..and then there were 6

well...i fought through the painfully long process of DIALING UP the internet (yes, some people still have to do that) to say hello. so go ahead, feel special.

its tuesday and i am sitting at the kitchen table i have eaten at more than 2/3 of my life, with my back to great window seat. its kind of making the screen hard to see, but its worth it for the feeling of SUN on my back. i am hoping seattle has found summer before i get back... just finished eating some chicken and rice soup from a can (minus the chicken...the bird flu threat has me pulling chicken out of everything) and blues clues is blaring from the living room where the two youngest in the clan are laying down in an effort to 'nap'. beth and aaron are on their way home from the dayton airport with joey and todd (great friends of ours that play drums and bass with beth).

its been a good almost-week since i arrived in ohio. just normal stuff. eating with the fam, playing with the boys, celebrating father's day, looking at pictures, catching up...normal stuff. the best of which was friday's super long drive to get the puppies. beth came and we laughed and talked and vented and sang. we thought it was going to be a 3 hr drive, but it was more like 4.5 each way...didn't really matter though (not even the traffic) cause it was just so sweet to be spending it together. i got to hear all about her trip to india and all about the growing up pains she's experiencing in that transition to adulthood. as we neared the dog kennel, i tried to prepare her...you see, she's not much one for animals. we have this bad habit of getting in potentially awkward situations and then breaking into the giggles.

'beth, this lady is a real dog person, if you know what i mean. she's probably going to talk about breeding and genetics and lengths of ears and worming and all that...." i paused for effect. ..'you can't laugh'.

she smiled an ornery smile at me.

i smiled back and turned the demo cd back up.

when we were within a mile, i tried to make my point clearer. 'beth, i mean i am buying these puppies to breed, so technically i am going to have to get into my dog person lingo too...' she chuckled and i shot back playfully, 'i am serious. no laughing.' and then pleadingly, 'not even snickering or giggling.'

i called to get directions when we entered the town. the phone call was at best, awkward. hearing just one side of it, beth started laughing quietly. my eyes pleaded with her and when i got off the phone she said, what if i can't do it? what if i can't NOT laugh?'

on the verge of my own giggles, i looked around the car. i located another pair of sunglasses. 'here, take these. it will help.' she looked at me like i wasn't serious.

i was.

sunglasses are your friend if you are wanting to hide an emotion, even laughter. sunglasses- especially big ones that cover most of your face- are a great tool in building a wall between your thoughts and expressions and everyone around you. we needed that wall. she slid them on and said she didn't like them. but she looked distant and aloof. i was sold. sunglasses can get you out of a pinch...just a little friendly advice from kate!

we pulled in and dogs and puppies were everywhere. our little girl was the first we met...SPUNKY. her little face is perfect. she jumped all over me and tugged at my pant leg and wagged her little white tipped tail. i found out when i got there that i had to pick between two brothers who were almost identical, except for size. the smaller one was much smaller...shorter and more than a pound lighter. he was for sure the sweeter one, gentle..always hiding from the other puppies who were wrestling and biting. i was just worried about his short legs...but in the end, his personality won us over.

the breeder and i talk some dog talk and i felt proud that i have studied enough to enter into that world and not seem like a newbe. beth kept her sunglasses on.

of course she burst into laughter the minute we were away from the house and i let myself make eye contact with her for the first time in an hour. she wasn't a dog person when we left that morning but when we pulled in mom and dad's driveway a little after dinner time, the little male had won her heart over.

'i am in love' she said.

i may have to sneak him out of the house so she doesn't try to nab him from me....tomorrow we fly home to seattle and shawn and sawyer and piper will get to meet the two newest members of the mcdonald fam..(who still remain nameless)... so sweet..



more from me when it doesn't take forever to post a blog! (with pics)