“I mean are you building Noah’s arc over there?”

It’s been three days since one of my beloved fellow mama bears posted that on my facebook wall and I STILL can’t stop laughing. Her comment was in reaction to my decision to adopt a rescue puppy.

She’s the latest addition to our small farm just outside of Cleveland. Two sheep, two tiny Nigerian dwarf goats, six ducks, 16 chickens and one lanky white turkey named Glinda. E-I-E-I-Woah!

Henley, our 12-week old half Plott, half Treeing Walking Coonhound, is the 28^th creature to call Roaring Acres home. And we couldn’t be more excited.

The farm is a hobby. My husband is in finance, I’m a freelancer copywriter and we are very hands on parents to three high-energetic (slightly crazy) six, four and two year old kiddos.

Why on earth would we add puppy training, chewing and middle of the night walks to the chaos?

Fresh air
I’ve been outside more frequently and longer these last few days then I have in a while. The phone is tucked away and I’m fully in the moment watching the littles and the puppy tear up our property. Last night we played baseball in the front yard as the sun set. My six-year-old let me play pitcher and was full-spread smile as Henley chased every ball that went over my head. It was kind of magical.

Patience practice
I don’t have an off switch. Taking in as much as I can actually helps keep me on track and motivates me to move, non-stop. I have zero patience for people who don’t operate at my speed. Zip. But it’s physically impossible to get mad at that sweet puppy face. She tries all day to make me happy but she’s a puppy. Accidents happy. Squirrels happen. Rolling in some make-me-dry-heave animal scent happens. So, I’m on her schedule. Deal with it.

Fun Duty
My kids are little. They unload the dishwasher, make their beds, pack their lunches and get eggs from the chicken coop. But having a living being depend on you brings an entirely new level of responsibility. The littles actually get something in return for this chore. My oldest is watching the dog respond to his commands and is out of his gourde proud of himself.

Live Longer
Having a pet actually helps you live longer. Seriously. Common sense tells me the reasons above are part of the longevity factor, but if you don’t believe me take this death calculator quiz and see how you net out.

So, 28 animals and counting. If we had a rooster, we’d be up before he crows. It’s either a lot to handle a lot of life to live. Depends on how you look at what’s happening around you.

Looking for a pet? Adopt a rescue! We found our Henley on petfinder.com. It’s like a matchmaking site for pets, with beings who actually do prefer long walks on the beach.