The Silver Lining Of My Sinking Minivan

Last night I had a dream during the three hours I slept (in between puppy awakenings) that might be a metaphor for my life. In my dream, I drove my minivan directly off a dead-end road into a 'lake' in Cancun in shear exhaustion. Sinking fast, I managed to save both dogs (my ten-week and six-year-old Schnoodles) from their separate kennels in the back of my car. Luckily my four children were not with me, however, my husband, back aboard the cruise ship in the Cancun of my imagination, would surely be furious I drown our family's only means of 8-person luxury transportation. Needless to say, we missed our flight back to the states because our minivan had sunken to the depths of a lake in Cancun!

Awake in a panic, I realized it was just a dream, and that at 5:30 am this morning, I was not the least bit rested thanks to the previous three times the puppy chirped from it's kennel needing to 'go potty' in the middle of the night. As my eyes began to twitch nervously from lack of sleep, I shook it off, already hardened from a plethora of newborn babies. Throwing on my glasses and robe, I dutifully headed downstairs in the dark, playful pup gripped tight, and out the doggie door to do 'our business'.

Surely the dream was a metaphor for what life is like with four kids, easily summarized as outnumbered and aboard a sinking ship. Picture me jumping from the bow of the Titanic as my husband proceeds to toss me babies in a valiant effort to save the women and children... one, two, three, wait I'm out of limbs to catch them...four children and now a puppy! (Thankfully my older dog can doggie paddle.) Meanwhile, my only life raft, a mom-minivan with automatic doors now rests at the depths of a lake in Cancun. Sure I prefer the ocean and Cancun sans kids, although it seems I cannot be too picky when it comes to dreams versus life choices. Maybe I should really just have my head examined!

Living a life without regrets, I was recently bamboozled by my children's Google Docs presentation lobbying for another dog, which ultimately convinced my husband and me that we surely needed another thing to take care of (as much as a bottle of wine in Cancun convinced me I needed another baby, but I digress). It warmed my heart the four of them, ranging in ages from ages 8 to 15, worked together in desperation for another Schnoodle as our beloved Baxter died a year ago at age 15.

The presentation, complete with a Venn diagram and adorable pictures, made a puppy seem like a win-win for our family. Obviously I am a sucker for cute puppies and babies and I could not wait for the children to become 'too responsible' from taking care of a puppy, as they proclaimed!

Sitting here sleep deprived as I struggle to make sense of the English language, I am momentarily interrupted by a stinking pile of tiny doggie doodie by the front door, lest I take a minute to myself now that the children are back to school. As I sit in my bathrobe typing fast, hair disheveled and teeth un-brushed past noon, it's back to baby for better or worse! I've already fallen in love with him. 

Living life without regrets; carpe diem! It seems there is always a silver lining and room for more love in our hearts. The puppy is utterly adorable, exceedingly smart and so playful. Puppies make everyone smile and my children will be fortunate to benefit from the experience. Life is short; children grow fast and daily news headlines are exploding my head, so puppies for everyone!

On second thought, perhaps needing more Cancun vacations with my husband and less responsibility was the reason for my dream. The irony!