I never wanted to be a parent. It's something I've often written about with embarrassment, because admitting to it makes me sound shallow and self-absorbed.
But having to do things like get up at 3:00 a.m. three days in a row to drive Fleetwood 100 miles for a series of dental surgeries put life into perspective. Did I want to get up then? No. Did I want to have to worry about a dog with a number of health concerns, ranging from cancer to dental disease? Absolutely not. But I put on my adult pants and showed up for her.