Marley and Me

I came home tonight and needed some down time. I had papers to grade, but needed to unwind. MotorMouth's Grandpa is leaving tomorrow and this week has definately built my character in a way it hasn't been built in weeks. He had been doing so well up until this week...and now we're back at ground zero. I needed a night of relaxation...

I had ordered Marley and Me a little while back to add to my DVD collection and tonight I put it in and relaxed a bit before diving into grading papers. (I had to be a little productive!) :-) I had seen the movie in the theatres over Christmas Break with my parents, but I wanted to see it again. I had read the book before I saw the movie and it really impacted me deeply.

See, a couple years back we had an ice storm, and I read Marley and Me during my week of being trapped indoors. I LOVED the book. I mean, I ended the book and cried because I wanted a dog so badly by the end of the book. (And for the record, I'm NOT one to cry!) I have always dreamed of a family of my own, and while Mr. Right hasn't come into my life to stay, I have longed for a dog. I can't manufacture a husband to come home to, but I know that coming home to a dog would be a healthy way to start a family for me.

When I was growing up, we had a lot of dogs come and go, but we never raised them up from a pup and kept them until they died of old age. In the movie, the dog lives his whole life with one family. And that in and of itself inspires me. I have seen dogs given away over and over again in my lifetime, but have only known one gal who has raised a pup to an adult dog who died of old age. She's now on dog #2 and spoils her rotten! I imagine that's how I will be!

So tonight was really good for me. In this apartment I can't have a dog, so I will have to wait, but I know when I move again I will get to have a pet (I'm praying for that now!) and can't wait. It was fun to laugh at the dog and cry at the end of the movie.

If you haven't read the book or seen the movie, read the book first. I think books are always better, and it is true in this case too. But, I will warn you, get the tissues, you know how it ends!

As for me, I will continue to HOPE (Hebrews 11:1) for the dog that will one day be my own. And I pray I will be able to love on him his whole life.

Life.
Is.
Good.