All Dogs Go to Heaven

   

    And God made the beasts of the earth

according to their kinds...

 And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:25

 

 

So good.

Fourteen years ago Santa brought

us this little red-headed beauty.

We named her Lucy.

 And she loved us.

Two years later she blessed us with a whole pile of puppies!!

 

 

 

It was so hard to let them go,

but each little fluffy ball of love found a home with a friend.

Maggie, Copper, Nicky, Mac, Ace,

Baron, Beau, Colby and Peanut.

Looking back as a family, I am certain we would all

agree, that this was one of our happiest memories.

 

 

 

 

We kept this little beauty...our little Gracie Girl.

And she loved us.

Sadly,the sweetest dog that there ever was left us

today to join her mama in heaven.
 

 

 

Our hearts are broken.

 

 

 

When Scotty got up this morning we

 told him that Gracie was in heaven.

To Scotty heaven is up.

So today as he points towards heaven we will add our

 sweet Gracie Girl to his litany
of those we love that now live in heaven.

 

 

 

We will never understand how his brain processes such a loss.

I do know this though...it is not with sadness.

This boy of ours whose whole body vibrates with joy

over the simplest of things...does not seem to feel the

weight of sadness the rest of us are destined to experience.
 

He will cry if there is sad music or a sad part in a movie,

and he will cry if he is hurt,

so he does have the capacity to feel sad...

just not about such a loss.

At times having Angelman Sydrome is truly a blessing.
 

Or...perhaps, as I have often times suspected,

he knows all the secrets of the universe and just understands

things that us mere mortals in our limited

minds will never be able to comprehend
and he realizes there is nothing to be sad about.

 

 

I envy him.

 ♥Oh how she loved (tolerated) him♥
 

Today as Scotty points towards heaven and signs dog,

I will wipe the tears from my eyes and

be grateful beyond words

that for this boy of ours,

today is just a day like any other,

a day full of surprises
and a day full of joy.

 

 

I will also feel blessed that each time

the sadness overwhelms me,

he will be waiting to wrap me in

a bear hug, pat me gently on the back,
and kiss my forehead.

♥Rest in Peace Gracie Girl♥
You had the sweetest face and the softest ears.
You were a good and faithful friend.

Thank you for loving us.

 

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,

Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still...

...For here, between this world and the next,

Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.

From The Rainbow Bridge 

One Step at a Time

 

A journey of a thousand miles

begins with one step.

~Lao Tzu~

 

It seems like every time you turn around lately there is a race or a walk or a bike ride of some variety going on in the area.  More often than not the proceeds raised from these events will go toward a worthy cause, and I have walked in many over the years myself.  For me each event was a chance to in some small way assist in funding research or finding a cure for devastating illnesses, many of which have affected some of my very dearest friends.

However, if I am being totally honest, it was usually more about getting some exercise, visiting with friends, enjoying the sunshine, and maybe winning some door prizes.

 

Until now.

 

On May 18 there will be a nationwide walk to benefit Angelman Syndrome.

 

The Angelman Syndrome Foundation Walk has been an essential source of funding for the ASF since its start in 1999. What began as a single volunteer walk site, now includes 28 walks across the country and is recognized as the top fundraising event for the organization. Through education, information, research, advocacy and support, your participation in the National Walk helps all of us at ASF take strides toward improving the lives of those impacted by AS. With your help, we are moving closer to powerful treatments and an EVENTUAL CURE for Angelman syndrome. We are continually grateful for the support that we receive year after year. 

CLICK HERE for Angelman Syndrome Website

A cure...

Something that is so far beyond our wildest dreams that until now it is something we never dared to hope for.

Finally, I understand. The walks, races and rides certainly are about raising money, but to those directly affected they are so much more.   

They are about hope.  Hope for an uncertain future.  Hope for a cure.  Hope for our children.

For I know the plans I have for you,

declares the Lord,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

 





So on May 18 we will walk side by side, one step at a time, with a legion of God's chosen angels and their families, and I am sure it will be counted as one of our greatest blessings.

 

 

We will walk because we have hope. 

 

We will walk for Scotty.

 

 

 

 I am not sure if this guy will show up at the walk...

 

...Or this guy.

 

Or what his foot attire of choice will be...

 

 

...But either way you can be certain that this family

will continue to put one foot in front of the other,

one step at a time until they find a cure.

 

If you would like to walk...or sit on the ground with your arms

folded and throw a hissy fit, because both scenarios work in

our world...let me know and I will add you to Team Scotty♥

 

Here is a link to our fundraising page for Team Scotty.

Every penny, nickel, dime, and quarter WILL make a difference!

♥CLICK HERE if you would like to donate to Team Scotty♥

 

Thank you and God Bless You!

 

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

 









Why God in His Infinite Wisdom Invented Menopause

Hot flashes, sleep disturbances, dizziness, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, irritability and mood swings equals MENOPAUSE!  Each side effect is a perfect example of why a fifty-four year old has no business taking care of a two year old.  Especially when said two year old has  sleep disturbances, dizziness, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, irritability and mood swings  himself that can rival an apocalyptic event.  Put the two together and it is recipe for a lethal cocktail of insanity.

God had a very good plan indeed,

Just not for me.

Granted my two year old happens to be in the body of a twenty-six year old man, yet he embraces life with the exact same exuberance, curiosity and indefatigable energy as a typical toddler.  This busy, active, determined son of mine more often than not leaves a path of destruction in his wake, and thankfully, as of late, it is with a this same grin on his face.  Spending one day with this rambunctious boy is not for the faint of heart...string a few consecutive days, or years, or decades together and it is mind-numbingly fatiguing.

Especially for this fifty-four year old who has lost the once youthful ability to "jump" out of bed in the morning and seize the day.  I joke often about my "rheumatiz", but in reality a couple of years ago I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis which is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic pain and swelling of joints and a few other things that I have decided not to think about just yet. 

So far it has its grips on my knees and elbows, but my hands have taken the hardest hit.  Naturally they are the target for all Scotty's frustrated squeezes and grabs and pinches.  He has an inexplicable ability to zero in on the finger joint that happens to hurt the most on any given day.  Yes, I curse...under my breath...with a smile on my face.

Thankfully, so far the medication has kept the worst of the symptoms in the manageable range, but the fatigue and achiness make some days very difficult to slog my way through.

Complaining and griping 

 about others and about
things in one’s own life

 is harmful “because it dashes hope.

 Don’t get into this game of a life of complaints.

Pope Francis

I am not complaining in fact I am grateful.

I am grateful that each morning through the grace of God I can still manage to drag, crawl and limp my menopausal and stiff jointed body out of bed and down the stairs to the coffee pot for my first infusion of caffeine to bolster myself up for the day ahead.  More often than not my son shoves my lethargic, half awake body out of the way as he rushes straight for the banana bowl eager to start his day, which unfortunately usually begins long before the sun comes up.

I am grateful for a the occasional perfect day when I beat Scotty out of bed and have a few precious moments of quiet before our day begins.

I am grateful for the perspective that having RA has given me into Scotty's world and just how difficult it is for him to accomplish the simplest of tasks.

I am grateful for this quiet little life we are leading that is far removed from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world. 

I am grateful for this whirling dervish son of mine who spins circles around me as we go through our day trying to accomplish the most basic tasks. Our goals are not lofty and I am grateful for the simplicity of our days. Showering, dressing, putting our shoes on the right feet, feeding the dogs, putting away the spoons, making lunch, taking out the trash and various other household chores take up the better part of our day. 

I am grateful that I am able to wake up every single day hopeful that today is going to be a perfect day.

When my children were small I never wished away a single moment.  If I could have frozen time I would have in a heartbeat.  I would do it all over again.  Every moment spent rocking my babies and playing  at the park...every tea party and game of Candyland...every moment spent coloring and reading stories...every afternoon spent playing in the front yard and every hour spent in the world of let's pretend...all of it...every single moment that I have had with them is a treasure that I hold in my heart. 

To be completely honest though I never thought twenty-six years ago that my hot flashy, mood swinging, creaky, rapidly aging self would still be doing all the same things.  Who would have ever thought I would still be spending my days playing hide and go seek, finding monsters in closets, kissing real and imagined booboos, marching around the house and banging together fisher price cymbals to Barney songs, making peanut butter bird feeders, and being a one man cheering section every time Scotty uses the bathroom?

I am stuck in some bizarre time warp...an eternity where time is standing still, yet my body continues to age and deteriorate as my endurance wanes.

Some days my already uphill path feels a little steeper, but I will never lose hope.  I will continue to put one achy knee in front of the other, moving forward and remembering to take nothing for granted.

I will be grateful for it all.

So menopause and rheumatoid arthritis take that!

Whenever you face trials of any kind,

consider it nothing but joy,   

because you know that the testing

of your faith produces endurance.   

James 1:2

 

 

Peanut Butter Bird Feeder.

Thanks Nancy B. for the idea today :)

 

I thought the AARP magazine that was sitting

on the counter was apropos in an ironic sort of way.

 

 

The taste test???? Gross!

 Waiting and waiting and waiting for the birds.

 

And of course you know this had to happen.

Stuck his whole hand in the peanut butter jar

the second I turned my back!