Buki update #2

It has been about a year since the first Buki update. Buki is our dog who came to us with a lot of fearful aggression. In July of last year we reunited her with Magano, our other dog, after keeping the two of them completely apart for a year following a bad fight.

Buki and Magano are now best buds. They snuggle together every night, take walks together, play together, eat in the same room, even chase the same ball. They have figured out who is in charge (Buki), who licks (Buki) and who gets licked (Magano), who has first dibs on the big, cushy bed (Buki), who gets to catch the ball (surprisingly equal here, with Buki even waiting patiently while Magano gets in a few good chews). The transformation has been pretty amazing. Also in the last few months, Buki has spent time with about six different young children, and she has loved them all. Little kids like to throw balls over and over. Buki likes to chase balls over and over. It's a match made in heaven.

If only I'd written this update last week, that would have been the end of it. Unfortunately this past weekend we took Buki and Magano with us when we went to visit Tabb's parents, who have two dogs. Buki was very anxious the entire time, with continuous panting, whining and barking. Then on Sunday morning she bit Tabb's parents' dog and broke her toe. Poor Bella will be wearing a splint for six to eight weeks.

I guess we had convinced ourselves that Buki was over whatever trauma she had experienced in her early life. She's not. I guess this is a good reminder for us, about trauma in general, and being "over it."

We are now facing the fact that there are certain things Buki will never do again. She will never run off-leash anywhere there may be other dogs. She won't visit any houses where there are other dogs. She won't go for a walk with Magano and me if Tabb is not with us. She loves running off leash and going places in the car, so thinking of her future makes me sad.

Buki has never been aggressive around children. Whether or not we get to keep her when there are children living in our house is still an open question.

Feeling a little sad tonight, thinking of the sweet puppy lying at my feet. Also feeling grateful for everything she's taught me about boundaries and what she needs to feel safe.

The assumption of Mary

Once upon a time, Jesus and Mary went to a party. When they got there, Jesus asked Mary if she brought any wine.
"What?" said Mary. "I thought you were bringing the wine."
"No," said Jesus. "I never said I would bring wine."
"I just thought you'd make some out of water or something," said Mary.
"Oh, you just thought, huh?" said Jesus.
And from then on, that day was known as The Assumption of Mary.

We went to the Ethiopian church today to celebrate the Assumption of Mary. The celebration was on a Saturday so that priests from churches as far away as New York could come for the service. Everyone we talked to at the church was super nice, and after the service we had huge amounts of delicious fasting (vegetarian) food. They even served Ethiopian beer. After church we met with our new Amharic tutor. All in all a great day.