Chaino

Let me introduce you briefly to the smallest and furriest member of our family. Say hi to Chaino (chay-no). He weighs less than 2 lbs., eats like a mouse, and missess his once wag-happy tail. But despite a startling case of stuffing displacement, he knows his home is right here with us.

Chaino is Alaina's dearest friend. He is found in all the likely places as well as the unlikely ones. But where ever Alaina is, there you will find Chaino, just like a faithful dog should be.

For the most part Chaino is a pleasant and endearing fellow (except for when he is a she. . . which happens on rare occasions), either pleasantly perched in the crook of Alaina's arm, or delicately dangling from my front pocket when Alaina's arms get tired and mine are full. But as you can see, today he was able to steal away a moment for a portrait in front of the temple. We are lucky to have such a good friend of the same faith!

However, just like us two legged's, he faces challenges of his own. And just because he is an inanimate and vocally challenged animal, it does not mean he is without his faults. With Alaina as his mouth piece he will occasionally express his dislike of several of my "outrageous" requests of Alaina. She will let me know frequently and quite forcefully when Chaino dissapproves of things I ask her to do, or expect her to do. "Mom, Chaino doesn't like that. He says I can't do that and you can't tell me to do that." On one particularly defiant day "he" told Alaina that he was mad at Chuck and me and that he was going to kill us. WHOA! So I found myself explaining to my 3 1/2 yr old daughter that if her dog wanted to "be a part of my family" he would need to speak kindly to us, and apologize to Mom and Dad for saying those mean things. He would need to try to help Alaina do what she was supposed to do as well. Whereupon, Alaina looked into my eyes with exasperation replying, "Mom, Chaino isn't a real dog, he doesn't talk!" Way too smart for her age!

But looking at Chaino now, smiling in front of the temple, I recognize that he has improved and tried really hard to be better since then. And isn't that what it is all about? Pushing limits, stretching ourselves, testing the water sometimes, just to see what we are made of , who loves us, and what we can really do. I am glad Chaino is part of our family. And I hope he stays around for a long time.