Jul
22
2008

lola2.jpg

lola1.jpg

 My good friend Greg insisted on equal time for puppies, since I have shared several photos of our new cat, Barney!  So here are pictures of the newest grand-dog, Lola.  She is 6 months old and has already worked her way into the hearts of her parents, sisters, and grandparents!  :)  She stayed under her Mamaw’s feet today and really wanted her to take her outside and play instead of cleaning her house.  She looks enough like her big brothers Casey and Cooper to be their “real” little sister.  She’s going to be a beautiful dog and will be excellent with children.  For just a little bit, she’d have her Mamaw and Aunt Judy on the way to the Animal Shelter to see if they have another one just like her!  Saturday, we had understood her name was going to be changed to something other than Lola, which is what the Animal Shelter was calling her.  But today it seems she is “Lola” for good.

I just realized I wasn’t paying much attention to the background in the first picture, as you can see our mop and bucket behind Lola, but we were, after all, there primarily to clean house and not to take pictures of puppies.  Besides that, she didn’t cooperate with posing very well, so I had to take the shots as I could get them!!!

On another note, we had a real scare today, but it turned out okay.  After we got home from cleaning house, I took a shower and stretched out in my favorite recliner for a nap.  The phone woke me up, and Doris brought it to me.  I heard someone’s voice crying on the other end of the line.  The voice said, “Aunt Judy, we’ve got problems.”  Only when she mentioned Hattie’s name did I realize the voice belonged to my niece, Sherry, who is Hattie’s aunt.  Hattie is 6 years old, the only daughter of my nephew, Jonathan, and these all belong to my sister, Betty.  We lost Betty in April.

Jonathan has been having a really hard time after losing his Mom, and his grief has been intensified by the fact his marriage floundered immediately after Betty’s death, and he is now going through a divorce, his third one.  Hattie Marie is his life and, right now, he’s pretty much living for her.

Hattie started having headaches about three weeks ago, so this past Friday, he took her to an eye doctor.  The doctor prescribed eyeglasses for astigmatism but said it wasn’t severe enough to be causing the headaches.  He referred her to another doctor in a nearby larger town and, today, she underwent an MRI.  The first doctor had said Hattie’s optic nerves were enlarged.  The first report I got was that whatever “it” was (be it tumor or what) was in her brain and that they were coming to the hospital in Memphis with her.  I immediately thought “St. Jude,” and that’s what the whole family was thinking.  At the time Sherry called me, they didn’t have much information other than “something” was there.  She asked me to start a prayer chain.

In an effort to process all this, I went to the kitchen and cooked supper and cried.  I prayed, and Doris was praying; then I said, “Okay, I’m going to believe this will be okay………….either way, God is in control.”  We ate our supper and, as I was trying to decide who to start the prayer chain with, another niece, Ginger, called to say that it was good news, after all. 

Hattie has something called an anachroid cyst at the base of her brain, and I’m understanding this is basically a fluid pocket.  Not malignant - not life threatening.  It will have to be removed, drained, a stint put in……….or something.  Surgery of some kind will be involved, and it’s yucky, but it’s going to be okay.  Praise God; His love endures forever.

Since that phone call, Sherry has called back, as well as Jonathan.  Everybody is relieved, to say the least.  It’s not a good thing, of course, but right now, the news is far better than I’d hoped for.  They are coming to Memphis for an appointment on Thursday with a neurologist but, for tonight, everyone is at home regrouping, thanking God, and trying to get some rest!

TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. Now that the news is better, I’m smiling at the thought that  my nieces and nephews still need to talk to me when something is going on!
  2. Barney’s intuitive reaction when my niece first called.
  3. Doris looks so good today………you know, healthy and all!
  4. Lola.
  5. My sugar-free blueberry cobbler waiting for my night-time snack!

See everybody tomorrow night.  May God’s blessings of peace and joy rain on you and those you love.

:)

Jul
21
2008

I just finished reading Joel Osteen’s “Become a Better You,” and I’m here to tell you if I could implement all of his advice, I’d be so good ya’ll couldn’t stand me!  :) I’m not usually into televangelists but, with an open mind, and a knowledge of your own of what the Bible teaches, I think you can learn from many sources.  I find him straightforward and, if he ever stops preaching, in my opinion, would be a topnotch counselor.  I can’t begin to share all the morsels I’ve stored up from this book, but I will share that I feel some positive threads of thought coming to the front of my mind that I can trace back to this book.  I wouldn’t be a good cofC’er, to quote a very good friend of mine, if I didn’t say I don’t agree with everything I hear him say or everything I read that he’s written.  But I find his basic message to be one that reminds me of hope and positiveness. Having said that, here are a few thoughts I remember off the top of my head:

  • We should never settle for “good enough.”
  • It MAY have been the other person’s fault.
  • Stop trying to fix things that only I (God) can fix.  (Oh, how I needed to have this impressed on my heart!)
  • Do what you can and God will do what you can’t.
  • PREPARE for good things to happen rather than expecting the worst.

Now, sorry, but I don’t imagine $1 million is going to land in my checking account tomorrow.  :)  But I do believe if I can remember a few of these ideas and put them to work in my heart and life, I’ll be more fun to know, and I’ll be more of a blessing to those around me………..mainly because I won’t be thinking about me; I’ll be thinking about others!!! In the same vein, I received an e-mail of that inspirational sort today from Diane.  I highlighted a couple of statements from it to plug in and go along with the above.“True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.”  (Told in relation to a story of an elderly man who continued to faithfully visit his wife of many years, in a nursing home, even though she had Alzheimer’s and did not know him.

“Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.”TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. Made breakfast for dinner tonight, including home-made biscuits.  (I know I just finished Proverbs and I’ve been admonished to let others do the bragging, but I have to tell you those buttermilk biscuits were some kind of good, even if I do say so myself!)
  2. Putting two cobblers in the oven, one blackberry and one blueberry.  The blueberry is with Splenda, but I’ll have to stay out of the blackberry one!
  3. Getting the day’s chores finished.
  4. Remembering to start the sprinkler outside this evening.
  5. Cleaning M&B’s house tomorrow and will see the new puppy again and love on her.

See you guys tomorrow night.  I love you.  Hope you have a peaceful, restful night.

:)

Jul
20
2008

Hearts expand; they really do.  Just when you think you’ve had enough and you’re gonna STOP inviting anyone else into your life to love (and maybe lose), you turn a corner.  Around that corner is a rusty-brown, six-month-old German Shepherd mix (or some such) puppy named Lola who is in need of a loving, nurturing home.  And you find, in spite of recent tears, your heart just stretches out a little more and lets somebody new in.  That’s what happened to Brigitt, Hailey, and Emily Saturday!  Granted, they were purposely in a facility where this could happen.  But who knew they’d find a little girl puppy who could be Casey and Cooper’s younger sister???  They couldn’t possibly leave without her, so they took her home with them on a - uh- “trial” basis due to the fact that her new “daddy” wasn’t at home at the time.  However, “Mr. Macho” is just a stage name, and he’s a tender-hearted softie like all the rest of us.  None of us thought she’d have any trouble at all working her way into his heart and, at last account, it was a go.  When he said, “Let’s name her something besides “Lola,” I don’t like that name,” the rest of us knew she was in like Flint!  I heard “Maggie” being bandied around, but whatever her given name turns out to be, her family name is already set!!!  :)  She’s going to be a beautiful dog and, I believe, a loving addition to their little family.

The last couple of days have involved a lot of family togetherness.  Friday we got together with a brother and nephew at a sister’s house.  We enjoyed a meal of baked ham and potato salad and lots of catching up.  As families age, these times become more and more precious.

Last night, several of us got together at Lola/Maggie’s new home for hot dogs and other good stuff.  There’s nothing better off a grill, to me, than a hot dog……..preferably a burned one!  I nearly made myself sick!  Everybody got a chance to meet the new family addition and catch up on how much all the little guys and gals in the family have grown in the last three months.  Michael and Brigitt’s back yard is a wonderful place for pictures (it looks like a park!), and I got a few really good shots of kids and grandkids.  It was an especially good day because the matriarch of this organization was feeling good and enjoyed herself.

Today, after church, another sister came home with me and had lunch with us.  Later, her daughter came to pick her up and stayed and extended the visit.  This was enjoyable, especially since both of them greatly admire Barney’s charms, and Terrie had a romp with him which pleased “bad kitty” immensely.  (His parents don’t romp with him a whole lot, because they wind up with the worst end of it……………Terrie didn’t let him intimidate her!)

We’re all animal lovers; you’ve probably figured that out by now.  But have I told you about Rhonda’s prairie dogs?  A few years ago, she really got into prarie dogs.  She had two, then three.  Time and circumstance happened, and the number dwindled; however, she and her family made a trip to Texas a few months ago to bring home some new adoptees.  I’ve lost count, but I think she has 5 or 6 of these little critters now.  They are really cute, and she is a particularly good caretaker.  She mentioned they sometimes bite but, when they do, she cuts their teeth down!  I wondered out loud if reckon we could cut Barney’s teeth.  Of course, the answer was no because cats’ teeth have nerves in them and prairie dogs’ teeth do not.  Cutting their teeth is no more than cutting one of our fingernails!  Oh, well, it was a thought…………..

TODAY AND WEEKEND’S CUMULATIVE SMILES:

  1. The full moon this weekend.
  2. Clouds that came up looking like they were bringing rain.
  3. A little girl down the street playing in her yard without her diaper on!  (She was all of 1-1/2 or 2 years old and was in plain sight of family members.)  Had to smile and shake my head at the same time!!
  4. Fred, Phil, and Josh.
  5. The next time my arthritis flares up, Phil (one of our elders) promised he’d bring some olive oil and pour over my head!!!
  6. Bringing home fresh-picked blackberries from M&B’s house.
  7. My church family and our worship services today.
  8. Remembering Jonathan and Liz’s birthday today!

May God’s joy and love surround you ’til we meet back here tomorrow night!

:)

Jul
17
2008

I finished up Proverbs this morning and have thoroughly enjoyed re-reading it.  Such wisdom and down-to-earth instruction!  Also being grass-roots, the following is what I gleaned from the reading of Proverbs this time around.  I normally like to articulate things in a positive way, and there IS a positive way to word these bullets but, somehow, the message just comes across better, in this instance, from the negative aspect.  So here goes.

  • Don’t be stupid!
  • Don’t be lazy!
  • Don’t be a glutton (especially when it comes to honey)!
  • Keep your mouth shut!
  • Mind your own business!

:)

This brings me to the end of another blogging week.  Hope you’ve had a good week and are looking forward to a restful and fun weekend.

Much love to you all.  See you Sunday night.

TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. Walking at the mall this morning.
  2. Walking at the church this afternoon.
  3. Mrs. Winner’s chicken.
  4. Talking to some nieces and nephews, some of which are at a Cardinals’ game at Busch Stadium.  (I’m jealous!)  Another one was in his backyard pool at his new house.  (I’m jealous again!) 
  5. Talking to Emmy this morning!
  6. And again……….the moon rising in the evening sky.

Oh, yes, lest I forget.  In case Hannah, Megan and Lauren are still reading this blog……………………….Happy Birthday to you Three tomorrow!  :)

Jul
16
2008

Hi there!

I’m still reading through Proverbs, chuckling part of the time and shaking my head part of the time.  Also saying “amen” a few times.

Some recent favorites:

  1. If you find honey, eat just enough………..too much of it and you will vomit.
  2. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house——too much of you and he will hate you.
  3. It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.
  4. As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
  5. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
  6. Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.
  7. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth………
  8. Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you—better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
  9. A man tormented by the guilt of murder will be a fugitive till death.
  10. ……..one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
  11. If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Last but not least, my favorite for today:

12.  Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

:)

I’m a little early tonight, but I’m about to head out the door to Bible study.  I’ll see you tomorrow evening, same place, close to the same time.

God bless you with much joy.  Love to you all.

TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. #12 above.
  2. Another visit from Elisa.
  3. Phone call from Bryan
  4. Hot outside, but some breezes blowing.
  5. Anticipation of being with family tonight.
  6. A beautiful full moon.
Jul
15
2008

I had intended to take a few days off from blogging simply because I was drawing a blank when I sat down and looked at the computer screen.  However, I was tired today after housecleaning, so I stretched out for a nap.  As I drifted off, I found myself smiling at some pretty neat things I’ve been reading the last several days and decided to share them.  I often share excerpts from books I’m reading and, tonight, I’m sharing from the Book of Books.  There is a book entitled Apples of Gold with short sayings that are inspirational and uplifting.  And I once received a gift of a book entitled Life’s Little Instruction Book, and it had all kinds of handy and helpful little sayings.  (One of those was, “When in doubt about what color to paint a room, always go with antique white!)  That sort of thing.

The Bible contains one such book of short two-sentence instructions and sayings that contain amazing wisdom.  I have been reading in Proverbs recently from my daily Bible reading schedule, and it is pretty awesome to realize these words actually come from the mind of one of the wisest men to ever live.  And his wisdom came directly from God Himself!  It’s amazing that these gems of insight are SO appropriate and applicable to our lives today, so many years after they were penned.  Some of them are so down-to-the-nitty-gritty that it shakes me up a bit, and then…………some are downright funny when you think about them.

I’m going to just pick out some of my favorites and share tonight, from the New International Version:

  1. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
  2. How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds!
  3. Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.  Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow—-when you now have it with you.
  4. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked……….for they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
  5. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
  6. A little sleep, a little slumber; a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.
  7. ……….food eaten in secret is delicious!
  8. Lazy hands make a man poor.
  9. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
  10. ………he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
  11. A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
  12. ………an anxious heart weighs a man down.
  13. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
  14. Even in laughter, the heart may ache……….
  15. For lack of guidance a nation falls……..
  16. All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
  17. A gentle answer turns away wrath.
  18. A happy heart makes the face cheerful………
  19. ………good news gives health to the bones.
  20. ………humility comes before honor.
  21. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
  22. ………the Lord tests the heart.
  23. Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
  24. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent………….
  25. He who answers before listening—-that is his folly and shame.
  26. …..every fool is quick to quarrel.
  27. Do not say “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”  Wait for the Lord………
  28. The Lord detests differing weights and dishonest scales do not please him.
  29. The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.
  30. ………..a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
  31. He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.
  32. A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
  33. ……………..put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony……….
  34. Do not eat the food of a stingy man………

And to this point, up to chapter 24, at least for this read-through, the following are my favorites and the ones that made me smile the most………….

  1. Who has needless bruises?…………………..Those who linger over wine………….Your eyes will see strange sights and your  mind imagine confusing things…….”They hit me,” you will say, “but I don’t feel it!  When will I wake up and find another drink?”
  2. A fool’s lips bing him strife, AND HIS MOUTH INVITES A BEATING.

:)

What sound advice!  Written thousands of years ago and so deserving of being adhered to today!  As I said, some of them make me chuckle…………….

TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. Elisa, Jonathan, and Jordan came by and brought late birthday gifts!  What fun.
  2. Jonathan wearing Jordan’s tiger back-pack.
  3. Gail and Jimmy.
  4. Greg’s comment on last night’s blog!
  5. Conversation with Brigitt.
  6. Nice breezes out tonight.

As I said, I’m back (as it turned out, I wasn’t gone), so I’ll see you tomorrow evening.  God’s blessings of love and joy to you.

:)

Jul
14
2008

In the meantime:

TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. The checks were in the mail!
  2. A chili-cheese coney combo from Sonic for dinner.
  3. A blue 1964 or 65 Mustang.
  4. Gail.
  5. An almost-full moon this evening.

:)

Jul
13
2008

Johnny Cash, I believe it was, sang a song about “Sunday mornin’ comin’ down.”  One of my theme songs could be “Sunday evenin’ comin’ down!”  :)

Don’t know what it is about Sunday evenings.  They just have a different feel to them.  I love my church home and family, as I’ve mentioned several times.  I am doing all that I know how to do to be available for God to use me within this church family.  And He IS using me, and I pray I am the right kind of humility and glory to Him.  I come home on Sunday evenings feeling like I have loved and been loved within the day.

………but, and here it comes.  IF I am going to feel melancholy at any time during the week, it is going to be on Sunday evenings.  Go figure!  Maybe it’s the close of the week and the stepping into a new one.  The close of anything, even a week, I guess, can be sobering.  (Technically, I know Sunday is the FIRST day of the week, but it FEELS like the week starts on Monday!  :) )

So……….let me tell you about Toby.  Toby is our retiring custodian at the congregation, after 17 years on the job!  Before that, he was custodian for a number of years at another congregation.  His daughter told us tonight he is 81 years old, and he was still climbing around on ladders before he retired…………strong as an ox, and also irascible.  We had a fellowship to honor him and his wife after services tonight and gave him a money tree.  The trees weren’t very big, but as we left, he was socking money into a garbage bag.  How would you like to take a sack full of money home??  Even if it’s not full-full, just the idea is intriguing, is it not?

On another note, our congregation is having some growing pains.  We have a lot of new members from a congregation that closed its doors recently and, basically, it’s a little like merging two congregations.  Need I say more?  I’m not sure that we are at the point of “one congregation” yet.  I think we’re still at “them” and “us.”  But I know the hearts of the people involved, and I think everyone wants the meshing to work well.  It’s just going to take some time…………..and lots of prayer.

Picking up on a story Brady told in a recent blog about his “God can,” I made one for myself.  I’ve shared the story with some friends, and I think I’m going to start manufacturing them (cans……..not friends!).  I took two of them tonight to give as “just ’cause” gifts to Carolyn and Cheryl.  My can is a vase, and theirs were originally butter containers…………but, hey, as long as it’s a container that will hold all our problems to give to God!!!

As for the rest of the weekend, yesterday was a carpet-cleaning day.  Having done that, I was extra tired and took a nap, thereby missing part of the day’s visit with Hailey and Emily.  Emily played with her Mamaw and with Barney, and Hailey ended up asleep on the couch, too, after playing with Barney.  She was asleep when I woke up, but I was able to spend some time with Emmy before their dad picked them up.  All I got to do with Hailey was kiss her awake so she could walk to the truck!

Friday, we had a visit from Rhonda and Leslie.  It’s always special to see these two.  Leslie is growing taller every day and becoming more and more beautiful.   She recently had a birthday, and her b-day surprise was a deep-sea fishing jaunt!  She’s quite a girl.

Friday night, had dinner with Michael and the girls. (Mom was at work.)  We went to Cracker Barrel aka Pickle Barrel (according to Emmy, who was quoting her dad), but we’ve talked so much about the Pancake Shop that both girls ordered pancakes!

That’s pretty much my weekend and Sunday evening.  It’s been a good day and weekend, overall.

See you tomorrow evening.  Ya’ll have a good Monday.  May God’s richest blessings and joys be yours.  Love to you all.

TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. One of our elders……..sort of.
  2. Carolyn and Cheryl.
  3. Splurged and had a piece of strawberry cake tonight!
  4. Farris.
  5. …………..and from yesterday, Jimmy!

 :)

Jul
10
2008

Have you ever noticed after you reach a certain age that things hurt that didn’t used to?  :)

Case in point: knees!  We had a housecleaning job today, which we appreciate very much.  Hopefully, today will lead to other jobs to add to our routine.  But, for right now, my knees hurt!  That’s because I haven’t figured out a way to clean a tub without getting on my knees on the floor!  I must look for something that scrubs well on one end and a long handle on the other…………..

Tonight brings back memories of picking cotton in NE Arkansas when I was growing up.  Picking cotton necessitated  pulling a long sack.  They came with neck pieces to put over your head, and the sack drug behind you.  As you picked the cotton, you were steadily bent over the row of cotton.  From time to time, if you wanted to rest your back, you could walk down the middle of the rows on your knees!  Now this helped rest the back but, pretty soon, your knees had blisters on them.  :)  So, you could buy these knee-pad things.  They helped some, but not a whole lot.  Then you’d stand up again and bend over the cotton stalks, and the whole thing would start over.  The last time I did this I was about 15, and that’s been a while ago.  But tonight, I am reminded of the knee aches that were attendant to this task.  And I was 15 then!!  Now, several years later (!), the ache doesn’t go away so quickly.  Two questions:

1.  How come getting old(er) is so unhandy?

2.  WHERE’S MY ASPIRIN?

Howsomever, I am enjoying this part-time work.  Having spent 40 years working as a secretary, I find the physical labor rather exhilirating.  (I know, I’m crazy!)  And not to say that I didn’t get tired working in the clerical field.  I did, very much so.  Backs and necks ache while sitting in front of computers, too!  It’s just that I’ve already done that, and now I’m enjoying this aspect of making an extra-money living.

I enjoy cleaning a house and knowing the owners are going to come home after a hard day of whatever they’ve been doing all day and experience a fragrance and view of clean!

Now a real pipe dream would be to expand our little business to the point we can PAY employees to work for US………………………….and to clean OUR house!!!!  :)

Anyway, that’s what I did with my day.  I’m pleasantly tired and expect to rest very well tonight.  In other words, nobody’s going to have to rock me to sleep!

(And as an aside, I was pleased when I got home to find Michael had been by and cut the grass.  It looks wonderful!)

Hope YOU had a good day, too!  Have a good weekend.  May you be surrounded by much joy.  God bless…………….and I’ll see you Sunday night.

TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. Some gorgeous clouds (have I mentioned I really like clouds?).
  2. Thunder and a light rain.  (Got a GOOD rain yesterday.)
  3. An unexpected visit from Lori Ann.
  4. Great spaghetti for dinner.
  5. Rick
  6. Cathy

:)

:)

Jul
9
2008

In life, sometimes things happen that we were not expecting.  We turn a corner, and wham!, we are blindsided by something that takes our breath away and our faces and hearts crumple.

Such was the case this morning when we had the news relayed by a broken-hearted Brigitt that Cooper had left this world.

We choose to believe he is now smiling for the angels and playing with his big brother, Casey, and various other family pets that have graced our lives and left us.  Among these would be Bailey (Bay-Bay), Benjie, Rascal, and Muffin.

I told you last night about Cooper being sick.  We knew he was very sick and were in prayer frequently for his wellbeing, hoping for an outcome of our liking.  Sadly, it was not to be.

Cooper was somewhere around 2 years old, and we expected him to be with us for a long, long time, making us laugh with his toothy grin.  He really would smile at you!  He was a beautiful dog, and his family will miss him very, very much.

Most of us, though, believe God brings these special creatures to Heaven.  This may not be theologically sound but, as I’ve mentioned before, feel free to disagree, but please don’t try and bust my bubble!  :)

 When these things happen, there is so much you want to do and say to make the pain in hearts easier.  And there’s so little that can actually be done.  For the adults who will miss him the most, my heart is heavy.  But for the two little ones who will miss him the most, my heart breaks.  Life is full of many joys, and those joys are what I pray will fill their lives.  But life also has some sadnesses, and the loss of a pet is one of those.  I know, I know…………..if children of ages 5 and 9 have been blessed to only have to lose pets, and not parents, they are blessed indeed!  However, that doesn’t make the pain in their little hearts any easier right now.

But when I saw them this morning, I regaled them with Barney stories, and they laughed.  Their Mamaw and I provided them with chocolate doughnuts and doughnuts with sprinkles.  I delivered hugs and love to them and their Mom, and overlooked their Dad’s mood because I knew he was reacting out of grief and anger brought on by the possible reason for Cooper’s illness………and loved him.  He was angry plus had not slept all night, having ridden the unit with the Fire Department.  He was dealing with his own grief about Cooper, as well as an inability to take away the heaviness in his wife’s heart and those of his daughters.

Anyone who has ever been attached to a pet knows the loss we all feel.  The pain is real, especially when unexpected.

I’m so glad to have known Cooper and to have been part of his family.  And I’m so glad to have his ”Mom, Dad, and little girls” in my life!

TODAY’S SMILES:

  1. Making Hailey and Emily laugh.
  2. Jimmy
  3. Visit from Elisa
  4. Josh
  5. Cheryl

See you tomorrow night.  God bless.

:)

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