I called her Maggie

Most of you know that I have been getting myself ready to run a 5k (I know I've talked about it a lot, sorry!) So every morning Jill, Haley, and I have been meeting and running or walking together. We rotate whose house we meet at, so we don't get tired of the same route.

Last week Haley and I were running through my neighborhood and about half way through the 3 mile a run a small dog started following me. She didn't bark at me or try and bite me, she just ran right beside me, like I was her master. This little dog was one of the tiniest chihuahuas I have ever seen. She probably only weighed about 2lbs. but she ran with me the entire time, not slowing down once.

The dog ran with me all the way back to my house. When we stopped running she just ran around my feet, wanting me to play with her. I wasn't really sure what to do with her. She wasn't wearing a collar and I didn't want to just leave her, so I decided that I would put her in my backyard and then come up with a plan. I definitely didn't want to keep her!!!

I called Spencer and told him about the dog. I could tell that he got really excited! Spencer loves dogs, and has wanted a dog ever since we got married, but I never would let him get one. Spencer even had a chihuahua growing up, so he was extra excited about this dog that followed me home. We decided that we would make signs and post them up around the neighborhood, and hopefully someone would claim her.

At first I just left the dog in the backyard and ignored her. (There was no way I was going to get attached.) But as the day went on she looked more and more lonely. So I took Owen out there and we played with her. Owen LOVED her! He laughed at her and couldn't take his eyes off her. She liked him too! After playing with her she started to look hungry to me. So despite my efforts to not get attached, I went to the store and bought her some food, some dog treats, and a few other things I'm too embarrassed to admit buying.

When I got home from the store I went in the backyard and yelled, "Maggie, come eat!" It just slipped out. Oh know, I just named the dog! This is bad, I'm not going to want to give away a dog that I named! Right after that escaped my lips I immediately started thinking about who could take the dog if we couldn't find her owners. I came up with a short list of friends who might consider taking her. (Penny, you were at the top of my list. Kevin and Holley, you guys were up there too.) I just can't have a dog right now!

So Owen and I spent the rest of the day playing with Maggie. I was actually starting to think that I might be able to handle a dog, especially a super cute one who doesn't bark and loves my son.

When Spencer came home we decided to go drive around the neighborhood and ask around to see if anyone was missing a dog. No joke: the first person we asked said that his chihuahua was missing. Immediately I felt a little sad, I wanted to keep Maggie all to myself. I wanted to tell the man that the dog we found wasn't a chihuahua, so I wouldn't have to give her back, but I didn't.

Spencer and I drove home and got Maggie and took her home. Turns out the man had a little boy who was about 10, and it was his dog. When I saw how happy that little boy was to have his dog back, my heart melted! He thanked us and gave me a big hug. It felt so good to see that boy so happy and Maggie was happy to be home too. So I guess I learned that I might be able to handle a dog after all! Maybe Maggie will have puppies.