With the four kids getting older and more independent, T is thrilled that I am more available to go out and play. He seems to have great plans for our empty nest phase of life. But if you read this blog at all, you know that playtime is not the first thing on my mind as I watch the kids slip away into adulthood. I wanted a new bitty buddy to care for!
A puppy has been on my mind for years, probably since my oldest went off to college. T wanted nothing to do with that though. Are you kidding me?! I am finally almost available to trot off up north with him at a moment's notice, or come with him on business trips. Why would he want me burdened again with the care of another needy creature?
"Yes, but it's all about having dog-loving friends who would be willing to provide a second home for a puppy when we want to get away. That's no trouble!" I pleaded. Nope. No dice. T wanted nothing to do with another burden.
Eh. So I'm a grown up. I've not had my way before and it's never killed me. But it didn't stop me from dreaming, from perusing the internet for the perfect breed of dog if we were going to get one -- which we weren't. I knew that. But after hours of surfing, I settled on a Miniature Goldendoodle as the exact designer breed of dog I'd get if I could. (And if money were no object! They can cost $1000. At that price, I would've been the one to put the kabosh on any plan to buy one, even if T allowed it!)
And I prayed. I planned it all out for God, informed Him of exactly how He could get T to agree to a dog, just in case He needed ideas. I know T, and I know how his mind works. Don't read too much into this, but I knew that for me, just because I wanted one, he would never budge. But if it happened that there were a friend or acquaintance that he could help out of a tight spot by taking a dog off their hands, he'd do it. I told God all about this, in case He didn't know. But for the most part, I put the thought out of my head and contented myself.
Then one day, almost exactly a year ago, T calls me in the afternoon from work and says, with no prefatory explanation at all, "You know, Goldendoodles are not that cute. I think they're kind of ugly! Have you ever looked at pictures of them on the internet?"
"Ummm, well yeah. I think they're cute. That's fine if you don't think so."
"Yeah, well, they're not."
"Why are we talking about this?" I asked.
Well, it turns out there had been an e-mail. A friend of a friend had a Miniature Goldendoodle puppy she needed a home for! She was recently divorced, was traveling a lot with her three kids to sporting events and just didn't fully appreciate the time and attention this dog was going to need when she bought him. She had paid $1000 for the dog, $350 to have him flown out from the breeder in Arizona, had taken on another $4000 in other expenses (electric fence, shots, vet bills, a trip to the doggy ER), but wasn't asking any money for him. She only wanted to find him a good home!
AAAHHHHHHH!!!!! WHEN, I ask you, WHEN does God ever do things the way I plan???? Of course T was all for taking the puppy. Okay, to be completely honest, he wasn't all for it -- but he was willing. I think even he saw the unmistakeable hand of God in the situation.
And guess what else. The puppy's name was Oliver! Oliver was the name of my dog when I was a kid. How sweet was that? It's like God had Oliver picked for me from the beginning, and even had them name him in a way that I'd know it.
Who can deny God's goodness and care for all His own? What a wonderful God we serve!
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