Our "little" puppy is little no longer. She weighs in at 45 lbs and according to the Seeing Eye coordinator "needs to thin out" Whoops. First time puppy raiser mistake, my bad.
Ester is almost seven months now. Just like with parenthood, each phase is different and each stage comes with its own pros and cons. Yes, she's not as fierce with her teeth, or needing to pee every half hour. Take her for a walk however, and you discover her strong disposition to pull (a much needed attribute of a Seeing Eye dog) and her need to put every thing on the ground in her mouth. Exhausting.
We went to puppy club this week and she was "tested" in order to secure her vest. This vest is a big deal, as she wears it officially when we're out and about, in order to make her more visible as a future working dog. Truthfully, she failed the test. She was too concerned about playing with the dog next to her, or getting attention from the coordinator, that she wasn't obeying her commands. Still, she acquired the vest, if only out of sympathy. So not only do we have some commands to refine, but we also have to get her used to wearing the vest. God help me.
I'm hopeful for the next few months. We're nipping the counter surfing as best we can, and trying to keep papers off the table. That old excuse about "the dog ate my homework" could really be used by my kids. My vacuum cord has been eaten and replaced, Nelson's camera flash has been repaired and the walls are finally in the process of being patched. Yes, she is the cause of all three. Would I change any of it? Likely not. She is the love of our lives. It doesn't matter to her what our moods are, she is ALWAYS happy to see us. Things will get eaten and chewed, only to be replaced or repaired. Accidents will occur because someone left open a gate, or forgot to take her out. Big deal. She's going to change a life for a blind person. REALLY change it. When I think about how much she's changed OUR lives in just a few short months, I'm speechless at the potential she has to affect her person just by guiding them around.
You can't put a price on that.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Happy Anniversary
16 years ago today, a dear friend of mine was getting married. We'd known each other since third grade- third grade! That's a long time to be friends (with some classic girl arguments thrown in over the years). She had asked me to be in the wedding and I happily did so, traveling from Maine to California to support her on her day.
When someone knows you for as long as we did, they understand who you are at the core. It was no surprise then, that she had hand picked a groomsman named Nelson to walk down the aisle with me- because she thought "we'd get along well." And the rest is history, as they say.
A few weeks of traveling back and forth from Maine to Toronto, sprinkled with long, long conversations on the phone (I can't tell you how many nights we stayed up late just talking about EVERYTHING) and we said enough of this baloney, and set a date.
Less than six months after we'd first met, we were getting hitched. I'd be lying if I said the first year was easy- it wasn't. Rarely is the first year of marriage. We had only been together a handful of times before we actually wed, so couple that with moving in together and figuring out all the newlywed "stuff" it made life very interesting.
By God's grace we have made it through 16 years together; some of the years have been harder than others, but many have produced memories and love deeper than anything I could have hoped for as a 26 year old.
Happy Anniversary honey- I love you more today than yesterday and not as much as I will tomorrow!
When someone knows you for as long as we did, they understand who you are at the core. It was no surprise then, that she had hand picked a groomsman named Nelson to walk down the aisle with me- because she thought "we'd get along well." And the rest is history, as they say.
A few weeks of traveling back and forth from Maine to Toronto, sprinkled with long, long conversations on the phone (I can't tell you how many nights we stayed up late just talking about EVERYTHING) and we said enough of this baloney, and set a date.
Less than six months after we'd first met, we were getting hitched. I'd be lying if I said the first year was easy- it wasn't. Rarely is the first year of marriage. We had only been together a handful of times before we actually wed, so couple that with moving in together and figuring out all the newlywed "stuff" it made life very interesting.
By God's grace we have made it through 16 years together; some of the years have been harder than others, but many have produced memories and love deeper than anything I could have hoped for as a 26 year old.
Happy Anniversary honey- I love you more today than yesterday and not as much as I will tomorrow!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The good, the bad
Life never stops. Sometimes it pauses and slow downs, but it never stops.
My dryer broke. Caputz. 15 years old, and two capable men couldn't diagnose it.
If there's one thing I don't like, it's choosing a major appliance on the fly. There are so many things to consider about the appliance itself, never mind the limitations and potential of the laundry room space. Go ahead, accuse me of over thinking.
The roof vents need to be repaired. Which turns into replacing the roof because it's old and in need. Of course. House #4 and our number is up. Time to take one for the team.
One uncle is undergoing chemo for lymphoma, another uncle fell ill last week. He never recovered and the Lord called him home. This is where life hits you square in the eyes. Life does not last forever on earth. Heaven is reserved for those who know Jesus personally, "He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:25-26)
Life doesn't stop.
Our children are going to attend their first funeral. We go for the living. We go to celebrate a life well lived, and to rejoice that he is completely healed in heaven. Some parents might disagree with our decision to take the kids, choosing instead to shelter them from the harshness of life. The reality of THIS life however, is that it ends. For every single one of us. The next life, is eternal. How we choose to spend that next life is a decision we must make now. Eternity with Jesus, or eternity without Him?
Neither child will be prepared, one can never be. The goal is to focus on death being defeated at the cross. Jesus died so that we may live forever WITH HIM. For those in Christ, death on earth is just the beginning.
It makes the dryer and the roof seems inconsequential when compared to eternity.
If you died today, would you know where you're spending eternity?
Do you want to know that you know?
Email me at nogreaterlove@optimum.net if you have questions, and I'd be happy to help.
My dryer broke. Caputz. 15 years old, and two capable men couldn't diagnose it.
If there's one thing I don't like, it's choosing a major appliance on the fly. There are so many things to consider about the appliance itself, never mind the limitations and potential of the laundry room space. Go ahead, accuse me of over thinking.
The roof vents need to be repaired. Which turns into replacing the roof because it's old and in need. Of course. House #4 and our number is up. Time to take one for the team.
One uncle is undergoing chemo for lymphoma, another uncle fell ill last week. He never recovered and the Lord called him home. This is where life hits you square in the eyes. Life does not last forever on earth. Heaven is reserved for those who know Jesus personally, "He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:25-26)
Life doesn't stop.
Our children are going to attend their first funeral. We go for the living. We go to celebrate a life well lived, and to rejoice that he is completely healed in heaven. Some parents might disagree with our decision to take the kids, choosing instead to shelter them from the harshness of life. The reality of THIS life however, is that it ends. For every single one of us. The next life, is eternal. How we choose to spend that next life is a decision we must make now. Eternity with Jesus, or eternity without Him?
Neither child will be prepared, one can never be. The goal is to focus on death being defeated at the cross. Jesus died so that we may live forever WITH HIM. For those in Christ, death on earth is just the beginning.
It makes the dryer and the roof seems inconsequential when compared to eternity.
If you died today, would you know where you're spending eternity?
Do you want to know that you know?
Email me at nogreaterlove@optimum.net if you have questions, and I'd be happy to help.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Answered prayer
I love answered prayer. Can I get an Amen?
It is my privilege to go before my God and lay my burdens at his feet. He WANTS this from me, and as I've been learning of late, suffering is merely a tool he uses to draw me to Him. When I view my struggles in this light, it changes my perspective.
Life is not without struggles. As a Christian, I would be naive to assume otherwise. Struggles WILL come, and I should prepare accordingly. Why then, do we act surprised when they come? We all do it- act shocked when something difficult comes down the pipes.
Back in the fall, I'd been having regular headaches. It finally became enough of an issue that I sought medical advice. First thing the Doctor did was prescribe an MRI. My thoughts went from 0 to 60 in about 2 seconds flat. Imagine all the "what ifs" that run through one's mind. After scheduling the MRI, I had a few days to prepare mentally and spiritually. It's not my intention to bore you with the details of my worry and concern prior to and following the MRI. What I want to do is make sure you understand the absolute peace I had while in the machine. If you've never had the horror (and I do mean this truly) of being encapsulated in a large machine, having to remain perfectly still, while enduring LOUD banging noises for 40 minutes, you'll understand why being at peace was an answered prayer.
That's right. Peace. Friends and family were covering me in prayer, and had sent me valuable scripture to comfort me. I held onto those words of truth like a lifeline while in the machine. Only my thoughts and my God were present in those 40 minutes, without which, I would have not endured. In the change room afterwards, I broke down and cried; a huge weight lifted.
The true test of patience and trust came in waiting for the results. Prayer, prayer and more prayer, the only thing I could do and control.
Turns out, the results were "normal" except for a little shadow on my skull. The Doctor suggested I see a neurologist to better understand the results and to ask about the headaches. Deep down inside, I knew it would be fine. He had already demonstrated to me that this entire scenario was not about my headaches, but about being drawn to Him. Sure enough, the neurologist said nothing further was necessary.
The headaches by the way, simply went away shortly after the New Year. Coincidence?
In a separate issue, we've been praying for a church like the one we attended previously, for the last year and a half. In Canada, we were beyond blessed with a church that was vertical- meaning their priority was to lead people to an encounter with Jesus. All the horizontal "stuff" was secondary to that single purpose. That hasn't been the case in our church shopping here. So we pray, and pray some more for God to do a mighty work in this area. All we want is more of Him; not more programs or funnier sermons, or better choices of coffee. Him.
Out of the blue last week, we get a call from a Pastor (Matt) out of Philadelphia (part of the same church fellowship we attended in Canada) who had a visit with our former Pastor. This prompted his call. Pastor Matt couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier, but wants to be praying with us, that God would call up other couples who are hungry for more of Him and want to see His church built in this area. Talk about being floored. God is at work, and doing something mighty, right here in our midst.
Being a part of, and witness to, answered prayer is more than it appears on the surface. Yes, I can tick off a box in my prayer journal. More importantly, is that I am renewed with a sense of faith, and hope in a perfect God who loves even ME. That he would concern himself with an MRI and our desire to plant a church, is proof that no detail or prayer is too small.
So here's to praying, and to seeing those prayers answered. If you need anything prayed for, it would be my privilege to do so. You can email me at nogreaterlove@optimum.net
It is my privilege to go before my God and lay my burdens at his feet. He WANTS this from me, and as I've been learning of late, suffering is merely a tool he uses to draw me to Him. When I view my struggles in this light, it changes my perspective.
Life is not without struggles. As a Christian, I would be naive to assume otherwise. Struggles WILL come, and I should prepare accordingly. Why then, do we act surprised when they come? We all do it- act shocked when something difficult comes down the pipes.
Back in the fall, I'd been having regular headaches. It finally became enough of an issue that I sought medical advice. First thing the Doctor did was prescribe an MRI. My thoughts went from 0 to 60 in about 2 seconds flat. Imagine all the "what ifs" that run through one's mind. After scheduling the MRI, I had a few days to prepare mentally and spiritually. It's not my intention to bore you with the details of my worry and concern prior to and following the MRI. What I want to do is make sure you understand the absolute peace I had while in the machine. If you've never had the horror (and I do mean this truly) of being encapsulated in a large machine, having to remain perfectly still, while enduring LOUD banging noises for 40 minutes, you'll understand why being at peace was an answered prayer.
That's right. Peace. Friends and family were covering me in prayer, and had sent me valuable scripture to comfort me. I held onto those words of truth like a lifeline while in the machine. Only my thoughts and my God were present in those 40 minutes, without which, I would have not endured. In the change room afterwards, I broke down and cried; a huge weight lifted.
The true test of patience and trust came in waiting for the results. Prayer, prayer and more prayer, the only thing I could do and control.
Turns out, the results were "normal" except for a little shadow on my skull. The Doctor suggested I see a neurologist to better understand the results and to ask about the headaches. Deep down inside, I knew it would be fine. He had already demonstrated to me that this entire scenario was not about my headaches, but about being drawn to Him. Sure enough, the neurologist said nothing further was necessary.
The headaches by the way, simply went away shortly after the New Year. Coincidence?
In a separate issue, we've been praying for a church like the one we attended previously, for the last year and a half. In Canada, we were beyond blessed with a church that was vertical- meaning their priority was to lead people to an encounter with Jesus. All the horizontal "stuff" was secondary to that single purpose. That hasn't been the case in our church shopping here. So we pray, and pray some more for God to do a mighty work in this area. All we want is more of Him; not more programs or funnier sermons, or better choices of coffee. Him.
Out of the blue last week, we get a call from a Pastor (Matt) out of Philadelphia (part of the same church fellowship we attended in Canada) who had a visit with our former Pastor. This prompted his call. Pastor Matt couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier, but wants to be praying with us, that God would call up other couples who are hungry for more of Him and want to see His church built in this area. Talk about being floored. God is at work, and doing something mighty, right here in our midst.
Being a part of, and witness to, answered prayer is more than it appears on the surface. Yes, I can tick off a box in my prayer journal. More importantly, is that I am renewed with a sense of faith, and hope in a perfect God who loves even ME. That he would concern himself with an MRI and our desire to plant a church, is proof that no detail or prayer is too small.
So here's to praying, and to seeing those prayers answered. If you need anything prayed for, it would be my privilege to do so. You can email me at nogreaterlove@optimum.net
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
No shortage of excitement
I should know better by now, not to expect things to go smoothly. We're never short on adventures or excitement in this house. No complaints, just the way my life is.
Ester has had three separate bouts of diarrhea in a ten day span. At first we chalked it up to her "being a lab" and eating all sorts of things from the yard (which I try to remove in earnest.) The second bout I did what I had to, with omitting food and dispensing Pepto like a pro. Things appeared to improve. Then, a day later it all started again.
Normally I'm all for supporting local business, but this is beginning to get out of hand. When the vet gets to know you on a first name basis, you're in trouble.
After talking the options over with the vet, we've opted to take her off the food trial she's been on, and put her on a prescription diet and see if that clears up the issue. Eventually the hope is that she'll be transitioned to a regular diet. It's up to me to oversee this entire process and watch for any changes.
A sick puppy can really heighten your sense of worry. Am I doing something wrong? Did I miss removing anything that she picked up outside? What will it take to get her better? Can I possibly stockpile enough paper towels and anti-bacterial wipes?
Yet worrying does nothing for the good of the situation. Ester has no idea that I worry. She's not worried about her ordeal. I need to take a cue from the dog herself and just be happy and go with the flow. Eat what's put in front of you, drink your water, play plenty, and rest when needed. The perfect prescription for an easy life.
Thanks Ester.
Ester has had three separate bouts of diarrhea in a ten day span. At first we chalked it up to her "being a lab" and eating all sorts of things from the yard (which I try to remove in earnest.) The second bout I did what I had to, with omitting food and dispensing Pepto like a pro. Things appeared to improve. Then, a day later it all started again.
Normally I'm all for supporting local business, but this is beginning to get out of hand. When the vet gets to know you on a first name basis, you're in trouble.
After talking the options over with the vet, we've opted to take her off the food trial she's been on, and put her on a prescription diet and see if that clears up the issue. Eventually the hope is that she'll be transitioned to a regular diet. It's up to me to oversee this entire process and watch for any changes.
A sick puppy can really heighten your sense of worry. Am I doing something wrong? Did I miss removing anything that she picked up outside? What will it take to get her better? Can I possibly stockpile enough paper towels and anti-bacterial wipes?
Yet worrying does nothing for the good of the situation. Ester has no idea that I worry. She's not worried about her ordeal. I need to take a cue from the dog herself and just be happy and go with the flow. Eat what's put in front of you, drink your water, play plenty, and rest when needed. The perfect prescription for an easy life.
Thanks Ester.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Making it
Making it through the first week with a puppy is an accomplishment. I feel like I've run a marathon; if I can do this- I can do anything! It's easy to see why so many puppies are given up to shelters; they're TOUGH WORK! Their cuteness is really a great disguise for all that goes into making them an obedient part of your family.
We've learned some things this week-
1) Puppies love to sleep on your lap.
2) Puppies love to chew on anything and everything.
3) Puppies are curious, even more so than cats at times.
4) Puppies don't sleep through the night.
5) Puppies whine when they want something.
6) Puppies need to be taken out frequently to eliminate.
7) Kids will complain about how frequently said puppy needs to go out.
8) Puppies love feeding time.
9) Puppies never learn the first time.
10) Puppies require repetition for learning.
11) Puppies are unconditional in their love for you.
Each day is an improvement over the last; she's learning and growing and playful.
We love that she is a part of our family.
Where's Ester in this photo below?
We've learned some things this week-
1) Puppies love to sleep on your lap.
2) Puppies love to chew on anything and everything.
3) Puppies are curious, even more so than cats at times.
4) Puppies don't sleep through the night.
5) Puppies whine when they want something.
6) Puppies need to be taken out frequently to eliminate.
7) Kids will complain about how frequently said puppy needs to go out.
8) Puppies love feeding time.
9) Puppies never learn the first time.
10) Puppies require repetition for learning.
11) Puppies are unconditional in their love for you.
Each day is an improvement over the last; she's learning and growing and playful.
We love that she is a part of our family.
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