Previously… (The Foster Chronicles: ‘Nita, Week 8)
Day 1
Except that I stay up too late writing the last CrossFit post, so it’s after midnight by the time we hit the couch. No! Bad Amy!
Day 2
Lainey writes to say she got word that they’re approved! We exchange celebratory messages. Her 7-year-old wants to let me know, since I’ll be sad, that I can visit her any time and that they’ll send lots of pictures.
You’d think CCB would’ve let me know first. :/ I email the president to make sure it’s true before I announce ‘Nita announces on Facebook.
We head to class. ‘Nita really is tremendously smart. She learns so fast, and her behavior has improved exponentially. The instructor doesn’t even have to put up the screen. ‘Nita makes one or two aws—like “Aw man, I’m not even going to get to say hi to the other dogs?”—at the beginning, but that’s it.
Day 3
Because I have a 3:30 appointment in Chapel Hill after work, ‘Nita’s in her crate for 10 hours. I desperately want to go to the gym, so we do a quick 20-minute walk. The dogs are like, What even was that?, because we always do the 2.5-mile loop. I put her back in her crate and feel guilty as hell. About going to the gym. Is this what parenthood feels like?
Day 4
It’s a nice afternoon, so people are out and about in the neighborhood. Just as I open the screen door to let ‘Nita go potty, I notice three girls on bicycles pedaling in slow circles 100 yards away. ‘Nita tenses. I’m almost able to grab her but miss by this much as she flings herself over the rail and jets toward the bicycle girls. I yell, “SHE’S FRIENDLY,” and by the time I reach them, all three girls are cooing and petting her. But I’m peeved. I can’t trust her to be out there by herself for one second. I snatch her collar, hitch the leash to it, and fuss at her all the way home.
Once we’re inside she won’t stop wigging out—jamming her nose against the windows and barking—about the bicycle girls. I have to put her in her crate for a time-out. Eventually, she calms herself.
This caption is my favorite ‘Nita-ism that I’ve come up with.
Day 5
Fun with iPhone apps.
Day 6
Gorgeous day. After the gym, because I like to torture myself, we do our usual long walk, and then I mow the lawn. I can hear ‘Nita’s protests from inside the house. (She’s in her crate though because I learned the lawn mower lesson the hard way with Tulip.)
Day 7
Lainey and I finalize plans. Mid-day Tuesday, I’ll meet her in High Point for the handoff.
It’ll be a huge relief not to have to rotate ‘Nita and Violet anymore. Of course it’ll be a huge relief. And Redford and Violet deserve the attention I’ll be able to pay them once ‘Nita’s gone. Of course they deserve it.
But damn. I’ll miss that snuggly dog.