Fur Babies

HIG July 28 2014

Babies (Fur and the Other)

Let me tell you a secret. 

Baby three was a planned pregnancy and we are really grateful to be on this 

journey again. 

The secret is this: it can be difficult to tell people that we are expecting again.

Both of my boys were really difficult pregnancies. 

Both first trimesters had me swearing off siblings and promising my reproductive 

organs to science. 

Clearly, my doctor knew what she was talking about when she denied my latter request. 

Yesterday at church a few of the women in the nursery and I got to speaking about babies. 

One woman, remembering vividly the discomfort I had when I was pregnant last time, 

mercifully stated that I "should not have any more babies". 

Point blank and very seriously. 

When I told her that we would LOVE to get pregnant again she gave me a look of shock and 

sympathy.

I did not tell her my secret. 

Big Strong Man was initially reluctant because we are not yet financially secure. 

He has a good paying job and I have two side jobs, but still the money doesn't quite 

stretch from paycheck to paycheck. 

(Still, we are in the process of becoming debt free! This is a big deal since so many others chose to live off of credit cards and then refuse to pay them off. We are choosing integrity and good work ethic over "free money".)  

And really, if we waited until we were financially ready, we would still be childless.

But how would his parents react? They were such helps during my second pregnancy, watching over our Zeplin when I was sick. 

They no longer lived with us though, and if they did, it is not as though we asked for their

permission before enlisting them for help. 

Comments will be made about how we STILL live so far away from family and HERE IS ANOTHER child who will not be afforded the gift of close family near by.

And questions asking us if we know what birth control is. 
Yes, we do. 

And who will take care of our family if I get so terribly sick again? 

Who will take care of me?

I guess we don't have the answers to everything. 

Big Strong Man convinced me the other day that we should not care about what others think. 

This is OUR family and we are planning it how we had hoped for and thankful for how God has chosen fit for us. 

I am convinced that he was trying to prep-talk himself as well as me. 

Babies are hard work. 

Expensive.

Emotional.

Needy.

Unique.

Interesting. 

Exciting.

Wonderful.  

A huge Blessing.  

So what about fur babies? 

My brother and his wife have two dogs.

My momma, one dog.
My father and stepmother, one dog.
My in-laws: two dogs.
My sister and her husband: two cats and one dog.
My brother/sister-in-law, one dog, and about two dozen chickens!

My stepbrother and his wifey (and their three year old son A.) have one dog and just added another dog to their family. 

In my mind, I made the same comments that I feared everyone would make about us. 

I breathed the same sighs, and wondered what they could be thinking. 

This is another LIFE. 

They are committing to care for and love ANOTHER dog!?

*sigh*

But this isn't negative, and my apologizes if my rendition is confusing. 

Before our children, Big Strong Man and I talked about animals. 

I had two cats and cried terribly when I had to leave them behind in PA when marriage 

took me to Indiana and our landlord said no way. 

Big Strong Man grew-up always having dogs and so it felt natural to him that we should 

have one of our own. 

And right away. 

One day I came home from work and he had one of the neighbor's dogs in our home. 

A beautiful, friendly, lovable dog. 

Our neighbors could no longer care for him the way he needed cared for and B.S.M. so 

kindly extended our home to him. 

I.

Freaked.

Out.

Remember, I knew this dog; 

I liked this dog. 

But I couldn't deal.

I get it. Totally adorable. I am just not ready.

credits

Whenever someone brings an animal into their family, I hope and pray that these people look beyond the cute puppy eyes, and the way a kitten is sometimes the most adorable thing we could ever lay eyes on. 

Animals need care. Proper care. 

Food. 

Attention. 

Hospital visits. 

The truth is, I do not have that space in my heart right now for committing to a pet.

A baby yes, a pet, no. 

I know this because I would lay down my life for my children -and willingly- but would be annoyed if I had to shell out extra money for special food, if the animal had such needs. 

When I hear about pet bills that are hundreds and thousands of dollars, I cringe. 

                          -I cringe when human bills are that expensive as well,
                                     but at least I feel that one is justified.-

I am just not there with a fur baby.
For now.

When I heard about my stepbrother and his family (who recently moved into a new home 

and my adorable nephew affectionately calls it "A's house") I cringed. 

I imposed my reservations on their life choices. 

And that was wrong. (Sorry!)

So I suppose my secret is that I am afraid of what others think. 

And yet I think of others.

I am afraid of more responsibility, but still I welcome it gladly. 

And I think my growing family is wonderful. 

The fur babies (to our extended family) and the human kind as well (our immediate 

family included). 

Do you have a combined family? All fur? All skin?

What have been your experiences with the type of family you are growing?

Not yet ready for a pet, gomommyblogger  
*This post was originally written on July 28 2014. We are due ANY DAY NOW with this little blessing: our third little man. *sigh*