and we got a puppy
4.5x6in color pencil on watercolor paper
My kids asked now and then for a pet. I hid behind my allergies and always had that way out. “Sorry no pets” I would say.
The closest we got to having one was a frog that jumped into one of our planters by our front porch.
I was nice, sometimes I even took them to the pet-store.
This summer we stayed at a house with a dog, met some sweet dogs, talked about dogs, and interviewed many people about having a dog.
I recently read that having a dog ads 10 years to your life, because of the love + physical activity it brings. I believe it, plus for our family, Rusty is our new common goal. We are enjoying and loving him. Worth the extra work.
It has been an adventure, and the good feelings in our home have multiplied. The excitement he has every time he sees us, melt away a bad day in an instant.
And that is the long explanation for all these puppy experiments:
I believe everything in my life is connected. Working on my art has given me mental strength, that has translated into establishing healthy habits, that have also built my physical strength. That strength gave me the confidence to say yes to this big change, and on top of that the allergies have minimized.
Note to self: keep working on your art.