Practicing Patience

The past couple of weeks have been anything but simple.  As an outgoing individual, it has taken some adjusting to get used to the quiet that lives in my home.  I have cleaned more in the past few weeks than I have in our entire marriage.  With that being said, you would think the laundry would be complete and the house would be spotless.  However, there is an amazing thing that happens when you actually live your life.  Clothes are re-worn, dirt is tracked back in, and dishes dirty themselves up. Therefore, my house is slowly becoming a home.

As much as I don't know what to do with myself as a housewife, I am pretty sure my puppies are equally as confused.  With mom home all day, they think it is never-ending play time.  Therefore, they reached the point of exhaustion and acting out just like little ones.  As I let them in from their morning run out back, I notice the littlest one gnawing on something that was definitely less than edible and came out of another one of the dogs.

I squealed in frustration as I wrestled her into the kennel to give her a good talking to-at least that was the plan.

However, Elloise (the biggest of the three) decided mom raising her voice even the slightest meant she must have been the one to blame and ran full speed into her "house".  Graeme followed behind and I requested him to heel.

He walked out and then back in.

"No, Graeme.  Out!"

He wiggled his way out as I tried to talk Ella out of the kennel. She continued to sit pretty with her tongue hanging out of her mouth and I reached in to give her a little tug as I continued to coax her out of the kennel...

...nothing.

Then, I gently pulled her front arms and plead for her to move.

She wasn't having it and she let out a whine.

Therefore, I climbed into the kennel, crawled behind her, and pushed her from behind until she escaped from the wire cage.

Thinking on my toes, I hurrily locked the door as I rounded up Laila for her timeout speech.

She wimpered and whined as I told her that was a "no, no" in my best low voice.

Then, I scooped her into my arms and took her into the bathroom where I somewhat managed to brush her teeth.  Yuck!

As the day went on, Elloise chewed on the corner of my wooden trunk (again) and had to go into her house as well.  I'm pretty sure her love of anything consisting of wood constitutes the diagnosis of pica as she has devoured bundles of firewood and claw feet off of chairs-just to name a couple.

Not to mention, the once squeaky clean floors looked as if I hadn't touched them in days with the muddy paw prints coming in from the backdoor.  And, we caught my sweet boy Graeme red-handed with the plastic sensors for my vacuum in between his little paws sitting on the couch.

Although my patience is wearing a little thin, I can honestly say that I couldn't let it get the best of me.   This is a learning experience for all of us, and I'm sure that my future little ones will act out just the same some day.  Therefore, I am praying through my days to be a good dog-momma as God prepares our home for the greatest reward of children.  Until then, thank you Lord for the opportunity to practice my patience and grow better in You.