It was December 2006, and I was about to make the best mistake of my life.
Growing up, I was a good kid. Sure, during those nasty teenage years, my parents and I had our moments of hatred but, for the most part, we got along pretty well. I did what my parents told me to do.
During a rough time in college when I hated where I lived and was utterly depressed about it, my parents made the executive decision to get me my own place. I was in heaven. However, there was one rule.
NO PETS
I took this to mean the following:
NO PETS
(SO LONG AS MOM & DAD DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT)
I decided to peruse the Petfinder website one day and stumbled upon an adorable bundle of joy named Wren (likeness pictured below).
She was living in an animal shelter in Aiken, SC and labeled a Chihuahua/Lhasa Apso mix. It was love at first sight. I immediately contacted the shelter and was horrified to learn that my beloved was to be put down in just a few days.
What I should have said: “That’s horrible but I really should think about this decision. It’s a big commitment!”
What I actually said: “I’ll be there tomorrow!”
The next day, I hopped in my car and drove the two hours to the shelter. Wren was to be fixed that morning so they told me she’d be a little loopy at first. I was so excited to meet the adorable little puppy. The shelter employee told me to wait by the car and they would bring her out. The next thing I knew, a beast of a man was bringing me a dog that was three times the size of the puppy I thought I was adopting (likeness pictured below).
I smiled nervously at the worker as he threw Wren into the front seat of my car. I slithered into the driver’s seat and stared at the beast that was nothing like what I had pictured. I had made a big mistake. For a millisecond, I thought about carrying her back inside. My mind changed in an instant, however, when she opened her eyes, looked directly at me, and smiled. I started the car and drove back to Charleston with my new best friend.
The days and weeks that followed were tough. Wren was actually about a year old who had lived in the shelter for months. Breaking her bad habits was the worst part. My parents eventually found out, of course, and saying they were pissed would be the understatement of the century. They didn’t take it out on Wren, though, and she soon became a part of the family; my parents ‘Granddog’.
Wren will be eight years old this December. I can’t believe it. She’s still my best friend. She’s still the best mistake I ever made.
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Arden Ruth 
Hahaha…this could have ended so many different ways. You had my attention all the way through. Loved.
Thanks! I keep meaning to submit my posts earlier but I’m always late to the party 🙂
Random question I’ve been meaning to ask: Will I be notified when my subscription runs out? I definitely want to renew it!
I’ll asl Stacie to check your subscription date, thanks! I am the hold up, of course, on the email renewal automation. Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks! I definitely have a few months left but want to make sure I don’t forget about it!
ADORABLE!!!!! love this post!!!
Thanks 🙂 She’s my little love!
One day I’m hoping that G$ turns into the best mistake I ever made! Good job saving that puppy beast!
Hah! You’re the best Don 🙂
Haha. Nothing like saving a puppy. 🙂 Great story. I’m glad I found your blog. I look forward to reading more.
Thanks! 🙂
Way to break the only rule your parents gave you brat! My parents had a lhasa apsa purebread and he looks just like Griphon from Cartoon Network.
Hah! I’m such a rebel 🙂
Wren is not even close to what they told me she was. I still don’t know what she is except a good ol’ fashioned mutt!
Good thing you like her so much. And your parents forgave you for breaking their rule.
This was just too adorable.
:’)
Thanks 🙂
And on an unrelated note I love your display photo. It is so cool!
Hah – Thanks! 🙂 Candid shot at my best friend’s wedding!
Wren is super cute! Definitely sounds like a great mistake. Glad you parents have welcomed their grand-dog into the family.
Oh yeah! They loved her from the second they laid eyes on her (especially since our family dog was put down about a year beforehand). They were just uber pissed at me 🙂
Well, pets do tend to cause a lot of damage… worth it, of course, and no more than a child, but still…
😛
Oh lucky lucky lucky you for making that adorable little mistake. My father does the same thing whenever I bring up the topic of bringing a cat home. He thinks it’s either my loneliness or my insecurity talking. Just the nicest dedication of a post to Wren.:)
Thank you 🙂 She is just the sweetest thing!
That I can tell! 🙂
Dogs are the best mistake ever. I can’t imagine life without one. Wren is adorable. 🙂
Thanks 🙂 She’s my life!
Funny how once you get a dog, they become your life. My life totally revolves around my dog.
🙂 Did your dog every get her bathroom breaks on track after the move?
Yes! It took her about a month, but she’s going where she’s supposed to finally. Phew!
Woohoo! Haha. See? We’re like ‘real’ moms who talk about their kid’s poop 🙂
Lol. That’s kind of sad. 😉
Oh, she is adorable! That could have gone so wrong…so glad it turned out for the best! It looks like she’s as happy to have you as you are her.
She’s a sweetie 🙂 I definitely made a good decision!
Sweet love. Hooray for dog besties : )
🙂 She’s the best!
awww!!
🙂 Ain’t she a cutie!
My baby is 4 years old now. We got Kirby from the pound and they told us he had already been pushed back from being put down because they were just hoping someone would come in and fall in love with him. I was that sucker! But he’s the best dog I’ve ever had hands down. He’s a pitbull/bassett hound or beagle mix!
Mutts are the best!!! 🙂
I was wondering where this one was going…glad it had the ending that it did!
Me too! 🙂
What an adorable dog. I’m actually surprised your parents allowed him to stay. I say this because I have a twenty year old daughter and can’t imagine how I would react….
I was pretty surprised too but I’m glad they did!
I’m glad this had a happy ending! I had to laugh at your comment that your parents being pissed was the understatement of the century. Oh, I’ve been there before 🙂
Hah – My Mom & I didn’t speak for a couple of weeks but it turned out okay 🙂
I get all my mistakes that way lol…I love that you kept wren even after she wasn’t the adorbs pic you saw and drove two hours for…
She was definitely not what I expected but turned out to be the sweetest dog I’ve ever met 🙂
This was hysterical and heart-warming. LOved the pictures.
Thanks! 🙂
so sweet! And now I have even more reasons to go get a puppy!
Yes! Adopt! It’s the best mistake you’ll ever make 🙂
What a sweetie! Pets are the best worst-ideas ever. 🙂 My current cat is a “oops” cat, and I’m SO GLAD the oops happened.
(By oops, I mean my husband neglected to get his first cat [who was feral] fixed, and so she had kittens and lo and behold, we kept two of them. Oops).
Haha – I love that oops story!! 🙂