WE'RE GETTING A DOG!

Ashlea and I have been in the dog-looking mood for a while, but only seriously started to go around and visit places last week. Today, we went back to the same shelter, where we walked a husky/shepherd mix whom Ashlea loved, but who would have been very sad to be so big in our very small place. I could tell Ashlea was sad, because she loved the dog, but really, it wasn't a good fit.

The guy helping us said, well, there's only one other really little dog, a schnauzer/scottie mix, do you want to look at her? And we shrugged and said, eh, sure, why not?

And we fell in love.

Here's our girl! The first thing she did when she met us was put her paws on my knees (which is about as high as they'll go) and try to lick my hand to death. Then we went on a little walk with her and sat down on a stone bench, and she proceeded to squirm around between the two of us until she was sitting on both our laps. She then exposed her belly, demanded rubs, and settled down for a nap. And that, as they say, was that.

We've put in the application, and need to talk to our landlord and find a vet, but if all goes well, she should be with us soon! In the meantime, we need to get a crate and a doggie bed and some food and a good leash and a dog blanket for the couch and some dog shampoo (she was a bit stinky) and some treats....

Of course, we are not going to continue calling her 'Precious', which is the name she had at the shelter -- that's absurd. She's got a little white mark on her chest and seems to love her mommies, though, so we're thinking of calling her St. Macrina, and 'Mac' for short.

And we're gonna be a family.