Remembering . . .

TISSUE ALERT . . . GRAB YOUR TISSUES NOW!


It was a year ago today that we said goodbye to our big brother Hunter.  We know now the good Lord knew exactly what He was doing when He took Hunter that day.  (And for those of you who doubt, Mommy KNOWS Hunter is going to be in heaven waiting for her when her times comes . . . hopefully a long, long, long, time from now!)

We learned on March 1st that we were moving, and that move took place the first week of June.  There is no way Hunter could have handled a twenty-seven hour car ride to our new home.  He needed to be sedated to drive to Grandma and Poppa's house nine hours away and he became pretty stressed just going across town to the vet!  He also would have been miserable this summer in this heat.  His laryngeal paralysis made it difficult enough for him to catch his breath in normal heat.

When we think back over all that has taken place in our family over the last six months, we know Hunter's passing was best for him.  God had a larger plan for our family that we were unaware of at the time.

We miss you and love you, Hunter.
Mommy, Daddy, Dixie and Jenna

Fireside Nap

If we're going to talk about one of us trying to fill Hunter's paws, then I guess we have to talk about me too!  I LOVE napping in front of the fireplace (with or without a fire going).  Hunter used to do the same.  Mommy kept a bed there for him to stretch out on in the evenings.  He originally had a bed with a cover made by Mimi to match the drapes in the den, but as he grew older Mommy treated him to a fabulous orthopedic dawg bed to help with his old joints.  He loved it, but he didn't always sleep on it (nor did it always stay in front of the fireplace).  He could be temperamental that way.

Since Hunter has passed, that original bed is upstairs in our parents' bedroom for me or Jenna to sleep on.  We also have upstairs the bed that Hunter only used for recreational purposes.  That bed is my choice sleeping spot if I can't be on the human bed!  The orthopedic bed is also back in its prime location in front of the fireplace.  And that's where you'll find me most evenings!

[sigh]

Here's to sweet dreams!
Dixie

Steppin' Up

Our brother Hunter used to enjoy relaxing on the stairway landing.  He frequently settled himself there for a nap.  I think it gave him a vantage point so he could keep up with the comings and goings of everyone both upstairs and downstairs.

In the past few months, Jenna has officially decided this is now HER space!  She likes to  position herself there fairly often.  Mommy tries to grab a picture of Jenna when she can (usually with her cell phone and they don't always turn out that great!).

When we receive a special treat to eat, Jenna usually takes hers up to the landing to enjoy.  She acts as if she's afraid I would steal it.  Would I be dumb enough to put myself between the Jaws of Life and her treat??  Not on your life (nor especially mine)!

Every once in a while when she's not looking, I take a moment to enjoy this spot too. This picture is proof that I'm the Little Lady around here!  (Too bad it's so grainy!)

I'm sure Jenna will continue to enjoy that spot, but she certainly has big paws to fill!
Dixie

PS: Mommy and Daddy had their first date TWENTY years ago today!  WOW!!!  That's almost half their lives!  Another WOW!!

Happy New Year

Welcome to the New Year!  We hope you'll be blessed now and all the way through to December!

The Chinese don't celebrate the start of their new calendar until February 8 this year, and it will be the year of the monkey.  According to their calendar, they don't re-visit the year of the dog until 2018.  For our family, we feel as if we just ended the Year of the Dawg and not necessarily in a good way.

We said goodbye to three wonderful family members:

Cousin Harley

Cousin Cocoa

And our dear brother Hunter

On the bright side, we welcomed a new cousin to the family, Hank!

As we reflect on all our losses this past year, we are trying to cherish the good times and all of the blessings we had as well.  We hope this year is truly the year of the monkey and not another year of the dawg!  Does that mean we'll adopt a monkey in the New Year???  Hmmm.  Something to think about . . .

Happy New Year!
Dixie and Jenna

It's a Wrap!

Mommy is one of those annoying people who likes to have her Christmas shopping done early.  She also likes to have the presents wrapped before Thanksgiving so that when the tree goes up shortly after, the presents are ready to finish the "look."  For some reason, she's having a hard time getting her act together this year.  Most of the shopping was finished early, but the tree went up later than usual and the presents weren't wrapped in advance.  When she finally did get around to wrapping the gifts, I decided to help her out . . .

As she finished up rolls of paper, I helped by moving those empty rolls out of her way.  I think I'm super sweet that way.  I had trouble getting the rolls to fit in the stairwell, so instead I took them to Mommy's bedroom and proceeded to make them more manageable.  Once I got my teeth on those rolls, they were definitely easier to carry around.

Mommy said I reminded her of another sweet dawg who loved to help wrap presents as well . . .

Usually it's Dixie who does something to remind Mommy of Hunter.  The honor goes to me this time, and that makes me a lucky dawg.  I wonder if Hunter is the reason Mommy isn't quite in the Christmas spirit yet.  It's something to ponder, but for now I'll wrap it up.

Bark at You Later!
Jenna

One Last Secret . . .

It's been a little over a month since Hunter passed away.  We're doing fine surviving as a family of four with only two dawgs.  On the bright side (if there is one), Mommy doesn't look quite as much like the Crazy Dawg Lady as she did before.  She'd gladly embrace that title again if given the chance.  And in case you have any crazy ideas of your own, NO, we are NOT looking to add to the gang any time soon.  Mommy's not up for all night house-breaking potty sessions any time soon.  And she limits those to the summer season (hence the reason all of our birthdays are in May!).

We do have one more picture of Hunter to share with you.  It was taken in June, but Mommy never shared it with anyone.  She didn't want to freak Daddy out.  If Daddy knew then what he'll soon know after reading this, Hunter would have been in deep trouble.  Then again, maybe not.  Daddy had a soft spot for Hunter in his old age (you can determine if that pronoun refers to Daddy or Hunter!  Ha!).

To truly enjoy this picture you first have to remember a few things:

• Hunter hated walking on the hardwood floors.
• Hunter had never before crossed into the man room in ten years of living in this house because of the hardwood floors.
• Hunter followed Mommy everywhere except into the man room and the bathrooms (he didn't like the floors in there either).

When Mommy was cleaning windows in the man room this summer, she snapped this miracle moment!

Hunter didn't stay on the bear skin rug for long since there are only two windows in the man room and it only took Mommy so long to clean them.  She was quite surprised Hunter ventured across the floor and onto the rug.  She was almost as surprised when he proceeded to settle down on the rug.  

We thought it would be okay if we revealed Hunter's (and Mommy's) secret to you now so that you too could marvel in his moment of bravery!

Enjoy!

Dixie and Jenna

  

Stinky Feet?

Do you have stinky feet?  We figure most everyone does at some point in their lives.  The real question is do you like the SMELL of stinky feet?

Our brother Hunter loved smelling the insides of everyone's shoes.  He loved coming across a pair of shoes that had been removed and taking a good long whiff of them.  He'd plant his nose inside the shoes and inhale.  If he really liked what he smelled, he'd begin to roll around on the shoes.  If he really, really liked them there might be some euphoric moaning and groaning involved!  You've probably seen dawgs roll around in the yard when they come across some sort of smell that really appeals to them.  Usually it's a smell their owners don't care for, but the dawg wants to bathe in. That's what Hunter did to shoes!

Poppa couldn't stand it when Hunter did that to his shoes.  He swore Hunter was ruining his shoes!  There was never any licking or slobber involved, but Poppa learned to put his shoes out of Hunter's reach.  Daddy didn't really care for Hunter rolling in his shoes, but only because one shoe usually got away and it took a while to search for it across the room when it came time to put them back on.

Mommy, on the other hand, catered to every olfactory whim of her boy Hunter!  When she arrived home after a day of work, Hunter would follow her around knowing good scents were going to come out of her shoes.  He eagerly awaited at her feet for her to pull off her shoes.  She allowed him to take a roll in her shoes daily.  One might say she even encouraged him to indulge in his shoe fetish!  One might also say she must have stinky feet, but  . . .

It's okay if these shoes are ruined . . . the 80's are calling for their return anyway!  

But don't tell Daddy we said so!  Ssshhhh!  Or maybe YOU should tell him!

Most of these pictures were taken last fall.  Mommy kept the camera in the closet for several days running trying to capture the perfect images of Hunter rolling around.  She never got it quite right, but I think there's enough here to have a decent understanding of this strange habit of Hunter's.

Here's to stinky feet!  And to my big brother Hunter!
Dixie

The Tail Marks the Spot

As a reading teacher, Mommy has tons of bookmarks at her disposal.  However, that doesn't mean she always uses them.  She tends to just dawg ear the corner of the page or use the paper cover if it's a hardback book.  She has been gifted with two bookmarks in the past year that she is actually trying to use.  Aunt Holly gave her a purple monogrammed bookmark and Aunt Gwen gave her one that is red and says "Keep Calm and Carry On."

A few weeks ago, Mommy had a different bookmark to help her keep her place: Hunter's tail!  Hunter lived on the old loveseat when he was a puppy (kind of like I used to before the new one arrived), but as an older dawg, he didn't hop up there too often.  On this particular day, he took a running leap and made himself comfy beside Mommy.  When he settled himself, his tail had no where else to go!

I'm sure he just wanted to be helpful since he was taking up so much room on the loveseat.  Mommy didn't mind one bit.  She was happy to share the space and her book with him!  

If only she looked that happy when I invaded her space!  [sigh]

Missing my big brother,   [bigger sigh]

Dixie

To Hunter with Much Love

My dear sweet Hunter,

You've been my pal for the past thirteen years.  You came into our lives on my 29th birthday.  We were so happy to add you to our family.  We had only been in Minnesota for a month and I needed a friend.  You became my sidekick, my buddy, my confidante, my friend, my heartbeat at my feet.  We spent so many summers together walking, swimming, loving on each other.

You and Daddy had quite a few moments that first year.  You were so stubborn and refused to listen some days.  I'm sure the neighbors saw the two of you wrestling in the front yard for dominance!  Apparently it worked because even to the last day if you heard one of us give a command to you or to your sisters, you were quick to respond!  You taught Daddy that dawgs can have a complex personality and weren't just meant to do a job.

We will remember so many aspects of your personality: your love of ice and peanut butter, snuggling between me and Daddy for your place in the bed, your blanket obsession, pretending you have a need to potty when you really just want to play in the snow, your strange love of consuming paper products, your love of playing in the water, your acceptance of not one but two sisters, your willingness to constantly pose for pictures!

I'm so sorry we didn't have that one special last day that I'd been thinking about and planning for the last year.  Despite the fact that you were sick and had been for a while, the end came way too suddenly for me.  Thirteen years wasn't nearly enough.

You were not just our dawg, or even our pet.  We called you Son.  Although we haven't been blessed with the human variety of children, we've been blessed to have three canine versions.  You were our first and oldest.  You were with us during so many difficult as well as wonderful times in our lives.

You were so, so precious to our family.  Daddy and I will miss you terribly.  

I was so blessed to be your Mommy.

Find a pond in heaven and we'll meet you there . . . 

We love you, Buddy.

J's Chocolate Hunter

May 14, 2002

September 1, 2015 

Summer Cleaning 2

After Mommy and Dixie washed the deck furniture, Mommy had to paint it.  She started with the wrought iron pieces and carried them to a part of the yard she doesn't look at very much.  That way, when she painted the grass it wouldn't bother her as much.  She tries not to let the paint on the grass get to her too much; she knows it will be all gone when the grass is cut next week.

Right after she finished plopping the chairs down, Hunter took up residence in the middle.  Mommy brought one of the outdoor dawg beds from the deck to the area where she was working, but Hunter ignored it.

You have to wonder if Mommy was trying to turn Hunter into a black lab.  After all, she has two fantastic black labs already.  Well, I'm fantastic.  Dixie is fantastic by association; she has ME for a sister!  Hunter says the answer to my curiosity is NO since Mommy loves chocolate almost as much as she loves him.

Dixie ran around like a crazy dawg most of the time.  She wanted Mommy to take frequent breaks from painting to throw the ball for her.  When she wasn't trying to play, she took her breaks under the weigela.

Hunter eventually migrated to the shade (still ignoring that comfy dawg bed).

Where was I you ask?  I hung out in the shade of the maple tree the whole time.  I was out of the sun and out of the way!  Because I'm smart one!

We're off to find more to clean . . .
Jenna