Sun Dog Part 2

This was written a little while ago. Most of you will already know the outcome of this, but I wanted to share my thoughts, though it has passed by now.

Cosette in her crate at the airport

We have less than a week left in India, Cosette and I. I have sent her paperwork in, to get her export papers. These are the vital papers. Without them, Cosette will not be allowed to leave India, and I will still have to leave.
There is still a chance that she will be the “Sun dog” I originally thought she may be. I am terribly afraid of that to be honest. I’ve grown very attached to this little dog, and the thought of losing her is not a good one.
I’ve been running these past few days like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to get every little bit and piece that I need for Cosette’s paperwork, hoping I’ve not left anything out or done anything wrong.
Something, though it seems like the paperwork and everything is fine, I have moments, especially as we’re snuggling in the mornings upon waking, where I think, “Oh no, this may be the last week I have with her.” I might end up being forced to leave her in India for whatever reason. It’s not that there are valid problems, but you still never know. I will not be at ease until we are through customs in Chicago and really on our way home.
Even now, as I finish writing this, I am on the plane in Frankfurt Germany, waiting to start the last leg of the trip home. The purser just confirmed the Cosette is on board, and doing well, but I still have this fear that something will happen. Perhaps they’ve confirmed that there’s a dog in the hold, but it’s the other one which was actually loaded. There are two dogs supposed to be on this flight.
Maybe I’m being neurotic. One thing that calms my heart is the knowledge that there are a lot of people praying that this puppy will arrive safely in the States. I truly believe that is what got us through the airport in Bangalore when they did not want to let Cosette’s crate through. I’m just trying to keep trusting and not panic about things. Hoping now that I’ll have many years with my Sun Dog. 

Worth it All

I am finding as I get closer to the time we are leaving, that transporting a dog internationally is far more expensive than I expected. When I first found out the ticket price, I was thrilled. It was much lower that I would have ever guessed. It made me so happy that I could bring my puppy home, which I didn’t think I could do.
But now, everything is adding up, the little bits and pieces that I didn’t realize would be there. Aiyoo...definitely wasn’t expecting that.

In a way though, I am glad that I did not know what the price would end up being. It is still well within my means to afford it, but if I had been informed of the total before starting, there is a chance that I would not have gone through with the plan to bring Cosette home. And I believe I would have ended up regretting that my whole life.
I’m guessing that if you don’t like animals, you’re probably not reading this blog, so I likely do not have to worry too much about being judged for this. Just in case though, I know she is a dog. I realize that in general, spending a large amount of money on a dog is foolish. I think the most my family has ever paid for a dog was about $20. Usually we end up getting free dogs.
However, something I have been learning lately, is to do things because you want to. To not let money stand in the way of it, but look ahead in order to make your choices. When you make a choice, think ‘will I regret deciding this way?’ And if the answer is yes, you will regret it, then decide the other way, and let nothing stand in your way. Money especially.

Not sure why this one ended up upside down, but blogger won't let me rotate it at all. Oh well...Cosette looks adorable :~)

I am not in any way saying that you should throw your money away on a lot of nonsense. For instance, I would have loved to buy a horse when I was working at a Friesian farm. There was one for sale that I really liked, but when I thought about spending $7,500 on a ten year old, green-broke, frequently lame horse, I knew that it was not a wise choice. I thought ahead, and knew that if I did not buy him, I would be a bit disappointed, but I would not regret it. It would not be something that continued to bother me my whole life.
But that is the case with bringing Cosette home. Granted, it is nowhere near the same amount of money as buying a Friesian. But it is more than I ever thought I would spend on a dog. Thinking about it though, I know for sure that if I did not bring her home, I would regret it completely. She has some major attachment issues. Even if I just step outside the house for a couple of minutes, she freaks out, howling and whining, then jumps on me the moment I return to her as though she thought I would never come back again. It would be unfair for me to leave her now.
And honestly, this puppy is well worth it. She came into my life at just the time that I most needed her. It was unexpected, though I cannot at all say she was unwanted. She has been the brightness for me during several very dark days. She was a gift from God, I truly believe that, funnily enough coming right around my “new birthday”, the day the dorm decided to choose as my birthday this year. She has made such a difference in my life in just the few months I have had her, and I can’t just dump her now.
In a disposable society and a disposable world, there are some things that need to be held onto, even if it’s not that easy.