Big Changes

For over a year, I've been looking for a dog for my daughter, Eliska. As you might have read previously, she has some special needs that I hoped a dog would be able to help her with. I haven't been able to find a dog in a price range that we can afford. I wasn't able to get a working dog for her, because her needs are behavior and emotional, rather than physical. And she is too young, I've been told. So we started praying for the right dog. 

Yesterday, we picked up the dog that I believe God had for us, for her. Today, this morning, I sit here and cry. I've been getting up every morning, doing exercises and/or swimming, for months. But this morning, when I got up to "walk" the dog, I'm using new muscles that I have never used before. I'm exhausted, my hands hurt. I'm in the process of training this new dog that he is NOT the boss. It is very important that I make sure he knows that I am the alpha, and that the girls are also the boss over him. He is a powerful dog, and it is hard work remaining calm and assertive as I make him be submissive. 

And we are making progress. We still have a lot of work to do, and I know that. I'm not afraid of the hard work, but I am feeling really tired today. I feel like I burned through all my energy for today in the hour and a half I was working with him. We all need some serious prayer. This is new territory for me, for the girls, and for him. But it isn't fair to him if we fail. I take our pets very seriously. We do not get animals and then discard them if they are inconvenient. 

Please pray for us.