The kids narrowed it down to each of their personal favorites.

Obsidian

Kuiper (as in Kuiper Belt, pronounced “KIE-Per”)

Astro

My kids are science nerds.

The entire family expressed their displeasure with my suggestions of Loki, Darth, and Ziggy, and even quicker to express their disdain over my suggestion of Matt Damon.

My husband suggested Angus. I was onboard. The kids, because they are nine and five, said it was bad because “Angus” sounds too much like “Anus”

They were protesting too much to hear me mutter all the things “Astro” sounds like.

They unfortunately did hear me sarcastically suggest, Richard Marx’s Balls, and were unable to stop laughing for half of the Seder that evening. Shame on me. My mouth is my own plague.

My kids, because they are my kids, drew up ballots. There were hanging chads and backroom deals and I’m fairly sure Bernie Sanders showed up at one point, but eventually we landed on

Cosmo.

We were told that he’d had been a stray all 18 months of his life, begging and living off the streets. He is very smart, in need of a little training, but a great sweet dog. He’d only been at the shelter for two days.

We think he’s got some hound mixed in with the black lab,

but he is one sweet, playful, young soul.

I’d forgotten the feeling of a giant warm head nuzzling up against your lap, or the feeling of a snuggling dog heaving a big happy sigh at the end of a day. I’d also forgotten that untrained dogs need to learn everything, including their name. And “no.”

It’s been awhile since I’ve heard my kids laugh like this. They are entertained by this goofball dog from morning to night. They love to see him “derp,”

And I love to see them love.

It’s not that we got a 4^th kid, it’s really that we got a 4^th puppy.

I’m sure there will be many more tales in days to come, but for now, I’ve got to stop a certain someone from eating my winter hat.

(And if he doesn’t, I will start saying “Richard Marx’s balls.”)