Reason #522
I have so many thoughts swimming through my head. Emotions I'm trying to sort out, and feelings that I am trying to rationalize. And sometimes it's really easy for me to put these things into words and sometimes it's not. And so tonight I decided to keep it light. Of course, one of my favorite subjects to write about is Scout, so spoiler alert, tonight will be another Scout post.
I was a little worried about how my relationship with Scout was going to go when Aaron and I started dating. The running joke in my family was that when I started dating again, one of the top requirements was that whoever I dated must like Scout. Because we all love her to pieces. I mean this girl has it so good, and she doesn't even realize it. And so it was a non-negotiable. Scout and I were a packaged deal.
I know you may be rolling your eyes thinking to yourself, "Seriously, she would allow her dog to have that much of an influence on who she dated?" Why, yes, yes I would. I know everyone thinks their dog is really super special, but let me just say that Scout actually is. Because this sweet little dog was my companion, my roommate, and my comforter. She kept me company day and night, she cheered me up, she slept with me so that I didn't feel alone, and she really helped me move forward. And so I'll pause and say that if you are going through a rough season and you don't have a dog, you should get one. It's amazing how helpful and therapeutic they are. Obviously I didn't see Scout as just a pet, or some cute accessory to tote around. I saw her as a family member, and liking her was ever bit as important as liking my parents. And after all, Scout lived with me so whoever decided they wanted to seriously date me was going to be spending a lot of time with her.
Well, Aaron wasn't sold on Scout at first. He was polite to her, but she was just a dog to him. Just a furry little critter who was way too up close and personal and stole all the attention. A little pest who made sure to inconveniently place herself right in the middle of everything and invade all personal space. One of her most admirable and irritating characteristics is that she is very persistent, and so Scout didn't give up on Aaron. She bugged him and forced herself in his lap. She stole opportunities to lick his face even though he hated it, and she snuggled him even though she wasn't invited to do so. All the while, Aaron tolerated her antics, but there came a point a few months into dating where we had to have a Scout discussion.
Oh, the dreaded Scout discussion. And the funny thing was she was sitting there the whole time yet had no idea what we were saying about her. And so my heart was a little heavy because I just wanted Aaron to love her like I love her. To see her the same way I do. To understand that she, too, was having to change her little life by learning how to share her mom and receive less attention. By hearing "no" and being denied requests that had never been a problem before. And so my #1 worry was what would actually happen to Scout if we ended up getting married. Would she be neglected, banished to the yard? Would she have to spend excessive amounts of time alone or in her crate? I loved Aaron, and I loved Scout, and I just really wanted to find a way where everyone felt comfortable and happy.
My parents kept Scout while we were gone on our honeymoon. Nine days, and I was ready to see my girl. We went over to their house to pick her up and I knew she'd be so thrilled to see me, her mother, the woman who purchased her, raised her from a puppy, and molded her into the dog she is today. But she ran right past me to Aaron. This has become a regular occurrence. Mom is old news, and Aaron is the hot stuff around our house. Each morning, Scout wakes up so she can sit in his lap while he puts on his shoes before following him across the house to watch him get ready. And at the end of the day, around 5:30, she stands at the back door waiting for him. And anytime we both come home together, he's the one she greets first. She lays in his lap when he works in the office at home and when he plays video games. She sleeps on his head or next to his back most nights, and she snuggles him as long as she can before he gets out of bed each morning. But before you think this is all just general kindness, let me tell you the other side. Every morning before he goes to work, Aaron rubs Scout's belly and wishes her a good day. And when he comes home from work, he immediately gets on the floor and plays her favorite game of "let me bit your hand" or "let me chew your socks." At night, he gladly lets her curl up next to him, and he rarely turns down her requests to sit in his lap although the excessive licking is still an issue. But all in all, I'd say that these two have come to love one another as I was hoping they would, and the Davis family has happily become a party of 3.
You see, we worry about the way things are going to turn out so often and yet rarely do they go less than what was expected. Usually, they exceed our expectations and in the end we realize we had nothing to worry about in the first place. Scout has an usual way of winning people over quickly, and Aaron is easy to love, so go figure it went this way. But I'm really glad it did. I'm glad Aaron has accepted Scout as his own, and obviously Scout has picked Aaron as her favorite. God knows what's important to us, what we value. And when we honor Him, when we trust Him and allow Him to work things out rather than forcing them, He really does take care of it all. Every detail, no matter how big or small. And so if 4.5 pound details mean a lot to us and we mean a lot to God, I have to think those count, too. And He'll work them out one way or another, because there's nothing God created that He doesn't care about or tend to. All of creation points to His handiwork, to who He is, and if you want to see a glimpse of God, of loyalty, unconditional love, and complete acceptance, Scout is one little creature who has exemplified it well.
#522 - For a God who even cares about the 4.5 pound details.
"The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation." - Psalm 145:9
I was a little worried about how my relationship with Scout was going to go when Aaron and I started dating. The running joke in my family was that when I started dating again, one of the top requirements was that whoever I dated must like Scout. Because we all love her to pieces. I mean this girl has it so good, and she doesn't even realize it. And so it was a non-negotiable. Scout and I were a packaged deal.
I know you may be rolling your eyes thinking to yourself, "Seriously, she would allow her dog to have that much of an influence on who she dated?" Why, yes, yes I would. I know everyone thinks their dog is really super special, but let me just say that Scout actually is. Because this sweet little dog was my companion, my roommate, and my comforter. She kept me company day and night, she cheered me up, she slept with me so that I didn't feel alone, and she really helped me move forward. And so I'll pause and say that if you are going through a rough season and you don't have a dog, you should get one. It's amazing how helpful and therapeutic they are. Obviously I didn't see Scout as just a pet, or some cute accessory to tote around. I saw her as a family member, and liking her was ever bit as important as liking my parents. And after all, Scout lived with me so whoever decided they wanted to seriously date me was going to be spending a lot of time with her.
Well, Aaron wasn't sold on Scout at first. He was polite to her, but she was just a dog to him. Just a furry little critter who was way too up close and personal and stole all the attention. A little pest who made sure to inconveniently place herself right in the middle of everything and invade all personal space. One of her most admirable and irritating characteristics is that she is very persistent, and so Scout didn't give up on Aaron. She bugged him and forced herself in his lap. She stole opportunities to lick his face even though he hated it, and she snuggled him even though she wasn't invited to do so. All the while, Aaron tolerated her antics, but there came a point a few months into dating where we had to have a Scout discussion.
Oh, the dreaded Scout discussion. And the funny thing was she was sitting there the whole time yet had no idea what we were saying about her. And so my heart was a little heavy because I just wanted Aaron to love her like I love her. To see her the same way I do. To understand that she, too, was having to change her little life by learning how to share her mom and receive less attention. By hearing "no" and being denied requests that had never been a problem before. And so my #1 worry was what would actually happen to Scout if we ended up getting married. Would she be neglected, banished to the yard? Would she have to spend excessive amounts of time alone or in her crate? I loved Aaron, and I loved Scout, and I just really wanted to find a way where everyone felt comfortable and happy.
My parents kept Scout while we were gone on our honeymoon. Nine days, and I was ready to see my girl. We went over to their house to pick her up and I knew she'd be so thrilled to see me, her mother, the woman who purchased her, raised her from a puppy, and molded her into the dog she is today. But she ran right past me to Aaron. This has become a regular occurrence. Mom is old news, and Aaron is the hot stuff around our house. Each morning, Scout wakes up so she can sit in his lap while he puts on his shoes before following him across the house to watch him get ready. And at the end of the day, around 5:30, she stands at the back door waiting for him. And anytime we both come home together, he's the one she greets first. She lays in his lap when he works in the office at home and when he plays video games. She sleeps on his head or next to his back most nights, and she snuggles him as long as she can before he gets out of bed each morning. But before you think this is all just general kindness, let me tell you the other side. Every morning before he goes to work, Aaron rubs Scout's belly and wishes her a good day. And when he comes home from work, he immediately gets on the floor and plays her favorite game of "let me bit your hand" or "let me chew your socks." At night, he gladly lets her curl up next to him, and he rarely turns down her requests to sit in his lap although the excessive licking is still an issue. But all in all, I'd say that these two have come to love one another as I was hoping they would, and the Davis family has happily become a party of 3.
You see, we worry about the way things are going to turn out so often and yet rarely do they go less than what was expected. Usually, they exceed our expectations and in the end we realize we had nothing to worry about in the first place. Scout has an usual way of winning people over quickly, and Aaron is easy to love, so go figure it went this way. But I'm really glad it did. I'm glad Aaron has accepted Scout as his own, and obviously Scout has picked Aaron as her favorite. God knows what's important to us, what we value. And when we honor Him, when we trust Him and allow Him to work things out rather than forcing them, He really does take care of it all. Every detail, no matter how big or small. And so if 4.5 pound details mean a lot to us and we mean a lot to God, I have to think those count, too. And He'll work them out one way or another, because there's nothing God created that He doesn't care about or tend to. All of creation points to His handiwork, to who He is, and if you want to see a glimpse of God, of loyalty, unconditional love, and complete acceptance, Scout is one little creature who has exemplified it well.
#522 - For a God who even cares about the 4.5 pound details.
"The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation." - Psalm 145:9
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