A New Furbaby

When you live with your spouse but don't have any children, you may often find yourself sitting in silence. You might even hear echoes in your home as you have conversations, listen to music, or watch TV. When the TV and computer are off, it's still and serene, but it also feels lonely. It feels like something is missing, like there is an emptiness or hollowness in your life. The silence can get very depressing, because you know that the one thing that could fill that silence is out of reach.

As someone struggling with primary infertility, I need an outlet for the "nurturing" instincts that have grown so strong over the past few years. And furbabies are a great way to nurture and love something in a way that *slightly* fills the hole in my heart that I hope someday to fill with a child of my own.

We adopted Sienna from the Humane Society 5 years ago. She is an 11 year old Chihuahua mix and she's my soul-dog. If there is such a thing as a soul-mate or a soul-sister, then this little dog is definitely my soul-dog. I don't know where I'd be without her. She has been my companion throughout my infertility journey, and she's helped me get through some of the really hard days.

Sienna, Chihuahua Mix

A couple weeks ago, a little Maltese dog entered our garage and he had obviously been wandering the streets for a while. We attempted to find the owner and in the meantime took him to the vet to take care of his eye and ear infections. We finally found the owner but due to his current health status, they decided not to take him back. They felt he would be better cared for with us. I believed them and we took him in and have been nursing him back to health.

When we first found him, he only weighed 6 lbs! He should weigh around 9-10. His fur was covered in mats and ticks, and he obviously needed medical attention. I'm not sure exactly how long he had been missing for, since the owners told me it was just 3 days. The vet disagreed and said he had been missing for at least a few weeks. He was apparently not being cared for or was neglected. We have given him the care and love he needs and even gave him a haircut!

Henry, Maltese Mix

We were happy to accept him as a new member of our family. And even though the sound of little paws on the tile doesn't replace the sound of little feet, it still warms my heart and soul and makes me happy on days when I feel like I might break down. These little animals are my little angels, sent to comfort me and to be my companion as I wait to be blessed with a baby of my own species.