It's not that we enjoy chaos. It's that we crave it because it is so satisfying to tame it.
I remember from college, many moons ago, that the universe and all things in it, left to drift in their natural state, decline into chaos. It takes something to create order. Energy. Collective effort. Will. Power. In there somewhere rests my definition of "god." A force that can organize and reverse chaos and create order out of randomness. My personal theology also holds that the energy, will, power, whatever you want to call it that drives the Powerful Force for Order Instead of Chaos in our universe is fed by joy. I like that because I'm simple and it lets me think that I can help. I can fight misery, destruction, randomness and evil simply by living with as joyous a heart as possible.
On the flip side, I like it because it means that there is no bearded omnipotent being out there deciding who is blessed and who is unblessed. Who prayed sufficiently to be rewarded with miracles and who didn't. The universe is just full of randomness and some of it is crappy. I also like it because some of the things that are the scariest for me, death, in particular, are, I am forced by the whole circle of life thing to notice, part of a wider ordering of things. It comforts me to know that a powerful force for joy and order might perceive endings and beginnings differently than I do. Might even see all as rotating and spinning and orbiting and continuing as it should, even in the face of individual pain. That makes the actual pain suck not one iota less, but it's what I've got.
What I am trying to tell you is that the reason I did an unbelievably crazy thing. The reason I caved like a crumbly hillside in a rainstorm. The reason I am standing here shaking my head at my own thick-headed stupidity is not my fault. The universe hurtles toward chaos, I am just along for ride.
Imagine, if I can bring order out of this chaos and hold onto my joy, what an amazing contribution I will be making to the universe as a whole. My insanity is doing the entire universe a favor.
You are all welcome.
Meet the anypuppy. Hampton Noodle.
Wait. It gets worse. I like to go the extra mile for the greater good. Hampton Noodle's Daddy, Tex, weighs 160 pounds.
I really kind of deserve my eleven to twelve year sentence of hair balls and drool, don't I?
Before you judge, look. I'm creating order out of chaos already. I'm starting to see some positives.
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75 comments:
Wow... a dog. Wait a minute, a puppy - which is TOTALLY different than say an 8 year old dog.
Welcome to the chaos of puppy ownership. May the force be with you...
Invest in a good Dyson vacuum!
And the photo of the kids in the dog crate is SO worth any amount of destruction that dog will provide.
As long as he's not rooming with us at BlogHer, I'm fine with it. ;-)
You actually let Matt finally get a dog! It is very, very cute, but not as cute as the kids in the kennel. Best of luck with all. Marilynn Pearson--loved the pics.
Speechless.
I KNEW it! OK I didn't KNOW, but I was VERY SUSPICIOUS that you would give in and get a dog. I am the persistent one in my marriage which is why we have 3 children 2 large dogs and... 6... cats. I KNOW.
Hang in there. Puppies are hard!;)
Oh my gosh!! He's so cute! And I mean Matt, with his beloved little canoodler. Nice job spreading the joy, my dear.
Oh, I love puppies! And I love them when they are big doggies! He is adorable.
I wish I had thought to use a crate as a way to contain the kids. You are brilliant!
I figured it wouldn't be long before we saw a cute little puppy in your midst!!
Buckle your seat belt, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.
Please tell me you got something good in return.
Congratulations on your newest baby!
4 kids and 200lbs of dog. I am sure that you will not be at a loss for writing material. I agree about the Dyson. We have 70lbs of dog whom my husband and children adore. I think it is a lot of work but worth it to see them all filled with joy. Wishing you luck and happy potty training!
It looks like a pointer. You are so in for it. They very high energy but also very, very loving. Good disposition with kids, but they take full advantage of any food within reach. There is no end to their appetite, which can lead to their destruction.
But, all that being said, we are on our third pointer. We love them. You will too.
The anypuppy is adorable!
But, I couldn't do it. My oldest is afraid of dogs. So, even though my middle and dh would love one, I use oldest as an excuse.
Awww so cute - our daughter LOVES our dog as much as we do, if not more. Yes, it will be a lot of work, but I think it's really worth it! Happy dog-parenting!!!
Matt wins! Matt wins!!
Seriously, get the Dyson.
i like your whole theory about chaos and joy ... topped with an adorable puppy with an adorable name.
congratulations ...
and seriously the dog crate will provide your children with hours of joy too. i'm totally not kidding. it's the best toy ever. kind of like a refrigerator box.
although i should note it's kind of illegal (i'm guessing) to lock the thing.
but tempting nonetheless.
Oh my goodness! You gave in! :) What a cute puppy that is. I really commend you. 4 kids and a dog. Let me know if you want to run away. Of course - not that my house isn't about as chaotic.
Dogs are work, big dogs are more work but if he's a good dog, the return will outshine that fact. You will love the fact that you have a loving dog that your kids will grow up with and have fond memories of. I know I feel this way about your big lug of a dog!
The cuteness factor totally compensates for the chaos factor in my mind. But then again I'm not in the middle of it so what do I know.
Love the last picture.
Oh.No.You.Didn't.
Wow, what kind is he?
Adorable...but my little dog full grown is about the size of the dog deposits your dog will eventually doo-doo. :-)
You kids and husband will be forever grateful ~ you will question your sanity daily on this decision for about 2 years is my guess.
Squee! Hampton Noodle (Love the name, btw) is beyond cute. ANd the pic of the kids in the crate is priceless.
A truck AND a puppy? What a lucky guy!
And that crate will be a lifesaver- we never used one before we got our Boomer. It's lovely to see him run inside to get his bedtime biscuit and stay in there quietly all night.
He's a Great Dane! Ohmygod! I know! My hope was Matt gets his huge dog and I get less drool than a mastiff.
PS. I just realized I probably shouldn't pick cheerios up off the floor and feed them to Nate.
Ditto Jill - you're gonna need that Dyson.
One piece of assvice: I have two good sized dogs (75 and 60 lbs) and my house does not smell like dog. In fact, people always comment, "wow, you're house actually does not smell like dog!" The secret is keeping it off the furniture and beds. Once their stink gets into the furniture, it is there to stay. Oh, and wash the dog bed weekly.
And now a dog! I am starting to get an inferiority complex ;-)
Thankfully there is no hope of my better half ever coming across your blog - he has been trying to persuade me to get a Great Dane for - oh, about 15 years.
Now, where can I get one of those crates for *my* kids?
I can't wait to meet him! So adorable. And do you think my kids could fit in that cage too?
Oh holy lord...
Uh....I mean...congratulations!
He is absolutely gorgeous and the kids will ADORE him, I'm sure. I sincerely hope that he's a good boy who is a quick learner and easy to train.
I have a major case of doggie fever since we lost our beloved bulldog nearly 2 years ago, but The Husband isn't interested in going down THAT road again any time soon. So I'll have to be content with drooling over pictures of other people's dogs.
Well, he is adorable. Good luck and God bless. The kids will absolutely love it (that includes the big kid too). Hope you enjoy him too.
i love your theories :-)
and the baby crating!
Clearly you've lost your mind.
On the bright side, Danes are short-haired.
Full disclosure: I'm the opposite of obsessive about keeping my house clean. But word is a human has to be present (and vertical! for the Dyson to work. A dirt dog Roomba (its real name!), on the other hand, only costs $100 and can be placed on the floor, turned on (by a 3-year old, I've checked), and left alone to do its job. And while it's true my two long-haired dogs give it good material to work with, it picks up a lot. Just sayin'.
Oh my god!! You did it! Matt gets his dog. I'm happy for him. And for you. They do add joy, (in addition to drool and hair.)
He's beyond adorable!
(Oh, and I agree with Jill, Dyson is the best for dog hair!)
Oh em gee, Hampton Doodle is totally adorable. But OhMyGawd those paws are so friggin' BIG. In a few months will he even fit in that crate? LOL
Crated children, now there's a concept, I see a future Christmas card in the making!
He is cute, I'll give you that. But I still think you are insane (which is code for me being jealous that I won't ever give in to a puppy!)
Enjoy!!
Insane. But, I guess they're your hairballs, right? ;-)
That picture of the kids in the pet carrier is toooo funny. The expressions on their faces are priceless!
Hampton. Noodle. Is a COMPLETELY. MAGNIFICENT. NAME.
Oh my. Oh my. Looking forward to the blog fodder.
Hampton Noodle?!?! Wha? Love it.
That is one seriously cute puppy. And the picture of the kids in the cage, well that will need to be stored away properly so that you can pull it out for each of the kids' graduation parties. Hysterical.
I subscribe to your same theories of the universe. At least I did until I realized it meant I'd have to get a dog. OH NOOOOOOO
(even tho yours is totally cute I could eat him for dinner)
I could not have said no to that puppy either. Too cute! I 2nd that on the Dyson vacuum comment! We have 5 kids and 3 dogs and it is the best thing I ever bought.
But the kids in the crate makes the whole thing worth it.
LOL
I. Can't. Believe. You. Got. The. Dog.
It's hard not to love a cute little puppy. Especially when I don't have to walk it! And that photo of the kids in the crate is hilarious.
Oh my goodness, woman, you never cease to amaze me. Congrats on the new family member but WOW. He's fricken adorable.
Every time my kids crawl into the dog crate and demand to be locked in, I wonder why such acts are illegal. Think of how much we could get done if the kids were JUST crated for a few hours a day. Sigh.
Going to BlogHer? I AM! Woot!
You, my friend, are completely and totally insane. Puppies pee and poop on your floor. And it takes months to train them. Good luck!
Puppies complete any family. Cute!
May we both be the first to say Happy Birthday to you Stacie!!!!!
I feel like I fight for order out of chaos a lot lately. The joy of a puppy is a pure one though. My 3 year old pup get me through a lot of angst.
I didn't read all the comments so I may be repeating this, but you will wonder how on earth you lived without him. I think that with every four or five children, a puppy should come too. Charlie and Calvin keep my floors spotless. They are fantastic high chair cleaners, and crumb cleaner uppers. They are playmates and play toys. They are watch dogs and guard dogs. I love them and can't imagine parenting fifteen children without my two furry boys.
Congrats on the new member of the anyfamily.
Oh, I feel the same way! Not enough to get another dog, but creating chaos to control it? Sometimes makes you feel like you're accomplishing something, no?
You are absolutely insane. But I love that about you.
He is so tiny and cuddly...I can see how you caved.
And yes, what Kari said. Because by then, he'll be all huge and crap. Oh and his crap...whoo boy. ;)
A puppy is pure chaos in fur form.
Yay. Congrats.
As a mother who has S W O R N for the last 8 years that nothing else that ate or pooped could live at my house I totally understand. As a mother who recently added not one but two pooping, eating, shedding, (did I mention pooping?) kitties...welcome to the club sista!
By the way. The old adage there is no such thing a free cat. Um, yeah, double that and, er, still true!
Oh - but he's so cute! And he brought that handy kid cage. Don't let anyone try to tell you that's cruel. Children were originally cave dwellers and they like the comfort of small spaces.
Oh, so much cuteness in one post!
And, 160 lbs? Ha ha ha ha ha haaa.
And I thought our 80 pounder was a beast. If you combine our two monster dogs, I still don't think we'd hit 160 pounds. Wow.
On the flip side of that...very cute. And few things are better than a husband and kids who are that happy.
Hampton Noodle is the best name EVER. And he's adorable. (Now.)
omg what a cutie! and yes y'all will be busy with that puppy. lol @ the pic of the kids in the cage!
We just got a great dane in December at 8 weeks old. He already outweighs my 6 year old by 15 lbs at 4 months.
Good luck lady (and what is it with men and big dogs? I thought our female dobie was gonna suck at 85lbs).
Kayan
Well, he certainly is a cute little fellow. Welcome to puppy land. Trust me, every week gets easier. Our little guy just turned five months old. He is still a handful, but no where near as much as those first few weeks. Invest in some sleeping pills if you are crate training him. It is heart wrenching and hard to sleep through the night otherwise. I am assuming of course that this puppy compromise involved Matt being the one to get up in the night? I hope so. :)
I was totally going with you there and then just before the puppy reveal, I saw where you were going. Ohhhh, Stacey. I feel for ya. That's an awful lot of taming of chaos for you for a loooooooong time. Good luck. I'll enjoy vicariously!
Good Lord. Have you LOOKED at his feet?!? They are huge.
There are OTHER Ways of finding things to blog about, you know.
Good luck!
I wouldn't have been able to resist that sweet baby either. Apparently I crave chaos as well...;) (this is why I don't go to pet stores)
Hope he weighs less than 160 pounds in the end! ;)
Oh my gosh! You are officially voted best wife ever. Matt owes you big time. Congratulations and happy puppymoon to you! The kids will have a blast.
Matt must be thrilled!
He is an adorable little ball of chaos.
Now why didn't I think about using a dog crate? Thanks for the parenting advice. That old 'naughty stool' is history. Super Nanny can suck it.
m.
I totally relate to your insanity. & your cage.
I want to say better you than me, but sweet heaven, what a cute puppy face! I want one! I want one of those kids, too, but don't they cost more than a dog?
;)
I had two Great Danes and LOVED them. Seriously best dogs in the world. One was a drooler and one wasn't. I'm hoping yours isn't.
Good luck! He's adorable and your kids will have a blast.
Thanks for the full belly laugh. You have gone mad, haven't you! I wonder if that adorable face will still be so cute when Anypuppy reaches 160 pounds? ;-)
Congrats!
You are a braver woman than I. But he sure is cute, which makes it all worthwhile. Right?
You need to do a photo each week with the pup and something so we can see how incredibly HUGE he will get.
I am once again amazed at you. She who writes an essay about theology and the universe that is really about a puppy.
I knew you would end up getting a puppy. ;)
Your baby has red hair!
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