On the way to Mom & Dad’s house at 9AM on Christmas morning. A pretty eventful morning, actually…Kendrick and I had already been to the vet to check out Virgil’s pronounced limp. We went at 7:30AM, not really expecting anybody to be there at that hour on Christmas Day, but there was a very sweet man on duty who assured us that nothing was broken. It seems that Virgil likely has a slightly out-of-joint hip (a common problem with Lhasa Apsos), but it should resolve itself. Nevertheless, because we’re kinda panicky parents, we snagged the next available vet appointment (for Saturday morning) for a full X-ray and checkup.

By the way, I’ve been pretty stressed out about the fact that Virgil isn’t a rescue dog; in fact, he’s the dog I fell in love with over Thanksgiving weekend when we visited Kendrick’s parents in Ohio. I feel very, very strongly about the importance of rescuing dogs (and cats) from shelters, and am pretty distraught about the idea of inadvertently supporting a pet store…but if your husband walked through the door on Christmas Eve carrying that little guy up there, what would you do? Tell him to take him back?

I talked to Kendrick about this pretty extensively, and he explained that he simply wanted to get me the dog I fell in love with, regardless of where he came from - and you know what? Virgil exists, regardless of whether or not he’s ours, and he needs (and deserves) a loving home just as much as any dog. That said, I continue to feel quite guilty, and am hoping to step up my efforts working with rescue organizations in the coming year.

Also, you know what the (again, very nice and very much trying to be helpful) gentleman at the pet hospital said when he saw that Virgil had a wonky hip? “Is he still under warranty? You can send him back for another dog.” While I understand that he was simply trying to comfort me and give me an “out” before I fell too in love, that is NOT how I feel about animals…they aren’t just perfect little toys that can be swapped out for a different model if they don’t fit your expectations. They are your family, and they come into your life for a reason, and I would no more send Virgil back for another puppy than I would return my husband for not doing the dishes often enough. And besides, it’s too late: that “falling in love” thing? Happened already.