Thursday, January 2, 2014

dog gone crazy 'round here.

So.
We have these friends.
Well...friends isn't really a good word...adopted family is more like it.

We have always wanted pets but it either wasn't the right time 
(ya know, 50 million people in diapers at the same time just made me think, "dog? nah!") 
or our landlords at the time were anti-pets 
(which, as a homeowner who's had tenants lie about pets, I GET.).

Enter Bonnie and Violet.
I FOUGHT the whole big dog thing.
Hard.
I lost.

And I'm so thankful I lost.
I love our dogs.
(even when they frickin' poop on the carpet TWO MORNINGS IN A ROW....it. is. on. furry balls)

But even more I love all the other 'stuff' surrounding our dogs.

We have been adopted by an entire clan of people.
People who do, very much, love dogs and do, very much, love us.
People who haven't always had little kids around to grandparent and spoil so they are making up lost time on our children.  With time, love and gifts.
(I am not exaggerating!)

What's even more beautiful is it's alway a secret desire of mine to find some surrogate grandparents for my kids when we move around.

NO ONE can replace their own, very amazing, grandparents.  
There is no shortage of amazingess in this area of our lives...
we have been blessed beyond description there.

But, my desire was just some people to love on my kids that live in the same town as us.
For all that stuff I know their own grandparents wish desperately they could do, but can't due to distance.

We had it when Lydia was born, in Ohio and haven't had it since....

Until now.
Which is just cool to me because if we'd already had pets when we moved here...we may not have had this blessing in the way we do right now.

And now, we don't just have ONE set of surrogate grandparents but several.

One set in particular we get to see more often.
This set, Bob and Jody, have had a particularly difficult holiday season full of so much loss of life - both beloved dogs and close family and close friends.
Just awful.

So....
After all their flurry of funerals and emergency travel ended, we rolled up our sleeves and got to cheering them up:

Baking dog treats
(seriously, WHAT has gotten into me!?  we are baking...for the animals!? someone stop me!)
Lenora quote:  "These smell like oatmeal and puke"
agreed Lenora, agreed.

We might be overdoing this art project but one of the losses was a beloved dog.
Her name was Bleu so we honored her in some art for Jody and Bob.

And because I have four kids and they are all amazing, you get to see every.single.one.

 Lenora's:
 Lydia's:
 Sophie's:
 Samantha's:
I cried when they were all done.
Jody cried when we gave them to her.
I cried again.
We love you Bleu....

Yes, yes...we love you too Minnie, Violet and Bonnie (and Lucy...back there behind Bob, just making sure ;-)

We brought gifts and hugs to Jody.....but she had some tricks up her sleeve as well:
 presents, presents and more presents.....

Jody's quote, "Samantha, you're the easiest to buy for!  I know what you like!"  (translation, "I just buy for myself and then give it to you!")

 do not be fooled, this is how Violet ROCKS every party:
(it's ok sweet pea...you birthed 10 litters of puppies in 7 years...NOW, it's time to sleep!  I get it!)

and more presents.....
(um...these are embroidered 'bug catching' vests.  TOO MUCH!!!!  I died.  Those puppies are gonna get some miles on them!)

 Yes Bonnie, it's always about you...we promise!
 Kindred Spirits:
the little dog lady and the grown up dog lady....

Watching Bob and Jody's rescue dogs warm up to the girls has been so fun.
Minnie wouldn't even get out of the car when we first met her.
Several months later she was ok with just being in the room with the girls...

Now, this......initiated by HER!!!
If you've ever rescued an abused dog, you know....you just know.
It's so amazing.


 Art was already hung before we left!

*sigh*

We love our dogs.
We have a dream come true in surrogate grandparents.

God is good and so creative....

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oatmeal and puke! Quote book!

Jake