Meet Chica: 3 Life Lessons We Learned Getting Our New Love

It's not often that I hijack this blog for purely selfish reasons but I must do it tonight to introduce the newest member of the Barreto Family, Chica, the Dachshund.

It's funny this journey to a dog that I (and Mr. Barreto) have resisted for years ends with the sweet face you see here. We learned a few things a long the way that you can apply to all areas of life.

Preparation Is Key.

Since last fall, we committed to looking for a family pet and began the journey with a local shelter, Animal House Shelter in Huntley. We volunteered to walk and play (and pick up the poop) of animals in need of a home. We fell in love several times but never jumped on any of the many dogs we loved because we were not ready. Even on the short notice of our decision to take Chica, the 5 days before she arrived was filled with reading about Dachshunds, getting the right gear and mentally preparing for a new member of the house. Preparation made her homecoming easy.

Know What You Want.

We got Chica because of a casual conversation last December about our desire for a dog with a very specific list of attributes. Needed to be under 25 lbs due to the fact that both adults in this household have trouble with their right arm. Wanted a dog who loved to be with kids and had a chill disposition. Knowing we are travelers and keep a pretty hectic lifestyle - we wanted a pooch who could just jump right in, not disrupt the flow of this house. Do you get where I'm going? Knowing what you want is really the first part of getting it. Articulating is is even better.

Involve Others.

Did I mention that Chica came from a friend of a friend? Yeah, that casual conversation was just that -  an articulation of our desire for a pet with some folks who were visiting us. They immediately mentioned that they knew of some dogs who needed a home early in the new year due to a family friend moving... and the rest in history. To take that a step further... the crate in the basement that she most likely will never use was loaned to me because I put out an emergency plea to my friends that I needed help. When we involve others, it gets us closer to what we want. Even the most resourceful of people (me) need other people.

So, I'm going to go enjoy my new sweetie....You think about how these lessons can get you closer to what you want in your life.