Quote from "Stepping Heavenward" by Mrs. E. Prentiss

"She says I shall now have one mouth more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music and drawing.

Well! This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other.

Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which dwells is worthy of all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other dear darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, wondrously blest!"

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

It's a Girl!! What????

My husband is the rescuer of animals. Every pet we have now has been rescued or from a litter of a rescued pet. Well, our recent "rescue" came early in December with a phone call from my husband. It went something like this:
Hubby: "Hey hon, don't you think the kiddos need a dog?"
Me: "Ummm, no"
Hubby: "Well, I was helping this little old lady at the grocery store [hold your applause people] and she has 2 male puppies that she really needs to get rid of."
Me (8 months pregnant, 6 kiddos still at home, 1 married daughter with 2 grandbabies, 2 cats, homeschooling, running a business and children's church): "And?"
Hubby: "They really need a home, it would help her out and they are adorable white huskies"
Me: "Honey, if you want dogs at your shop to be guard dogs and pets that's fine. I don't have time for one more thing."
Hubby: That's a good idea.

1st day: puppies at shop
2nd day: puppies at shop
3rd day leading to weekend: Hubby: "I'm going to bring them home just for the kiddos to see how cute they are."

Me: "uh-huh" knowing the inevitable has already begun to happen. The puppies will be adorable, the kiddos will fall in love with them and I'm stuck.

And it happened just as I knew. These two little snow ball, fluffy fat puppy dogs come in, kiddos squeal "can we keep them, can we keep them" yada, yada, yada. And I have to once again give my little spiel that really amounts to a hill of beans but I feel better giving.

Me: "Fine, I'm not watering, feeding, taking out, cleaning up after, training, yada, yada, yada."

Kids: Hooping, hollering and screams of delight.
Me: Big Sigh
Dad: Fat grin!

Well, my married daughter sees the puppies and also falls in love and asks if she could have one for the grand babies. Being the generous soul that I am, I gladly give up the puppy of her choosing and the kiddos agree since he's still in the family.

The pups potty train easy. They have to be gotten on to for snapping while they are playing but are improving. My daughter's pup is named Moe and ours Buddy.

We had Buddy in the cage a few days before Christmas at home while we went to my daughter's. Came home to a huge gash in his head and neck. Spent $100 on pup stuff at the pet store (I know, I know....the "free" dog) to doctor him up. Looked a bit better for a few days but came home Monday evening from being out to his neck opened up like he had been filleted. The E.R. vet wouldn't see him because we didn't have cash that night so we bandaged him up 'til morning and took him to the vet near our home.

I head to work with the kiddos. Hubby heads to the vet first thing that morning.
Phone rings.

Hubby: "Michelle, did you know Buddy was a girl - why'd y'all name HIM her Buddy?"
Me: "Remember, you said she had 2 boy pups to give us when you first called? I guess nobody turned over the rolly polly fluffy pups to check out inventory?"
Background at vet's office: Large roars of laughter!

So, long story short, puppy comes home after surgery from a rubber band that we guess our 3 year old had put on his fluffy little head. It had dug in so deep we never saw it and eventually filleted his throat. Poor baby. SHE is doing great, happy, incredible appetite and the vet's office all voted on the name Abby which we like. So our boy puppy came home healthy and a girl!!

P.S. Other pup is a boy :).

Laughter is Such Good Medicine

With a large household, there are always opportunities for laughter. One can find humor in so many things and it's obviously true that laughter is good medicine because it lightens so many days with joy. I wish I wrote all the funny things my little ones have said over the years. My granddaughter has definitely gotten in on the act and is so much fun. In fact, as I recall the funny stories and things they say, I may just add them to this post.

This week's funnies have occurred at the doctor office as my kiddos had to get check ups and a few immunizations. My eldest son hadn't been to the doctor in 5 years and was not thrilled with the idea at all. My family has just been blessed with great health and I don't usually do yearly check-ups but the kiddos hadn't been in a loooong time and I was feeling a twinge of being that good parent guilt. He and my 11 yo son had their appt's yesterday. We only do certain shots so he was curious if they'd be getting any and if so why, why, why. As we waited, we were being pretty silly and I suggested how the needles would be rather large and they would have to bear their bottoms and was having a little fun with them. (I know a mom with a warped sense of humor.) They weren't quite sure whether to take me fully serious or if it was like my little Christmas pranks of "Fort Penguin" and "Wannabekins" (funny story for another post). As they got silly with one another, I told them to remember they had a camera hiding in the corner. Well, our pediatrician also has a great sense of humor and came in and made the boys feel very at ease. He heard them giggling as he came in and I assured him they weren't quite as silly as their 3 year old sister had been the day before who was Miss. Giggly the entire visit. He checked them out and said they were healthy as could be and he suggested a few immunizations and asked what I wanted to do. (I'm not an easy parent...I investigate a lot before we do anything but fortunately he's used to me.) So we decided on a few and he jokes about where they want the shot, the size of the needle, and how the nurse would be back after she sharpened the needles. Of course, I jumped on the bandwagon and let the boys know "see, there is a camera...he agreed with everything I told them". Then he told them the truth, after we all finished laughing, and we waited for the nurse. The boys didn't even hardly feel the shots (for which we are thankful) and we all left smiling and joking with one another.

Last night, I just reflected on how the mundane things like dr. appt.'s, going to work, doing school, doing chores could really drag us down if we let them overwhelm us or we can find joy as we go. I'm so very thankful the Lord blessed me with children full of joy and life that make life full.

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Quote from Jim Elliott

He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. (His thoughts on Luke 16:9)

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