweat out my nerves in the search, so now I feel badly that she had to endure that hug.  Nala came bounding out of the kind lady’s house and into Matt’s car.  Such relief.

After the entire episode, I told Matt “I’m not sure we can have real children.”  The amount of anxiety that accumulated in 30 minutes searching for Nala was too much to bear!  haha.  So on that note, I think I’ll wait a few years before being responsible for a human life.