Signs of Life

We've been here 6 months and still haven't seen as much rain in that entire time as a good summer rain in Ohio. Yet the cacti keep growing, and we are learning to appreciate their more extreme beauty.
2010 has been interesting to say the least. Elspeth is growing so fast now that I find myself grabbing her for hugs with the knowledge that soon her innocence will change and there will be a restraint in her hugs that is not there now.

Addie begged me to take her picture on a turtle, about 500 0f them. It was totally random, and reminded me that both my girls are characters.

Elspeth turned 5 last week. We delivered Valentine's cards to several local nursing homes on Sunday. The people I visit enjoy my visits, but it quickly became clear that my gift to them was bringing Elspeth. She doled out the huggs and kisses freely, and stopped to talk to anyone who wanted to engage her. She used her most polite voice and words. I thought my gift to them was bringing her, but I so enjoyed her being a wonderful human being, that I realized it was a great big gift to myself. It is a truly gratifying moment to realize you are raising a nice individual. Of course we came home and she pushed her sister, but you can't have it all.

Addie is finally willing to conceed that potty use might be OK. She earned a Blue Lightening McQueen (in photo with her) by filling a potty chart. Today she went potty by herself for the first time. I had no idea what was going on until she ran out with no pants on, ahh, I was proud.

Last fall Elspeth received a packet of sunflower seeds. The woman at the booth warned that these would be difficult to grow. Ella "planted" them under the rocks in our yard and watered them one time last August. I did not tell her they would never grow, but she mourned them for several days when they didn't immediately sprout up. Our rainy season is now upon us so Ella and I were weeding the backyard. I nearly pulled these two up, until I noticed they are still wearing their seed pods, two of her seeds have actually germinated. She has named them Sunny and Rock.

Proof that life happens, even when you least expect it.

Old Friends

Shortly before we were married, Jeremy and I leased our first apartment in anticipation of our wedding day. We each dumped our stuff in the apartment before our wedding and sorted it out when the honey moon was over (a way to shorten any honeymoon). Soon after taking possession, when we were still pie eyed and would stop by just to dream about the day we would live there together, we realized we had been placed in a dog building.

Like any normal people, our parents assumed this would be annoying and suggested we see if we could be moved to another building. We were both quiet on the subject, and at one point my fiance looked at me and quietly mentioned that he liked the idea of a dog. The very thought I had been having. Several months later, we took his first bonus and adopted Miss Holly Golightly.

Holly has not been the perfect dog, she would not give Lassie a run for her money, but then we have not been the perfect pet owners. Shortly after we got her, we found out she was allergic to humans, then we found out I was allergic to dogs, we decided to keep each other. We have drug her through 4 states now, and she has loved each one. In a way, her joy came first from food, then from being with her family (but be clear on this, food was first).

So it has been hard to watch her struggle as cancer has taken over her body. She slowed down, she struggled more to get up. Sometimes she would fall, and then just stay put as though she were stuck. The calcium leaching cancer started to act on her teeth and eating became difficult. Slowly this disease, loved by none, visited indignity after indignity on our faithful dog.

Today we said goodbye to Miss Holly GoLightly.

There are things we can not change. There are facts that are cold and hard and unmovable forces, and death is one of them. I do not honestly know how I feel about the loss of my old friend. I have joked as she snored in the corner over the last few months that she gave "work like a dog" new meaning. I have also felt her nuzzle me when I was ill, or just sad. I wouldn't have traded her annoying or wonderful habits for life without her. and now our home is colder and more empty. And I miss the snores already and the gentle love that only a dog can provide.

safari

Merry Christmas

Treasure

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19

I am hoping you are finding the treasure this season brings.

Photos by harkinsdesigns.net

Shocking

Today Addie is wearing a skirt today that Elspeth wore last week.

Better Late than Never . . . Halloween!