Summer Night

Lightning lit the sultry summer sky as the desperate dog scratched at my newly painted door. I rose in the middle of the night to let her out to seeming safety, but of course there was no sleep left in the bed for me. I tossed and turned most of the night. This dog is such a bane to me. She loses hair everywhere, even places she doesn't go. She wanders if we don't keep a constant eye on her. She won't let anyone wash her but me. She stations herself in doorways and doesn't see a need to move, especially if you are carrying a plate of food for the dinner table. She steals food from the other animals, throws the kittens in the air, chases chickens when she needs a diversion, and did I mention she loses hair? When we go on vacations I have to trick her into the dog kennel and then hope that whomever feeds doesn't let her out of the gate. If she sees our suitcases before a trip she will disappear. I hope daily that she will die. But I also know that I will miss her when she is gone. She is a faithful shadow to me around the house and farm. She protects me from roosters and protects the chickens from other animals. She loves to be petted and rolls over for a belly scratch at the slightest indication of the possibility. She makes me lose sleep, but she makes my sleep more peaceful. I suppose she is an enigma instead of a bane. ----------- Speaking of sleep...we went out last night and purchased a new mattress for #1. His is nearly 10 years old and the springs are pushing through. I have memories on that mattress, and replacing it is just reminding me of how much my babies have grown. My boys used to sleep together on that bed because they were afraid to sleep alone. They hid under the covers together, asked me to pray with them there, and spent time talking to me about their daydreams. Now that the boys have separate rooms, #1 got the bottom bunk. #2 has the top bunk that wasn't used as often, so his doesn't need replacing just yet. They sleep sparately, don't ask me to pray with them, and seldom tell me their daydreams while I tuck them in. Actually tucking them in has gone by the wayside as they stay up later than I do anyway. Being a parent means trying to stay in the present, prepare for the future, and never forgetting the past.