Friday, July 22, 2011

that'll do.

I am not an animal lover. I must confess. But I am a lover of those who love animals. Like my kids. And my husband. It feels like...the last few years have been laced with the pets that too soon left our lives. Even if that 'too soon' was more than twenty years like our dear horse Tory.

Still.

When an animal falls ill beyond hope...the last thing that feels right is keeping them alive. When we left for San Diego, our lab, black as night whose name is Cole, got very sick. When we returned, there was almost nothing left of him. Except. His happy black face. And, his will to want to please the kids and Kory. And of course, his appetite for strawberries. He seemed fine, until you looked at him sideways. And saw that he was nothing but skin and dog bones.

Years back Cole ran away from home one day, chasing the smell of things beyond our green grass. We looked for him for days. High and low. Far and wide. It seemed the dog was gone forever. We all cried, and felt so sad that his reddish brown collar did not have his name around his neck, so someone would find him and bring him back to us.

In a last ditch effort, Emma and I went to the pound one last time, after several days of looking. We walked into the barking carnival, and down at the far end we could see a dog, as black as railroad coal, jumping for the sky. "It's ME, It's ME!" He must have said in dog language! Emma and I could not believe our eyes. It really WAS him!! He jumped so high that day he nearly cleared the dog kennel they had him in. Never has there been a happier dog. Or a happier little girl. My Emma and I shared a few tears that day, and when we called Kory, his voice cracked when we told him we had found our dog at long last.

And so. On Wed when Cole collapsed. With no strength. We knew. That his life was nearly over. Hayden cried so hard it broke my heart. Emma's tears fell fast, and Kory and I sat there with our eyes filled to the brim. For a brief moment Cole lifted his head long enough for me to snap a picture. And Hayden said, "I had some hope right then Mom that Cole was going to be ok." But Hayden knew. And we all knew. That Cole's happy tail, his shiny black coat, and his appetite for strawberries, would have to wag on in heaven.

That'll do Cole. That'll do.

The kids say goodbye to Cole.


Kory, Wiley, and Cole in 2009.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Welcome to BC Angel Moroni.

On Tuesday the kids and I waited in the rain. Then waited in the wind. Then waited in the sun. Then went and got some snacks. Then waited while eating doughnuts. And visited while waiting. Then pushed the baby to rock her to sleep. Then waited some more. And more.

And then, the moment happened, and Angel Moroni was hooked up to the crane. His flight had begun! The horn was blown from the top of the crane! They were ready for him!! The crowd erupted!! The missionaries started singing! I jumped up and down! The baby was still sleeping.




And I got chills. And for a moment,I thought, "This is what it must have felt like to be an early member of the church...when all the first temples were buing built." Such awe.







What a great, wonderful, amazing day to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint in Brigham City Utah!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

...

Boogie. Boogie. Laugh. Laugh.


I loved, loved, loved watching James and Hayden and Emma boogie together. It was priceless. Bring on the waves!!

San Diego! I love you!







Such a fun family trip to San Diego! We loved being with Jut and Abs and the boys. There are a few times as a mother that you just sit back and watch your kids having the time of their life...and watching Hayden and Emma in the ocean for the first time ever was one of those moments. Hayden's laugh the first time he caught a wave on the boogie board is forever etched in my mind. Emma running around the beach catching tiny sand crabs, and Maggie running from the waves...these are the things I will remember from our trip to San Diego. Thank you to Justin and Abbie for sharing their CA life with us!! They were such good hosts and made us feel so welcome.