Sometimes you just gotta change your story...

Today is our 30th anniversary and
I thought this monumental event
deserved some space in the blog this week.
It is so hard to believe that thirty years
 have gone by so quickly.

We both agree that we would go
 back and do it all over again.

All of it...even the mind numbingly, exhausting, 

terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days...

just to have an opportunity to relive 

all the moments of wonderful

we have had together and with our children.

There is a story in our family that has been
repeated hundreds of times...
always by me and always
punctuated with a dramatic eye roll
and a long suffering heavy sigh.

It goes something like this...

Well, you will never believe how
my husband proposed to me!
I nonchalantly mentioned to him
that my apartment lease
was up at the end of the month and
I am certain I was fishing for some
type of a proposal.
He responded in typical Steve fashion
and very matter of factly said,
"We might as well get married then."
That was it.

A few weeks later we were married,
but I have always felt cheated that I didn't have
a big romantic proposal story to tell...
Until now.
 

As our anniversary approached this year
I brought it up...AGAIN,
and my usually very patient husband
turned to me and said, 
"Maybe it's about time you changed your story."

Ouch...
But, he was right.
It is time to change my story.

Sadly, it is only now, thirty years later that I realize
how awful it must have made my husband feel every
single time I told this story.
And I am so, so sorry.

I promise that I will never tell that story again.

So my gift to you my dear husband is a much better version,
a much more accurate version,
of an old worn out story.
It is the version I should have been telling all along.

It goes something like this...

 Well, you will never believe how lucky I am!
Thirty years ago I received a very simple and very
sincere  proposal  from a  very extraordinary  man.
A man who understands that an expensive ring and
a fancy proposal are not the important parts.
A man who understands that the years
spent building a family together,
and building a life together
are the important parts.
I am so blessed.

I can't believe how lucky I am to be married to this guy.

a man who is a wonderful father...
a man  who  has always  put  his family  first...
a  man  who  rushes  home every night  to  be  with us...
a  man  who  believes that  family dinners  are  important...
a man who halves my burdens and doubles my happiness...
a man  who  makes me want to be a  better  person...
a  man who shows  his  love daily  in small  ways...
a man  who is patient beyond all description...
a man who holds tightly to family traditions...
a man who holds our hands as he prays...
a man  who  loves  our  God  and
a  man  who loves his  family.
a man who is good and
kind, and so very,
 very  thoughtful .
And we are
 blessed.

So my dear husband that's my new story.
I hope you can forgive me

And with all my heart I apologize...

 For the hundreds of times that I hurt your feelings and

for the hundreds times I made you feel like you failed me.

For the hundreds of times I belittled you in front of others
 and for the hundreds of times I narrowed the parameters
of our life together down to an imagined crappy proposal.

But mostly, for the hundreds of times I should have told
you instead how thankful I am that you chose me.

Happy Anniversary

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
1Corinthians 13

 2013

The Boy Who Talks To Dogs

A.K.A. The Dog Whisperer

Cesar Milan explains that “Dog Whispering” is a way of working 
with dogs using energy and body language amongst other things 
to connect with dogs on an instinctual level 
(there is no actual whispering). 

No doubt about it this young son of ours 

has dog whispering down to a science...

No training needed. 

Four months ago we started Scotty's Petcare.
Our goals were simple:
1. Task completion
2. Following directions 
3. Staying  focused
4. Understand the concept of working/earning/spending.

Check Check Check Check

Scotty has far surpassed my expectations.  
Scotty usually hates anything that resembles work 
or any kind of physical activity whatsoever. 
Asking him to work or take a walk most 
often results in throwing himself to the ground, 
folding his arms and yelling something
 that we are certain is an obscenity.

Not anymore.

Walking Renner with his friend Kristi

Walking Daphne

Walking Ruby and checking for squirrels

As soon as Scotty wakes up in the morning 
(or in his case anytime after midnight) 
the first thing he always asks for in his groggy,
 half asleep state is to go bye-bye.
When he finds out it is a work day
 he literally JUMPS for joy!
He is SOOOOO happy!
He can't get ready fast enough.

He puts his shirt on and grabs his work book...

And he is all set.

What I didn't expect was the effect his job 
would have on his overall skill development.
He is more helpful, more cooperative and more content.
He is a man with a job and he takes it all very seriously.
He is so proud of himself. He has motivation and purpose. 
He has matured beyond my wildest dreams.

He is so proud of himself...he even had to show the pups!

He has definitely grasped the concept of working/earning/spending!

We are keeping Sonic in business.

 The best part about working?
It tires out our indefatigable son!

Scotty's new best friends.

Our little Bon Bon of course...

...Our Gracie girl that we lost recently
and the one and only Johnny Cash.
Make no mistake...He walks the line.
(Sorry Cabin Fever)

 Our first day of work at Mary's house...our first clients.

Sweet little Gizmo.
Scotty and Gizmo have been friends since she was a puppy.
This sweet little girl was 16
and passed away a few weeks ago.
She loved him.
Rest in Peace Gizzy Girl♥

Chloe

 

Elsie

At Mary's house there are bonus grand babies
Stephanie,Thomas and baby Quinn, and their puppy Charlie.

Charlie loves Scotty and showers him with thousands of kisses.

 This is Scotty's buddy Renner.
Renner is a therapy dog.

 As soon as Scotty sits down he stands over him.

 Scotty had been up since 3am so
after our walk he laid down on the floor and fell asleep.
Renner came over and curled up next to him.

♥So sweet♥

This is Jack.  He is so sweet, but very shy.
If I go near him he shakes and does pee pee,
but Scotty can lay all over him
and kiss him on the mouth
and he is perfectly fine.
♥Amazing♥

This is our Grandma's dog Ruby.

This is Cricket who lives up the street...

And her sister Mikayla...not one for snuggles,
but very sweet♥

We have also had a few house guests.

 Miss Bailey

Bailey cried when her mama left and Scotty comforted her.

♥So sweet♥
 

Miss Lily spent thanksgiving with us...

And spent most of her time snuggled up next to Scotty.

Thanksgiving was a little crazy...

A full house! Ruby was here too, but refused to
participate in this nonsense.

We also had a visit from a much loved friend Tyler.

 This is his "little" guy Jackson.

It is a fact that this boy of ours talks to dogs...

But he listens too!

“Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. 

That's the problem.”  

A.A. Milne, Winnie -the-Pooh 

Blessing of the Pets

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

"The animals of God's creation inhabit the skies,the earth and the sea.
They share in the fortunes of human existence
and have a part in human life.
God, who confers gifts on all living things,
has often used the service of animals
or made them reminders of salvation...
We, therefore, invoke God's blessing on these animals.
As we do so, let us praise the Creator
and thank God for setting us as stewards
over all the creatures of the earth."