day one

You guys, a two-pound Pomeranian puppy is sleeping soundly in her kennel approximately seven feet away from this very computer I'm typing on. She's mine. This isn't a babysit situation or a dream situation (it was for a frightening amount of time). THIS IS REAL LIFE. This miniscule creature is and will be dependent on me for the rest of her life. I feel very smart, lucky and happy that I get to have a practice run with this idea with a puppy and not a baby. (Although I like to think I'll be blogging that experience too, because you know, I'm Gen Y and this laptop and my brain will probably physically merge at some point in my life, right?)

This dog...is perfect. I tried to think for a solid couple of minutes about something, anything about her that I would change. WAIT, I've got it: I wish she would use both her potty pad AND the great outdoors for relieving herself. That's right, that's my high maintenance request after day one. This puppy is potty-trained. Every. single. time. I took her out today she peed, and once even pooped a miniature, Pomeranian-sized poop. If it wasn't animal feces, I would have described it as adorable, truly. But every time I try to get her to go on a potty pad she just walks away. You're probably thinking, "This crazy bitch has a dog who is potty-trained and she's complaining because her dog won't shit on a paper in her room?" BUT...with my move to New York looming on the horizon, I don't want to end up on the 17th level of a sketchy Queens/Brooklyn apartment without an elevator (this happens, right New Yorkers?) and then have to race her up down those stairs every time she has to pee! Right? That's not lazy, is it? Also...Northern Utah winters? No thanks. I'll take the potty pad. So that's the goal, I guess. Also regular things like "sit!"

(Feel free to imagine me with or without shorts in this picture, it's your choice.)

Full name: Lolabella Koga. Nicknames include but are not limited to: Lola, Bella, Bell, Baby, Baby Girl, Sweetheart, (insert ultimate cheesy pet names here). Shawn is playing long-distance dad right now, he's still got finals. Luckily, I only had one and it was this morning! Shawn is graduating next Spring (what?! I'm so jealous!) and I'm super proud of him, he's going to be A+ at everything he does, I just know it. Maybe not driving, as he drove his car into a telephone pole today? Although I admit willingly that he is a much better driver than me. That makes me sound like a massive road hazard...

In other news, I've had vegan taco night two days in a row, accented with AMAZING recipes from The Veggie Gal: Black Bean & Corn Salad with Lime & Black Bean Guacamole. I used the bean & corn salad as the toppings for my tacos, and then ate the guacamole...well, as one usually eats guacamole: smother chip in guac and shove in mouth quicker than everyone else sitting at the dinner table.