gratituesday #212

For the first time in 2018, I am caught up on work.  WOOT WOOT  This is obviously the lifting of a huge back-of-the-mind weight off my shoulders.  Sure, that's a mixed metaphor of body parts, but you get my drift.

Our co-op is going exceedingly well.  Every mother is responsible, positive, and kind. In my years of co-op observation/participation, the truest measure of the co-op is its mothers, not its children.  Good mothers usually have good children, both of which make for a good co-op.

Our local library is such a rich resource.  I use a library book almost every week at co-op; we read physical books daily; we access audiobooks via overdrive every day; and "books on tape" narrate most minutes spent in the car. Just this week I used the new scanner for the first time - how easy and fast!  13 pages with the push of a button sure beats 1 page/minute on my machine at home! Even if I went to the library just to scan, I'm convinced it would be faster than one page at a time at home. :)

Hazel got to play her first 2 games of soccer 2 Saturdays ago.  Of the 4 Saturdays scheduled for soccer, only 1 has actually happened due to the rain.  It looks like we'll be bunching up double headers for the remainder of the season.  She has a great coach (knowledgeable, kind, encouraging), she had 3 friends on the same team, and she's enjoying the opportunity to meet new girls.

Rain.  We've had so much of it in Sept/Oct, and it's amazingly green around here.  In years past I've heard that a wet autumn means brighter colors on the falling leaves.  Wouldn't that be beautiful?

I had a "personal" meeting last night with a student who is struggling in life and confused about her educational pursuits.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to speak honestly and faithfully into the lives of students at crossroads.  It's a trust I don't want to waste.

We're going through a couple of great studies right now: Praying the Names of Jesus and The Hole in Our Holiness.  Both have provided great weekly small group discussions and truths to ponder daily.

The windows and doors are open right now letting in the delicious cool air.

Wes and Zeke are planning a camping trip soon. I'm excited for the memories they'll make outside and the memories the girls and I will make while they're away. Those BOGO Dairy Queen coupons we got in the paper this morning will come in pretty handy, I think. ;)

Unlike last time, Betty neither pooped nor peed in Petsmart this afternoon while there to get her nails trimmed.  Phew.

thank You thursday

So two Thursdays ago I got this picture providing proof that an awesome act had indeed occurred: my parents had adopted a dog.  A CUTE dog.  She was christened Roux in honor of her heritage.



Skip forward to last Thursday when my parents were coming to town to take care of a few things.  "Please, please, please, please, pleeeeeease bring the dog.  Please!"  And that was just me.  I mean, sure, the kids wanted to see her, too.




While my parents were out that afternoon, I took full advantage of a golden opportunity.  Two hours were spent just like this.



{Sigh.}

It felt good.

And on to other things that make me happy, please see exhibit A:



I've finally hung these "canvases" I'd had for months, and they make me smile every time I look at them (which is often).

This little one is so sweet.  And ornery.  And funny.  And sweet.  Oh, I love her.



Especially when she falls asleep in her chair.  It never gets old.



Pearl has a new crush.  His (her?) name is Puppy.  The attachment is official.  She walks around saying "Puppy?  Puppy?" whenever she has inadvertently let him/her behind.



We had a nice visit with the Kelloggs last weekend.  Aunt Amy took the kids fishing, and  I they caught three fish!  I'm sad not to have pictures, but I was happy to enjoy the moment sans camera. :)

Granny Toots is a treasure.  I love her dearly.

Especially when she falls asleep in her chair.  It never gets old.



We are blessed with many fun cousins.  They played for hours and hours and hours and were still sad to leave.

sisterly wisdom

Hazel, Henry, and I were sitting in a little pile in the living room floor.

She turned to me with serious affect and asked if she could talk to baby sister.

She then waited patiently while I raised my shirt so her sister could really hear what she was saying.

Apparently her message was going to be very important.

"Baby sister," she said, "Henry's breath really stinks."



Sorry, Henry, but Hazel speaks the truth.

Henry the 8th

When we rescued Henry from the animal shelter six years ago, he was actually named Henry the 8th. Apparently the pound had received a slew of Henry-like dogs through its doors in recent months, so by the time Henry rolled in, they gave him his numbered moniker.

We could not have known at the time that his name would prove to be a bit prophetic. Because we expected the vet bill to be a bit much, Wes had already informed me that paying to restore Henry would stand as my anniversary gift this year, our EIGHTH anniversary.

He always has been a special dog.

let's call him lucky

We visited Wes's family this weekend. We arrived the day after a F-3 tornado touched down just a few miles south.

Friday night Wes was summoned outside by his father. This was no cause for alarm b/c this usually just means there is some assistance needed, a jeep question, or some other such banality. Not that night. Wes returned in a few minutes with some bad news: Henry had been stepped on by a horse, and his front right leg was broken.

Initially we thought it was much worse - perhaps even a compound fracture.

My first (and worst possible) response? "I hate this place. It kills my dogs." Remember Stanley? Wes later reminded me this is not technically true, but still...



We attempted to contact a vet, but the local vets' offices had been swept away or damaged by the tornadoes the night before. Henry would have to wait. Thankfully Henry seemed to be feeling fine and showed no signs that he was in pain.

We drove to a neighboring town Saturday morning to visit a vet working a half day. He was out on farm calls all morning and could not see Henry. Again, Henry would have to wait.

We drove home yesterday while Henry comfortably slumbered on my lap. Wes mentioned that we should call Henry "lucky" because he had only received a broken leg instead of meeting an untimely demise. Wes even surmised that because Henry had received such love since the accident, he might be figuring out how else he might injure himself. I disagreed, but I couldn't deny that Henry seemed to really enjoy his promotion to my lap (from his normal station in the back seat floorboards) on the trip home.

We took Henry to the vet this morning where they are x-raying and splinting his leg. Before we left the vet's office, Hazel kept asking for Henry. The vet tech was nice enough to walk her back to see him and let her say good bye. On the ride home (less than one mile), Hazel asked about Henry FIVE times, and she has inquired about him several times since. We're all looking forward to a phone call to assure us he is okay.

UPDATE: As of 5 pm, Henry is resting comfortably at home with a "big band-aid" (a.k.a. cast) on his arm. We are happy he is home, and his wagging tail tells me he agrees.

we're ready!

Now all we have to do is wait for the kids to wake up (after a good night's sleep, of course)!



I guess Henry fancies himself a present...

Henry, the Uncouth

Henry was sandwiched between Zeke and Hazel's car seats as we traveled to and fro on our Stringtown Vacay last week. On the way home, Henry was whining as only Henry can - something about being smushed up for too long, I suppose. Nonetheless, Hazel did not approve of Henry's behavior and let him know it: "Henry, use [your] words."

I'm glad she gets the concept, I guess.

King Henry

The night I left for our ski trip, Wes called and told me that when he got home that day, our gate had blown open and Kate escaped into the wide wide world never to return. Henry, however, was tucked safely away on the back porch. I can only imagine the scene when the dogs first discovered their their escape option.

Kate: I'm making a break for it. Wanna come?
Henry: No. I've been on the streets before, and I didn't like
it.
Kate: Oh, come on. We can do it together!
Henry: I have a house, and I know where these people keep the
food. Besides all that, I'm lazy.
Kate: Later, loser.

Since that time, Henry has returned to his rightful place inside the house. It's as if he never left... eating trash, dragging pillows to the ground as if they are all stuffed for his sleeping pleasure, refusing to take a good picture, showing disdain for anyone who doesn't believe she was placed on Earth to rub his chest, etc. Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe Henry tricked Kate into leaving her safe little nest. Maybe their last conversation went more like this:

Henry: Hey, Kate. See the open gate? Let's go!
Kate: Sure! I'm always up for a little adventure!
Henry: You go ahead. I've got to gather some stuff up, but I'll
be along in a minute or two...

Henry sings the blues.

Cute Kate

When we left for Stringtown this weekend, we were a family of 4 - the parents, the child, and the dog. By the time the weekend was over, we grew to a family of 5. (No, not the baby; he is still safely tucked inside his momma's bread basket.) We came home with another dog! Introducing Kate Kellogg... Big Nosed Kate Kellogg to be exact. She is named for the character opposite Doc Holliday who until yesterday was the name of the dog she considered her main man. After a little switcheroo, Henry is now her hunka-hunka burnin' love - as much as he can be anyway without his man parts.



Cutie, isn't she? I think her ears might be her best feature; they're floppy and stand-uppy all at the same time. She is a spitfire full of energy, but she loves to cuddle even more than anything else. Although she's a little rambunctious, she is very sweet towards Hazel and usually tries to be very careful around her. We took her out for a test spin around the neighborhood yesterday afternoon, and she is definitely a country dog who will have to get used to the sounds of the big city. All in all, I'd say she is adjusting well. She ate Henry's food, she pooped in our neighbor's grass, and she carried my shoe around the house; seems like she's making herself right at home.

like mother, like daughter

Sometimes when I've heard the 37th person tell me how much Hazel looks like Wes, I just want to know that she's a little bit me, too. Seems she's like me in at least some personality traits (yikes), and I've spotted another similarity lately - a canine affinity.

So last week it all-of-the-sudden hit Hazel that Henry was not on his usual spot on his blanket. She looked at me and furrowed her eyebrows as if to say, "Where's Henry?", and when I told her he was outside, she made her way to the back door and pounded on the window until he came over to greet her. Then they both proceeded to make whimpering noises until Mean Mom let him in. They reveled in their team's victory together for about 1/2 a second until they were both distracted by the next big thing - you know, like picking up a minute piece of lint or licking a private part - and YES, that's Hazel for the former and Henry for the latter, thank you very much.

This weekend, we were visiting the Kelloggs in Stringtown when their cutest-puppy-ever Big Nose Kate (future girlfriend to their stud Doc Holliday) sneaked into the house - a total no-no in their no-dogs-allowed-inside household. ((Wow - this post has a lost of dashed-words, doesn't it?)) Hazel laughed and laughed as Kate romped everywhere, and then she cried when Kate was shooed outside. Ah, it made my heart smile.

Pedi Paws = not-so-hot

Yes, that's right, ladies and gentlemen... The Kelloggs are the not-so-proud owners of the product which has swept the nation - Pedi Paws. I know you must be thinking that this purchase was at my hand, but prepare yourselves, Wes was the purchaser of this not-so-fine piece of equipment. He had some store credit to eat up after Christmas, so he bought some normal items and splurged on this luxury item for Henry. You can tell that Henry is really enthused with the idea.

Bottom line: The Pedi Paws may be useful to someone whose pet's nails just need a buff or so, but if your pet's nails are incredibly long (to the point that you wonder how he walks) like Henry's, this tool is not-so-much for you.

canine yin yang

Buddy and Henry decided to cozy up a little this morning.

Howling Henry

Lest you fear that Henry is no longer a special part of our lives, I'm posting these pictures Hazel and I took yesterday morning to prove that he is more special than ever. Each morning (or nap) after Hazel wakes up, I ask, "Where's Henry?" and she swivels her little head around and leans over my arms in a desperate attempt to find him. When she sees him, she laughs and waves bigger than she does at anyone else... ever - very fun. She also likes to hear him howl; this requires me to howl first, but that's a small price to pay.

high chair hijinx

Little one loves to sit at the table and eat in her booster seat. She especially loves her Cheerios here and will maneuver her little head all over the place to make sure she isn't missing even a tiny piece of oaty goodness in the corner of her tray. Henry also loves Hazel to sit at the table in her booster seat. During meal times or snacks, he has become increasingly interested in camping out just under her chair. You should know that he's a little too good for the tiniest morsels (e.g., the piece of chicken or something between his feet), but that's not his fault b/c not everyone can be a canine vacuum cleaner like my parent's dog Buddy.

farewell, fine friend

I often think about the differences between men and women and the roles they play. I often think about the more difficult things that each gender is usually "supposed" to do, and I have usually come to the conclusion that I am glad to be a woman (good thing!). Today is no exception. This weekend we were visiting Wes's family and staying at his parents' house. This morning I discovered that my beloved Stanley died. Apparently Wes suspected as much last night when Stanley didn't come to the house for his nightly treat and there was evidence of a seizure on the porch; Wes hadn't said anything because he didn't want to worry me if there was nothing to worry about. This morning while I was fulfilling the womanly role of mother, Wes acted out his manly role as he found Stanley and buried him. While I am very sad my little friend is gone, I am relieved that he no longer has to suffer those horrible seizures. I am so thankful to the Lord that it happened where and when it did because at any other time or place, I would have been responsible to give him his meds this morning and thus would have been the one to find him. I am also especially thankful for my sweet husband; he did so many things so well today. My love for him swelled this morning while we stood near the grave and prayed; these sweet words rang so beautifully true in my Stanley-loving ears: "Lord, I don't know what happens to dogs, but whatever You do, give Stanley the best because he was a good dog." Yes, I am sad, but I am thankful for the time I had with him. I will miss our little Indugu.
Here is the last picture I took of him; I think it sums up his spunky little personality so well.

not-so-happy posers

Weekend Getaway

Ah the fresh air of the countryside... Alas, the air is not so fresh if Death Breath (otherwise known as Henry) is sniffing too closely.
We were fortunate enough to get to spend some time with Wes's family in Stringtown/Daisy this weekend.
The highlight of the weekend was when Wes's dad cooked our Sunday dinner in a milk can. That's right, a milk can. I had never heard of such a thing until he started talking about it a few months ago, but he loaded the thing with corn, potatoes, carrots, onion, cabbage, bell pepper, and sausage and then cooked it for 4 hours over a propane stove. It was delicious!