The Dilemma

Today we got the dreaded call. A woman in Huntington Beach wants to adopt Atka. She's been in the background of Atka's story from the start, and we knew there would be a good chance she would come forward as her application process continued thru ERU.

The dilemma: As foster parents, we get first option to adopt any dog we foster. That means we have the chance to have Atka be a forever part of our family. We also have the chance to hand her off to a good home and a loving human. We're torn. We never planned to foster, but rather to save this one little dog. To rescue her, we had to agree to foster her to facilitate getting her out of the shelter. Now that she is here, we have fallen in deep like with her. Maybe even love; a little. She is all puppy - literally from the time her eyes open till they fall fast asleep, she is non-stop.

Digby and Prinnie are accepting her better than they ever have another dog. We just wish we could read their minds; hear their thoughts. What they think is the most important thing, after knowing that no matter what decision we make, Atka will be safe and loved. We didn't do this to be life long foster parents, and we didn't do it for what others would think. We did it to save one little dog from certain death. We need to make a decision much sooner than we planned. We thought we'd have a month or so. We have a day. Maybe two.

I was telling Shar that this isn't anything we planned....that it was kind of like finding out you are unexpectedly pregnant. Now what?? Life decisions. Tonight we don't have the answer yet. We'll listen to our hearts and our "kids". We are a family of 4 - Are we a family of 5?