Sixty Pounds of Love

Valentine's Day... a day of love, of gifts, flowers, and rat poison. You see, Phillip was away that week at a conference somewhere in Indiana. To celebrate that very special day, I hurried out the door that morning to pick up a few Valentine day essentials - you know, cards, chocolate, and rat poison. You see, I had known for some time that we had a little critter in our office. I tried to ignore it and hope it went elsewhere. Well, that night before Valentine's Day, I sat in my office doing some work at the computer, and I heard it (and some friends apparently visited our resident rodent for a pre-VDAY party). I flipped out. Literally. I was a crazy woman hitting and slamming walls and ceilings to express a deep inner rage. I was totally disgusted, and was now declaring war! It WAS ON! So the next morning I headed to Wally World and gathered enough poison and traps to be fitting for the WWIII about to be raged. I packed the poison everywhere I thought I should and gave my strict warnings to children and forbade dogs and babies to enter the now self declared war zone. Everything was set to motion. Then came wrench in the plan. . .

Phillip came home to happy wife and kids. Everyone was healthy and ready to go on with life as usual. Then that next Tuesday night brought disaster. Phillip happened to be home that evening. He went into the office to do something and found Shep, our dog. I immediately got a stern "What is the dog doing in the office?" I, dismayed, said I had no clue - except I had been watching children that day and perhaps he got in there by accident and confusion. He then ventured further into the office and found, you guessed it, empty rat poison boxes all over the floor. I had just poisoned man's best friend! The family dog! The "baby" we had before babies!

Guilt flowed over me like a river out of control. Well, knowing that rat poison will kill anything and anyone - I lost it. I started crying like the baby I am. Pleading with Phillip to take the dog and have him put down. I didn't want him to have any pain. I felt horrible as Phillip left with our dog's ill future ahead of him.

Let me just say this - my husband is the best that ever was or is! He got to that vet and instead of paying one flat price to put the 10 year old, tumor ridden, dog down - he elected to spend alot more to save him. Why? Not because Phillip is a dog lover - he is not. He did it (and I know this, not because he told me) because he loves me and did not want his wife to fret over her action. I love my husband for that so much. It was definately a true lesson for me - to see how much he loves me.

So how is Shep? Well, currently taking Vitamin K and doing just fine.

You see . . . You may have gotten flowers and chocolate for Valentine's Day, but I got a sixty pound rat poison eatin' dog! - and I would not have it any other way!
My husband gave ME the best gift of all - a simple reminder of his continual love for me!