My sweet Tatum,
You came into my life during a period of limbo and threw me for a loop. I want to thank you and tell you that I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.
I like to think I have it all together, being in college and working, but as you rummage through the pile of clothes in the middle of my floor, you clearly can tell that I don’t. Being between majors and not having a clue what I want to do for the rest of my life doesn’t help. (Well, I do but I don’t know how to get there.) Sometimes I go out more than I should and spend money on clothes instead of groceries. Despite my mistakes, you lay down in bed with me every night and you love me anyway.
Sometimes I have to work longer than I would like to and I can’t bring you with me. I leave for work at 10 a.m., put you in your crate, and I look in those huge brown eyes. You know I’m leaving you at home by yourself. Yes, you get let out of the crate and get to take potty brakes but when I have to stay at work for 12+ hours, we don’t get to go for a walk. We don’t get to play. We don’t get to hang out. Despite those days you have to stay home without me, you lay down in bed with me every night and you love me anyway.
I don’t make enough money to give you the top of the line organic, all natural, grain-free dog food to take you back to your ancestral wolf-like diet. Maybe one day I’ll even make you homemade food with real meat and veggies and I’ll buy you as many super jumbo elk antlers as you want, but until then we have to settle for Pedigree. Despite my lack of financial stability to give you everything you could want and more, you still lay down in bed with me every night and you love me anyway.
Some days I get lost in a mood. One of those moods where I wake up in the morning and I can’t get out of bed, as you lay there next to me. The mood where I don’t want to face the day: don’t want to talk to anyone, go anywhere, or do anything. The mood that only you can shake me out of. Your goofy lips droop down as you jump up to stand over me, and look down at me laying there in a groggy daze. You lick my face as to say it’s time to get up. You try to get me up: jump off the bed, run to the door, lay on the rug, all but scream out at me, “Mom, I have to go potty right now.”
You love me despite my grumpy mornings, giving me a reason to get up and go for a run. You love me despite my long days at work, giving me a reason to work harder and look forward to every new day. Your love for me makes me want to do everything I can to give you the best life possible. Now, sweet boy, tell me who rescued who?
