The Coonhound Rides Shotgun

Would have titled today's post "The Coonhound Rides B****" but I am trying to keep some sense of decorum on here.  Today I am meeting with a case worker who is handling some close friends' second adoption.  She has offered to meet me at my parents' house so that my mom can wrangle the boys while I try to sound somewhat sane as a personal reference for our very awesome friends.  Go through the usual rigamoral of our morning and have hit an all time low as I rush to load the car, hair still wet from my shower and realize I have not brushed it yet.  No worries I will brush it in the car at a stop light.  Load the boys in my usual maniacal fashion, screaming at them to "please be helpers!! Mommy has to be on time!"  Now to load our extra passenger for the morning: Moxie, our very sweet and lovable coonhound mix rescue dog.  She was my and A.J.'s first baby.  We adopted her when we were first married and she was a puppy.  Moxie has never liked cars ever since that fateful moment(which A.J. likes to remind me of whenever he gets the chance).  It is a moment I will always regret as a dog mom- I was loading Moxie into my Rav-4 when she was a few months old and quickly rushed to shut the door and then there was the loudest screech- so loud that A.J. claims he could hear it inside our townhouse.  I had shut the dog's tail in the door...Thankfully she was not bleeding and we did not have to take her to the vet, but A.J. liked to continue to play on my mommy guilt over this.  Which led to our debate- my side: a dog's tail is cartilage like a person's ear there are no bones in it, A.J.'s side: a dog's tail definitely has bones in it.  He printed out a diagram of a dog's skeleton to prove me wrong.  And no worries, I never had plans to become a vet anyways.  As my dad would say, "Your sister Yvette is the scientist in the family...you went to art school, Cami!"...So there you go, thus began Moxie's fear of loading and unloading from the car. Back to today's adventure.  All 3 boys are loaded in the Gray Goose.  Leash on the dog who is excited to be outside on a leash until she realizes I am taking her to the car, not on a walk.  Pulling the leash towards the car with Moxie trying to slip her collar off.  Now to load her in the front seat which is where she got moved since Bart's arrival and yet another car seat has taken her spot in the back.   Hoist the 70 pound dog in my arms, instantly regretting the chicken nuggets I fed her for dinner last night as this dog is like a whoopie cushion when she is squeezed- yes, she is one dog whose farts are loud, but just as deadly.  I shove her into the front seat again swearing I need to stop giving her the kids' leftovers as she definitely needs to lose weight.  Make sure the tail is clear of the door, shut door, run to the driver's side and jump in before the dog can climb into my seat which she will do if given enough time(30 seconds).  Look at the car clock freaking out because I have exactly 35 minutes to get to my parents' house which should give me at least a ten minute window before the case worker arrives to interview me.  Fly around Algonkian Parkway which would be a fun ride if I was in a sports car.  The Gray Goose is by no means graceful around curves.  On to the next main road and manage to get behind some wonderful Northern Virginia drivers who love applying the brakes.  Stop short with the dog so many times, she is about to snap off my right arm.  Almost there, only about ten minutes to go.  Thank God for back roads....Ugh behind some old person who is clearly taking the leisurely route.  Orange signs ahead- not looking good.  Watch as the old person almost takes out the construction worker who is clearly holding a STOP sign.  Finally through the construction area and call mom to say I am coming as fast as I can.  I still have a fifteen minute window before my appointment time, no problem I got this.  Mom answers and I ramble that I am almost there just in case the woman arrives before me.  Mom replies in a kind voice: "Yes, she's here".  UGH!  Defeat!  Who in the D.C. area is ever 15 minutes early?? Answer: Not Cami.
All joking aside.  Adoption is an awesome thing.  It brought my brother Joe to my family.  He was the best Christmas present ever! My parents brought him home to us on Christmas Eve when he was just two days old.  Now I am watching my amazing friends as their family continues to grow.  They adopted their son when he was an infant a year and a half ago.  Please help them give him a sibling!  If you know anyone or ever hear of anyone who is placing a baby for adoption, email me and I can connect you with this incredible family who have hearts of gold!