Domestic Partnership & Family Stuff

(In the spirit of the current happenings with Washington State's big Referendum 74; though we're not senior citizens, nor are we getting married, we are celebrating our "domestic partnership" and growing "family.")

The Apt. 1203 "family" is growing. Kari and I, still in the early stages our plutonic, domestic partnership (already declared "Partners" in Facebook relationship terms), welcomed Clara into our home nearly three weeks ago now.

Awkward family photo with new addition:
Kari, then me, then Clara

Things are moving fast. Already we have the joy of announcing yet another member of our happy little (growing) family...

Ladies and gentlemen, meet...

... Jett.

The acquisition of the puppy story in a nutshell:
(written in the style that one of my ELL students might formulate, with the help of a translator)

One of our first encounters with the stray puppy

Black puppy wandering neighborhood of Li Ren Gardens and AIAN school grounds for past few week. Many sighting and friendly encounters with jovial, frolicking, and friendly (but dirty) pup. Puppy spotted eating trash. Many time. Various schoolchildren volunteer babysitting and taking care of pup. Names such as for example "Hey Hey" (equivalent of "blacky" in Chinese), Shadow, etc. bestowed on him. School bus driver wanting adopt puppy after close encounter nearly running him over (the dog has no apparent awareness for the dangers of traffic).

Inquiries and investigations with students (cousin/niece of "owners" in particular) about puppy's "home" reveals he sleeped under deck of apartment building, in dirty hole. Eats garbage and not allowed in the home. His "owner" is the son of man who vehemently opposition to dog owning. Therefore lack of mindfulness.

Sleeping with new toy on cozy sheet.
(Clara beading in the background.)

After taking the puppy into our apartment for Tuesday night, we Buyed collar and leash and food and toy and flea medicine. Brainstorm names, choosed Jett (Jett Black). Clara and me giving him shower in the bathing suits (much scratch on chest and legs and whining and barking yap). Because he have dandruff. Clean soft puppy happy. No get on furnitures. In old sheet bed and he sleeped all night! Only peed and pooped in study room three times. good thing we puppy-proofed apartment (at least he's potty trained to go in one place consistently!).

Let him back loose in neighborhood to play during daytime of the Wednesday. Because the teachers at international school no can be dognappers. Bad for reputation. then Talked to the his "owners" who gave the permissions to take him because they did not want to let him inside during winter or give to him food or care for him. But he has almost six months and they already gived him all vaccinations shots. just the need to get him the Operation to take away his the Male Reproduction Organs.
[End ELL style writing].

Story told (with many details left out; so this means--yes, Mom, Audrey, Susi, Kathryn, and Gramma--details will have to be for later conversations), with the consent of his former so-called "owners," we are now his official mommies. Actually, Kari calls me the "Mom #1" because I am the rule enforcer and cleaner-upper and trainer. I've had lots of puppy-training experience... especially in the last couple years with Feijão and Tekila in Costa Rica. Hopefully we'll get on the same page when it comes to training and discipline though; we are working on coordinating our sign language commands. Kari does early-morning outdoor exercises with him, and I do the late night potty walk. While Clara is here, she does the daytime puppy care and exercises. Clara and Kate are "aunties" who spoil and play with him. Kate already has plans to spoil him and buy him stuff; this is a community investment. We have many families who have offered to puppy sit while we travel during holidays and such. The head-of-school has already suggested that we need a mascot, and the knitting club is on top of making him costumes and sweaters and scarves to accessorize our new "thunder eagle" purple and gold mascot.

Auntie Kate, Momma Kari, Mommy Lara, Jett, Auntie Clara

Momma Kari, Auntie Kate, Jett, Mommy Lara, Auntie Clara

Auntie Kate, Momma Kari, Mommy Lara, Jett, Auntie Clara

This pup is going to be well-taken care of. Oh the plans we have.