In order to come full circle, I need to give you all some background details. If you do not want the background, then scroll down! So let’s go!
(First, shameless plug. You find us on Instagram at @SuperPawsPack)
The SuperHusband and I got our first puppy together 11 years ago (well, 10 years 10 months to be technical). My puppy that I had pre-relationship – passed away 11 years ago. I didn’t think we would ever get another dog. Or if I would ever be ready. But it was very evident right away that we could not live without a pup in our lives.
So we welcomed Ryley in to our house. He was 4 weeks old. His fur mama passed away when he was 1 week old and the people that had the litter just wanted to get rid of them. That lack of proper early puppyhood socialization – is probably the main reason he HATES other dogs. But, he has been an amazing pup. He has been by my husband’s side since the very beginning. It is going to be tragic when he passes, but it will be uber devastating for my husband.
So we never got another pup. We wanted one……I wanted one. One that was bonded to me. But we respected Ryley. We did have a couple cats. But those were more my husband’s than mine, or even ours.
And then….Election Day 2016 happened. After that horror, 2 days later, I made a last minute executive decision. We needed a puppy kittens! For the kids! I had this grand idea that we would take them camping and that they would be our hiking kitties and maybe one would be a therapy kitty for Thing 2.We wouldn’t need a service dog. We would get a service cat! What a fantastic idea that only I could come up with of course. So Thursday morning of that hellish week – I told my husband we needed a kitty and we needed it ASAP. He was at home so he was able to search.
5 minutes later – he found 2. That night, Thing 1 had a taekwondo test. It didn’t get over until 830PM. Thursday Night. A school night. And the kittens were out in timbuktu! Literally. We drove over an hr ONE WAY to the middle of no where. We didn’t get home until almost midnight. On a school night. But those kittens brought us a little happiness in the dark times.
They also ended up being more bonded to the husband and kiddos. Dangit! Why won’t an animal bond to me?!? Do I smell funny?
Fast forward to Jan. 20th, inauguration day, 2017. And I couldn’t take it. I mentally hurt. My soul heart. I had been secretly scouring craigslist classifieds for puppies. I needed a puppy. My soul needed a puppy. I got to work that morning. And I opened craigslist (before my shift). And it was right there. The very first post. I clicked on it. I fell in love. I texted my husband “hey…want a puppy?” or something like that. I did not give him any time to respond. I needed that puppy. This puppy was going to be the light in the dark. The fullest moon on the darkest night. And I wanted her name to reflect just that.
We picked her up that same day. The husband figured out the most perfect name – Luna. And wouldn’t you know it – she is more bonded to the husband than I. At this point – it is a joke in our family.
And this is where the tale of the Super Paws Pack begins.
One of my husbands long time friends is a dog breeder. She breeds huskies and pomskies. I saw her litter from the year before of pomskies and they were gorgeous! But I wasn’t ready then. We had been messaging back and forth about the types of dogs she breeds and if they may make good service dogs for Thing 2. I remember explicitly telling her that we wouldn’t be ready for a few more years. like 3 to 4 years. This was 1 year ago (2years now). Whoops.
Then I discover that her Husky is pregnant and my interest was piqued. She told me that she just had her first litter of full Siberian Huskies on June 20th, 2017. And the next few weeks were a whirlwind. Something inside me, my gut, yeah my gut – told me I needed one of these pups. No matter what. No matter the cost. I asked her what felt like a million questions. But I had to clear it by everyone in the house first. It took 2 days. 2 days! I am pretty sure I would have done it anyways and asked for forgiveness later.
So we ran up there when the litter was 2 days old. They were precious. And I immediately wrote out the check for a down payment. We got first pick. FIRST PICK (of the males, I didn’t want a girl – we already had Luna, didn’t need another alpha female – heh. As you will read later, the universe works in crazy ways)!
The next 4 weeks was pure hell. I was like a big baby in a candy shop – unable to touch or lick anything. The minutes moved by slower than molasses. I passed the time by doing research, and more research, and then a little bit more research. Neither of us ever had a Husky before. We both wanted one….eventually. The husband moreso.
We also spent our time finding the perfect name. This time, my husband let me pick the name because he had come up with some pretty awesome ones for most of the other animals in our lives. AND, he let me choose the name (With ALOT of input) because this was going to be my dog.
FINALLY! The big day arrived! Thank goodness for social media and getting constant updates! Because we had been watching them grow. Finally, they were 4 weeks old. And It was finally time to make the first pick. No pressure. We got to pick any one of 4 we wanted. If you have never felt that pressure before – it is insane.
The SuperHusband wanted the black and white male with 2 blue eyes because it looked like a “true” husky. The kids wanted the all white one, because duh! It was all white. And I wanted to just sit there, and hold them, one by one. Through the weeks, I had gotten to know one of the other ladies that got 2nd pick of the litter, and I knew which one she was dying to have. So I honestly did not even put that in my “possible” rotation. So I had to pick between 3 of 4. It was the most stressful decision in my life.
So I sat on the ground. And I held each of them. I cuddled with them.
I knew I wanted a more mellower pup. My only requirements were that it was a mellow pup. Look was not on my priority list. Only temperament.
The one SuperHusband wanted – was ADORABLE. Oh Em Gee. It was Demon. So I held him. And I cuddled him. I put him on his back. I held him in my arms. I loved him. But my gut told me I was not IN LOVE with him.
So I picked up the all white one. I did the same to him as I did to the one previous. Ok…..I love this one as well. But I just was not sure. I put him down. And my Aunt picked him up. I saw that look in her eye. She had a visceral connection as well. We all saw the “sparks” fly. It didn’t take too long to convince her to follow her heart and get that one.
And then I picked up the final one. And I did the same to him as I did to the previous 2. And then my heart hurt. I was torn. I felt an immediate connection to this 3rd and final one. I couldn’t explain it to you. I still cannot describe the feeling I had.
When you know – you know. You know?!
SuperHusband was set on “Demon”. But he kept telling me that this was for me. That this puppy was mine. And that no matter what puppy I chose, he would be happy with whichever one I chose.
I felt like I was disappointing him. I HATE that feeling. Spousal disappointment. Ugh.
But that connection.
He was the one. He was Helios. My Helios.
The next 4 weeks were even worse hell than the first 4. I felt like we were in a chronic state of slow motion. I just wanted my puppy. But the huge day finally came! I doubt I slept the night before. I was just way too excited. We got to go pick them up. And I was in heaven. This was going to be MY dog. Hah! Finally!
The day after we picked them up (Helios and Bear) – we went on our annual Pow Wow camping trip. And that is when we saw the connection that Helios and Thing 2 had. It was pretty awesome.
Fast forward a couple weeks, towards the end of August. And I don’t remember how it all unfolded, but one of the girls from the litter became available again. It took 1 day to convince my family that we needed her as well. I just knew she had to be in our lives. My gut almost leaped out of my throat and spewed it all over the place that SHE HAD TO BE OURS.
And that is how the SuperPawsPack came to be.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PUPPIES! You all have changed my life in more ways than I could ever thank you for. You pups are my light at the end of the tunnel. You are all stubborn. You fight right in. You drive me crazy.
Happy: you are a mischievous weasel who will steal our food straight from our mouth and get to the opposite side of the room before we even realize what happened.
Bear: You are the playful, lap laying, tail eater that is always ready to play and drag the other ones by their tales across the yard.
Helios: You are a stubborn butt who howls a welcome song to everyone that comes down the driveway and you know exactly what you are supposed to do, but completely ignores us anyways.
Super Paws Pack (including Luna!): You drive us crazy. You have made us become creative engineers trying to stay at least 1 step ahead of you in making sure you cannot escape your kennels. You have brought chaos in to our lives. Beautiful, messy, stinky, chaos.
You have made us laugh. You have made us cry. You have made our hearts race faster than a shooting star. You have made us live. You have made the family come together in ways we didn’t know we needed to come together.
You have made us love.
I cannot wait for all the adventures that still lie ahead. For all the memories we are yet to make.
Because you are ALL my anchors in all ALL the storms.
