Every boy needs a dog (or so they say)....but not every mom

Meet Finley the newest addition to our family and often the bane of my existence. We picked him up when he was 11 weeks old... that was the last weekend in July if my memory is correct. While the men of the house are for the most part loving this puppy and adoring him - me not so much.
I am not a morning person or a huge dog person... really even a pet person for that matter. I dislike having to wake up early to walk him, I don't like being jumped on or having to keep everything picked up. It drives me insane dealing with him and my children who all want to play together and then get upset when someone plays too rough. It is a lot of additional work and stress for me while we are in this training/adjustment period.
The second week in August though the responsibility of caring for Finley fell solely on me. I had to walk him twice a day for 5 days...that first morning I was not happy to be getting up and I muttered all the way down the steps, all the way off the porch and half way around the block. When I stopped muttered and complaining about what a stupid dog he was, how early i t was, etc and realized I was alone with my thoughts and it was quiet and the weather was beautiful I did the unthinkable... I started to enjoy myself. I actually enjoyed walking Finley by the end of the week and I decided maybe we wouldn't be best friends but maybe he was not the miserable mutt I had thought he was.
There was a moment a few days after we got him that we had to decided whether or not he was staying. And there was a huge part of me that wanted to say get him out of here. It would have been so easy but I wanted to give it a little time and try and I am proud of myself for that because it was not easy to agree to get him or to agree to keeping him amidst all of the chaos he was causing. Keep him we did and keep him we will. Even though the chaos will continue and I will be frustrated. It is worth it to see the smile on my family's faces.