Adventures of the Froggy Mamma Vermont household expands to include plenty of nonhuman family members

When I was little, I had a dog.

Actually, I had two puppies but never at the same time. My father was adamant that we were a one-pet family, and so it wasn’t until my first canine sister passed away at the ripe old age of 16 that I got my second doggie.

When I became an adult, I decided I would never be without a pet. So, it was quite natural that my husband and I, once we both were out of school and earning regular paychecks, decided to bring a dog into our home.

Still, I was a bit nervous when, the very next day, we went back to buy our new dog’s sister so she would always have company. I’d been raised to think that one house equaled one pet. Yet, quickly, I got used to the presence of two dogs and grew to love them.

Years passed, and we had our two daughters. Our dogs, by this time, were an integral part of our family. The kids and the dogs played together well, and life was basically harmonious. As my children grew, however, they began asking for “their own” pets, something they could keep in their rooms and call theirs.

That’s how the fish became a part of the Vermont household.

We bought each child a Beta fish, each living in a tank in one of my girls’ bedrooms. And although several fish have gone to aquatic heaven over time, my children have continued to enjoy their little tanks.

Then, this past Valentine’s Day, my husband and I made the decision to bring a puppy into our lives. I had wanted a little fluffball to hold and love, and even though it meant that we would have three dogs in the house, the time seemed right.

And so we took that leap.

Our friends called us crazy. After all, we already had fish and two older dogs. What in the world made us think we needed a puppy? I’ll admit that it was a bit scary, turning our stable world upside down with the addition of a chewing, pooping, barking furry creature. Still, we did it. And at that moment, I felt our household was finally complete.

Then, the seasons changed to late summer. And, as happens every year about this time, toads began making their homes in our back yard. Every night my daughter Jordyn would go outside and play with this one particular toad. She would hold it and kiss it (I told her to stop this immediately!) and she believed they were friends. The toad seemed to bond to her as it let her hold it and pet it, never appearing frightened or angry. Every evening Jordyn would come inside and ask if she could keep the toad. And every evening I would adamantly say, “No!”

That is, until a few nights ago. After Jordyn had asked to keep the frog for the millionth time, I began thinking about my reasons for refusing to let her have it. Sure, I’d been raised to believe we were a one-pet family. But clearly, I’d dispelled that myth years before. And, more importantly, keeping a toad in her room would be an incredible learning experience for all of us.

Thus, after researching toads on the Internet and talking with people at the local pet store, I finally agreed to let my child have her toad. We bought an aquarium, mulch and a water bowl and even a dozen crickets for the toad’s dinner. We found the toad hopping around our yard that night and brought him inside to his new luxurious accommodations. Over the past few days, he’s bathed, eaten, explored and rested as Jordyn and I looked on curiously. I’ve stopped by the pet store on my way home a few times to get more crickets, and I’ve even learned to put them in the tank without feeling disgusted.

I’ve got dogs and fish, and now, I’m a froggy mamma. It’s a regular zoo at our house, I suppose.

I’ve learned in my life to never say never. After all, I wouldn’t have ever guessed that we’d open our house and our hearts to a brown, bumpy amphibian. Yet we have, and we’re all better for it.

My life is and will always be a never-ending journey with surprises along the way. I just need to keep reminding myself to always enjoy the ride!

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by Sharon Dunski Vermont