I try to inspire my Sons...
Love God
Be Kind to Others
Try Hard at Everything You Do
Don't Give Up
Make a Difference
Be Somebody
Sometimes I fail...
I want more for my kids than I had
Not that I didn't have plenty
I want more for my kids than I have
Save your money
Do well in school
Live a God-Filled Life
How do I tell you I'm proud of you
While telling you to try harder
Be Smarter
Don't make life more difficult than it has to be?
Pray
For others
For peace
For yourselves
Love others
Seek peace
For others
And yourselves
I try hard to be inspirational
Just as I have been inspired by others
So many times
At times I know I've succeeded
If only in tiny little ways
I love you
Even when I don't say it
You can see it in my eyes
I'm proud of you
Even when I don't say it
But I try to say it often
And out loud
If it isn't enough
Just tell me
I know
Sometimes I need
To hear it too...
It helps to Inspire Me
-Dad
Monday, January 11, 2010
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Paranormal Activity...at least I think it was...
Let me emphatically state first and foremost that I do not believe in ghosts. When I was younger, we used to joke that our house was haunted because when the furnace turned off at night it would make a sound as it was cooling off, that sounded like someone walking up our staircase. That was as ghostly as things ever got at home when I was a boy.
In later years we had a furnace that would growl (sort of) as it was starting up and we would tell people that it was Spot the Dragon, who lived under the stairs.My Cousins and I used to swear that my Grandpa's farmhouse was haunted. After my Grandma passed away, there was an upstairs room where the light would come on by itself. Being kids, we just attributed it to the fact that our Grandma's ghost was looking out for Grandpa and us kids, too.
In the not-so-distant past, I recall a night when my Son, Dustin cried out in his sleep and as I groggily walked into his room to check on him, his tennis shoe rolled across the bedroom floor right past where I was standing. My Wife, Sherry, swears that I dreamed this, however, how does this explain the fact that after it happened, there I stood, wide awake in the middle of my Son's bedroom?
Then there was the Tony Hawk incident. I know, Tony Hawk...Skateboarder...Scary, right? To explain: Dustin received a Tony Hawk remote control toy that featured a large Tony Hawk figure on a skateboard. The remote control not only made the skateboard go forward and backwards, but you could also control Tony's movements from side to side so that if he fell over, one push of a button and Tony would swivel and push himself back into an upright position.
One night I awoke to hear an electronic buzzing sound followed by a thump. This process repeated several times until I was fully awake enough to realize that something was bumping around across the hall somewhere. I followed the sound to Dustin's room where I found Tony Hawk, rolling across the floor, thumping into the baseboard and tipping over. When he hit the floor, he swiveled and popped back up and rolled back across the room. After running into a Batman beanbag chair, he'd go back across the room and perform the same routine.
I immediately began looking for the remote control to see if the kids had put it down with something on top of it, pressing one of the buttons. I located the remote on Dustin's desk chair and picked it up. As soon as I touched it, Tony stopped moving. I carried the remote control back across the hall with me, and laid it on the nightstand before climbing back into bed.
No sooner did I close my eyes than I heard Tony start up again, rolling slowly across the floor and then "Thump." I raised up in bed and fumbled for the light switch. I pulled off the back of the remote and took the batteries out and sat them down on the table. Fastening the remote back together, I put it down and then slid back down under the blankets while flipping off the light.
A few minutes later I heard a buzzing sound, followed by a soft thump. Now I was getting ticked off. Was one of the kids playing with me? I walked into Dustin's room, where he was fast asleep. Out of the corner of my eye I see Tony Hawk, raising himself up off the ground and beginning to roll towards me. I reached down and picked up the toy and carried it down the stairs to the garage, where I left it to roll and buzz all night.
I can only think it was some sort of electrical interference of some sort, but who knows?
After our youngest Son, Jared was born, we installed a high tech video camera and baby monitor in his room, just above his baby crib. Night after night I would fall asleep watching him squirm and wiggle until he fell asleep. One night I heard him cooing and gurgling and as I looked up at the screen, I saw a shadow pass by his bed. Remembering the shoe incident of some years earlier, I spent the remainder of the night in a rocking chair beside his bed.
At other times I'd see floating things cross the black and white screen of Jared's monitor. At first they appeared to be white dust particles, but some of them were just too big to fit my dust theory. Since I don't believe in ghosts, I assume they were also some sort of electrical disturbance. In other words, I'm sure there is some sort of logical explanation.
More recently, in the area of unexplained phenomena here at home, I can't figure out how Luke, after many years of living in our garage, suddenly figured out how to open up the garage door by hitting his nose or paw against the keypad, or why Socks has suddenly become so "talkative," or how Kevin gets my gloves out of my coat pocket without unbuttoning my coat pockets?
I wish Robert Stack was around to solve these Unsolved Mysteries!
David
In later years we had a furnace that would growl (sort of) as it was starting up and we would tell people that it was Spot the Dragon, who lived under the stairs.My Cousins and I used to swear that my Grandpa's farmhouse was haunted. After my Grandma passed away, there was an upstairs room where the light would come on by itself. Being kids, we just attributed it to the fact that our Grandma's ghost was looking out for Grandpa and us kids, too.
In the not-so-distant past, I recall a night when my Son, Dustin cried out in his sleep and as I groggily walked into his room to check on him, his tennis shoe rolled across the bedroom floor right past where I was standing. My Wife, Sherry, swears that I dreamed this, however, how does this explain the fact that after it happened, there I stood, wide awake in the middle of my Son's bedroom?
Then there was the Tony Hawk incident. I know, Tony Hawk...Skateboarder...Scary, right? To explain: Dustin received a Tony Hawk remote control toy that featured a large Tony Hawk figure on a skateboard. The remote control not only made the skateboard go forward and backwards, but you could also control Tony's movements from side to side so that if he fell over, one push of a button and Tony would swivel and push himself back into an upright position.
One night I awoke to hear an electronic buzzing sound followed by a thump. This process repeated several times until I was fully awake enough to realize that something was bumping around across the hall somewhere. I followed the sound to Dustin's room where I found Tony Hawk, rolling across the floor, thumping into the baseboard and tipping over. When he hit the floor, he swiveled and popped back up and rolled back across the room. After running into a Batman beanbag chair, he'd go back across the room and perform the same routine.
I immediately began looking for the remote control to see if the kids had put it down with something on top of it, pressing one of the buttons. I located the remote on Dustin's desk chair and picked it up. As soon as I touched it, Tony stopped moving. I carried the remote control back across the hall with me, and laid it on the nightstand before climbing back into bed.
No sooner did I close my eyes than I heard Tony start up again, rolling slowly across the floor and then "Thump." I raised up in bed and fumbled for the light switch. I pulled off the back of the remote and took the batteries out and sat them down on the table. Fastening the remote back together, I put it down and then slid back down under the blankets while flipping off the light.
A few minutes later I heard a buzzing sound, followed by a soft thump. Now I was getting ticked off. Was one of the kids playing with me? I walked into Dustin's room, where he was fast asleep. Out of the corner of my eye I see Tony Hawk, raising himself up off the ground and beginning to roll towards me. I reached down and picked up the toy and carried it down the stairs to the garage, where I left it to roll and buzz all night.
I can only think it was some sort of electrical interference of some sort, but who knows?
After our youngest Son, Jared was born, we installed a high tech video camera and baby monitor in his room, just above his baby crib. Night after night I would fall asleep watching him squirm and wiggle until he fell asleep. One night I heard him cooing and gurgling and as I looked up at the screen, I saw a shadow pass by his bed. Remembering the shoe incident of some years earlier, I spent the remainder of the night in a rocking chair beside his bed.
At other times I'd see floating things cross the black and white screen of Jared's monitor. At first they appeared to be white dust particles, but some of them were just too big to fit my dust theory. Since I don't believe in ghosts, I assume they were also some sort of electrical disturbance. In other words, I'm sure there is some sort of logical explanation.
More recently, in the area of unexplained phenomena here at home, I can't figure out how Luke, after many years of living in our garage, suddenly figured out how to open up the garage door by hitting his nose or paw against the keypad, or why Socks has suddenly become so "talkative," or how Kevin gets my gloves out of my coat pocket without unbuttoning my coat pockets?
I wish Robert Stack was around to solve these Unsolved Mysteries!
David
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
A Man for all seasons...except for this one.
At the age of 44 he became a cranky old man. The winter mornings woke him with the slow feel of ice-cold death. His knees and back and shoulders creaked as he sat up in his bed. His lovely Wife of many years continued in her slumber, blissfully unaware that another winter's morning had arrived.
His feet recoil at the touch of the cold, wooden floor and he hurries as best as his stiff legs will carry him, to the bathroom, where a warm, fluffy rug awaits his trembling toes. He looks in the mirror at the bleary-eyed man. "Can that be me?" He thinks, surveying the bag-laden eyes, complete with dark circles and the vast expanse of stomach that hides the very top of his pajama bottoms.
The cranky old man turns without thinking and reaches down to scratch the ears of Kevin, his Yellow Lab. Kevin is always at his side and is always ready for a good scratching. Kevin folds up on the floor in a thump as the man undresses and steps into the shower. The hot water, as good as any amount of caffeine he might imbibe, wakes him quickly.
He washes as fast as he can and then suddenly stops, arms loose at his sides as he stands, face into the steaming stream of hot water. He stands there for a full five minutes until he reaches the understanding that he is now ready to face the day.
Kevin feigns sleep, but at the sound of the shower door opening, he thump thumps his tail on the warm, fluffy rug without even bothering to lift an eyelid. The man thinks Kevin is just trying to be modest and offer him a wee bit of privacy. Privacy is something that the man has not known since he became married and had children and adopted his two dogs.
Dressed in his blue jeans, he irons his shirt. There is still a chill in the house on this morning, but in his busyness, the man does not feel it. Kevin, behind him on the floor, seems not to notice it either, nor does he care, because Kevin is a snow dog, just like many of his type are water dogs.
The man puts on his shirt and calls to Kevin and to Socks, Kevin's friend, the Lab-Shepherd Mix. She and Kevin bound down the stairs after the man and wait patiently at the door as he unlocks it.
They're off! Out the door and into the shiny whiteness that is this winter. They play for a moment until nature calls and then they're off again; leaping over piles of snow and plowing through snow drifts. They romp and they roll until Socks, with her black coat, is speckled with white snowflakes. Kevin, who is not so quick to give up, starts running again, as Socks plops on the snow to rest.
The man takes this all in and enjoys the view from behind the glass, where he is comfortable. He hates the thought of having to go outside to warm up the car. He thinks of moving to Florida or New Mexico or some other, warmer climate. He can't bear the thought of another, possibly colder, maybe even wetter...winter. He loves that his dogs love the snow, and he loves that his kids love it too. Heck, not that long ago, he himself liked it too!
He remembers those days of snow forts and sledding with a smile..he considers himself to be a man for all seasons...except for this one.
David
His feet recoil at the touch of the cold, wooden floor and he hurries as best as his stiff legs will carry him, to the bathroom, where a warm, fluffy rug awaits his trembling toes. He looks in the mirror at the bleary-eyed man. "Can that be me?" He thinks, surveying the bag-laden eyes, complete with dark circles and the vast expanse of stomach that hides the very top of his pajama bottoms.
The cranky old man turns without thinking and reaches down to scratch the ears of Kevin, his Yellow Lab. Kevin is always at his side and is always ready for a good scratching. Kevin folds up on the floor in a thump as the man undresses and steps into the shower. The hot water, as good as any amount of caffeine he might imbibe, wakes him quickly.
He washes as fast as he can and then suddenly stops, arms loose at his sides as he stands, face into the steaming stream of hot water. He stands there for a full five minutes until he reaches the understanding that he is now ready to face the day.
Kevin feigns sleep, but at the sound of the shower door opening, he thump thumps his tail on the warm, fluffy rug without even bothering to lift an eyelid. The man thinks Kevin is just trying to be modest and offer him a wee bit of privacy. Privacy is something that the man has not known since he became married and had children and adopted his two dogs.
Dressed in his blue jeans, he irons his shirt. There is still a chill in the house on this morning, but in his busyness, the man does not feel it. Kevin, behind him on the floor, seems not to notice it either, nor does he care, because Kevin is a snow dog, just like many of his type are water dogs.
The man puts on his shirt and calls to Kevin and to Socks, Kevin's friend, the Lab-Shepherd Mix. She and Kevin bound down the stairs after the man and wait patiently at the door as he unlocks it.
They're off! Out the door and into the shiny whiteness that is this winter. They play for a moment until nature calls and then they're off again; leaping over piles of snow and plowing through snow drifts. They romp and they roll until Socks, with her black coat, is speckled with white snowflakes. Kevin, who is not so quick to give up, starts running again, as Socks plops on the snow to rest.
The man takes this all in and enjoys the view from behind the glass, where he is comfortable. He hates the thought of having to go outside to warm up the car. He thinks of moving to Florida or New Mexico or some other, warmer climate. He can't bear the thought of another, possibly colder, maybe even wetter...winter. He loves that his dogs love the snow, and he loves that his kids love it too. Heck, not that long ago, he himself liked it too!
David
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Something old, Something new
2009 turned out to be a lazy year for me...blog-wise, that is. Oh, sure...I still wrote a lot...but the time I spent writing was on facebook, and not on blogger. Bad me, bad me. As someone who loves to write (who lives to write), it is certainly a good thing that I don't write to live or I'd be in mas trouble.
As I look back at 2009 I think "Whew! I made it!" Not that it was a horrible year, but it definitely had it's moments. There are some things that happened in 2009 that I hope NEVER to have happen again. As I close out this year, I can say that the past few months have been an improvement (with the exception of the death of our beloved dog, Luke) over what came earlier in the year.
The highlights of this year included:
My 20th Wedding Anniversary with Sherry and our trip to Springfield, with stops along the way. We spent several days in Strafford and got to visit with some old friends we hadn't seen in ages, as well as visiting spots we hadn't seen in years. The boys had fun playing on my elementary school playground and we really enjoyed the Precious Moments Chapel and Museum and George Washington Carver's Museum too. It was nice.
The Weather was amazing this year! Spring lasted most of the summer and this is the first year I ever remember where we had green grass the entire year and I ended up mowing until November.
Luke's last day with us sounds like it would be a sad one, and it was one of the saddest days of my life, however... For mid-November, we had more of the amazing Spring-like weather with temps in the mid-seventies. It was a beautiful day and we had a nice road trip with Luke and Socks. The ending was sad, but I hope my last day is as beautiful as Luke's was.
This fall we took another trip to Springfield to say "SEE YA" to Sherry's Cousin, Tim, who went to fight the war in Afghanistan. It was a bittersweet time, but was nice to reconnect with some of Sherry's family that we don't see often enough. It also gave us a chance to renew our hope and faith in our fighting forces and give well wishes to a soldier that we actually know. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU, TIM, COME HOME SOON!
Dustin's grades improved in school and his talent as a musician continued to grow. I'm also proud of Dustin's computer skills. He's VERY bright with computer related topics and is turning into a decent writer and photographer... I'd like to say that the writing and photography part are hereditary. Dustin is a funny kid with a good sense of humor and his Dad's great looking, curly hair. (I hope he holds onto it longer than I did!)
Jared's skills as an athlete continue to amaze me. There are a lot of good athletes on both sides of mine and Sherry's families, and although neither Sherry or I are great athletes, we seem to have carried the gene. Jared pitched a near no-hitter, (He gave up no hits at all in the innings he pitched but the pitcher who relieved him in the last inning gave up three runs), became a good little Catcher, and was great at laying down bunts for his team, THE BULLS. He also had a very solid run in basketball last season and so far this season, THE TIMBERWOLVES are undefeated! Jared is a straight-A student at school and although he's ornery...he's not all that bad...
Sherry continues to grow more beautiful with each year that I spend with her. She's smart, funny and talented...as well as being very tolerant of me and all of my silliness. I thank God every day for the gift that she is to me.
Kevin...
With the loss of Luke we felt an enormous hole in our lives and in our hearts. Socks felt it as well and began to show some pretty serious signs of depression. So for Christmas this year, we adopted a lovable yellow lab named "Kevin," who has been a fun, amazing addition to our family.
Socks...
The best dog anyone could ask for. Huggable, lovable, loyal and sweet...she took Luke's death pretty hard, but took in Kevin with open paws. After only two weeks together they seem like they've been together forever. She plays Mom to him and isn't afraid to warn him if he gets too goofy, but will also join in on the fun if she's in the mood to play with him in the snow. I wouldn't take a million dollars for Socks...she's priceless.
I won't even go into the bad parts of this past year. It was the usual stuff... car troubles, finances, teenage angst and growing pains. Health issues, parental worries and worries about our parents too as they grow older...All in all, it could have been worse.
And me... I hope to lose some weight and write more. Those are pretty easy goals... I think I can do it.
2009 was the usual mix of "The Best of times and worst of times."
When I wake up tomorrow it will be 2010 and I'll get to start all over again!
Happy New Year to all of you and may God bless you in the New Year!
David
As I look back at 2009 I think "Whew! I made it!" Not that it was a horrible year, but it definitely had it's moments. There are some things that happened in 2009 that I hope NEVER to have happen again. As I close out this year, I can say that the past few months have been an improvement (with the exception of the death of our beloved dog, Luke) over what came earlier in the year.
The highlights of this year included:
My 20th Wedding Anniversary with Sherry and our trip to Springfield, with stops along the way. We spent several days in Strafford and got to visit with some old friends we hadn't seen in ages, as well as visiting spots we hadn't seen in years. The boys had fun playing on my elementary school playground and we really enjoyed the Precious Moments Chapel and Museum and George Washington Carver's Museum too. It was nice.
The Weather was amazing this year! Spring lasted most of the summer and this is the first year I ever remember where we had green grass the entire year and I ended up mowing until November.
Luke's last day with us sounds like it would be a sad one, and it was one of the saddest days of my life, however... For mid-November, we had more of the amazing Spring-like weather with temps in the mid-seventies. It was a beautiful day and we had a nice road trip with Luke and Socks. The ending was sad, but I hope my last day is as beautiful as Luke's was.
This fall we took another trip to Springfield to say "SEE YA" to Sherry's Cousin, Tim, who went to fight the war in Afghanistan. It was a bittersweet time, but was nice to reconnect with some of Sherry's family that we don't see often enough. It also gave us a chance to renew our hope and faith in our fighting forces and give well wishes to a soldier that we actually know. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU, TIM, COME HOME SOON!
Dustin's grades improved in school and his talent as a musician continued to grow. I'm also proud of Dustin's computer skills. He's VERY bright with computer related topics and is turning into a decent writer and photographer... I'd like to say that the writing and photography part are hereditary. Dustin is a funny kid with a good sense of humor and his Dad's great looking, curly hair. (I hope he holds onto it longer than I did!)
Jared's skills as an athlete continue to amaze me. There are a lot of good athletes on both sides of mine and Sherry's families, and although neither Sherry or I are great athletes, we seem to have carried the gene. Jared pitched a near no-hitter, (He gave up no hits at all in the innings he pitched but the pitcher who relieved him in the last inning gave up three runs), became a good little Catcher, and was great at laying down bunts for his team, THE BULLS. He also had a very solid run in basketball last season and so far this season, THE TIMBERWOLVES are undefeated! Jared is a straight-A student at school and although he's ornery...he's not all that bad...
Sherry continues to grow more beautiful with each year that I spend with her. She's smart, funny and talented...as well as being very tolerant of me and all of my silliness. I thank God every day for the gift that she is to me.
Kevin...
With the loss of Luke we felt an enormous hole in our lives and in our hearts. Socks felt it as well and began to show some pretty serious signs of depression. So for Christmas this year, we adopted a lovable yellow lab named "Kevin," who has been a fun, amazing addition to our family.
Socks...
The best dog anyone could ask for. Huggable, lovable, loyal and sweet...she took Luke's death pretty hard, but took in Kevin with open paws. After only two weeks together they seem like they've been together forever. She plays Mom to him and isn't afraid to warn him if he gets too goofy, but will also join in on the fun if she's in the mood to play with him in the snow. I wouldn't take a million dollars for Socks...she's priceless.
I won't even go into the bad parts of this past year. It was the usual stuff... car troubles, finances, teenage angst and growing pains. Health issues, parental worries and worries about our parents too as they grow older...All in all, it could have been worse.
And me... I hope to lose some weight and write more. Those are pretty easy goals... I think I can do it.
2009 was the usual mix of "The Best of times and worst of times."
When I wake up tomorrow it will be 2010 and I'll get to start all over again!
Happy New Year to all of you and may God bless you in the New Year!
David
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Needful Things
There are few things in life that we need...
Food
Water
Clothing
Shelter
A solid relationship with God
Family
Friends
A good dog...
(not necessarily in that order)
I'm probably forgetting something, but recently my Wife, Sherry and I had the discussion about "Needing" another dog. If you've followed my blog or if you know me, you've read or heard about my dog, Luke who was one of the best dogs I've ever had the privilege of sharing this planet with.
When Luke was first diagnosed with Cancer nearly three years ago, the Vet said that we "needed" to get another dog. His thinking was that it would help Luke deal with his cancer, and it would help our boys deal with the loss once Luke's time came.
As it turns out, he could not have been more correct. After we found out about Luke's illness, my friend, Jennifer, approached me one day and said that her good friend was having to part with her two dogs due to the dissolution of her marriage. Jennifer then sent me an e-mail from her friend asking if anyone would be interested in taking either her golden retriever, or her lab-shepherd mix, because she could no longer care for them.
I was intrigued by the retriever, but in the picture that was included with the email, my eyes immediately were drawn to the black and tan, German Shepherd looking dog. She was a beauty! I forwarded the email to my Wife and we discussed it at home with the boys. They saw the picture and were both interested in the retriever.
I called Jennifer's friend, and she said that she already had someone that wanted the retriever, but if we wanted to come look at "Socks" we could. We all agreed that we'd go meet with Socks the next day. I was skeptical of the German Shepherd part of the mix, because I knew that their breed can sometimes be aggressive, however, I secretly hoped that the Lab part of her would be the dominant part of her personality.
Our Sons, Dustin and Jared were eager to meet Socks and so I instructed them on how to behave. Especially in Jared's case. Jared loves dogs and is known to throw his arms around them and hug them right to the ground. So I warned him specifically to just stand there with his hand out and let Socks come to him. I told Sherry that how the dog reacted to Jared would be the determining factor as to whether we'd take her home or not.
We walked into the house and there she was. Shiny black coat and sparkling eyes. She immediately ran to Jared, and because he's short, she was able to slather his face with kisses. Within moments he was on the floor and they were playing together.
We told the lady that we would call her the next day to let her know our decision, but that we thought we were interested. As I got into the van I asked the boys what they thought. They both agreed that they liked Socks a lot... I turned to Sherry and said "We're stupid if we don't take this dog!"
Later that afternoon, we called Sock's owner and told them we'd like to have her. She asked if it was okay if she drove her to our house so that she could meet Luke and see what Sock's new living arrangements would be. I readily agreed and thought that it would be good for Luke to meet Socks and her family too.
Luke could be a handful, but he was the most affable dog ever, never meeting a dog he didn't like. When Socks arrived it was like "Old Home Week." With both dogs licking, sniffing and chasing each other around. (Well, as much as Luke could chase in his condition.) Sock's owner was sad to say goodbye, but happy that Socks would have a good family and a good playmate in Luke.
Truth be told, Luke "needed" Socks. Socks turned out to be a lifesaver for Luke and I honestly believe that she is what kept him alive nearly two years past his expected "Expiration date" that the Doctors had given him.
Socks is, according to my Father-in-Law, the most peaceful dog he's ever seen. He's right too...although she looks imposing through the front window of our home as she barks at passers-by, she'd be more likely to lick them to death than to hurt them. This isn't to say she's not protective, but she's a big baby in most cases.
Socks cannot survive without a human's touch. She can't just be near you...she has to be touched. She'll lick you, nudge you, flop into your lap...you name it. I've often awakened from naps to find her head on Sherry's pillow, and her nose pressed against my nose. You can look into her eyes and see the love that she feels for you.
As much as Luke needed her, she needed him as well. When he died last month, she went into a deep depression. She still perked up when we played with her and still wanted to be near to us, but even more so than in the past. She took to staying by herself more and more and seemed restless and tired. You could tell she missed Luke. She even adopted some strange behaviors that she'd never had before that caused us to worry about her some.
Then the boys, who I knew were sad about losing Luke, started mentioning that they wanted another dog. I, of course, said "No" rather emphatically. Sherry said no too. It was too soon....we didn't want to replace Luke. Jared even put at the top of his Christmas list that he wanted a new puppy...not for him, but for Socks. I asked him why and he said "She's just so sad." I could see that too, but never thought that a dog, could "need" another dog...even though I'd seen it myself when Luke was sick and he "needed" Socks.
A few weeks after Luke died, I started looking at dog ads. I don't know why, really. I never had the intention of getting another dog. One day I spotted a few ads for free dogs...some of them were even yellow labs. One dog, specifically, looked just like Luke. I showed Sherry the ad...it kind of bothered her to think of getting a dog that looked so much like Luke...but I was interested, so I called the dog's owner.
After several days and a couple of left messages, the man called me back. The dog had been given away.
"Sigh." I looked at a few other ads...Sherry was interested in a full-blooded, full-grown collie...but it too, was taken. We found some black lab puppies listed and called on them, as well as an ad for a two year old yellow lab who didn't really look that much like Luke at all.
We made appointments to see them both on Sherry's birthday and then concocted a story to fool the boys into thinking we were going to see some old college friends of mine. "Do they have kids?" Jared asked.
"Three," I answered, not bothering to tell him that they had three Labrador Retrievers.
When we reached the home of my "College" friends, they led us through the house and told us that their "Kids" were out in the yard. When they opened the door, in poured three, full-sized Labs...two chocolate ones and one yellow (almost white) Lab.
Dustin smiled at me as if to ask "What's going on here?"
"Guys," I said to the boys, "Your Mom and I were thinking that you might want to meet this yellow guy...cause he needs a new home.
"For real?" Jared asked. I laughed and told them that we'd made an appointment for that afternoon to go see some little six-week old, black labs, so that they had some serious choices to make. I told them while the puppies might be cuter, that the older yellow lab, would be more practical.
We visited and played for a bit and told the owners that we'd call them back and let them know. They were a nice, elderly couple who Dustin had trouble believing that I'd gone to college with...(Ha!) That afternoon we saw the black lab pups, who were cute, cuddly little butterballs, but didn't seem to hold as much interest for the boys.
To the boys credit, they chose the older, yellow lab...who had his shots and had been neutered, which financially was a big selling point for me.
One week later, we went to pick up "Kevin" (as the boys named him...causing much laughter). Socks greeted him enthusiastically and now, one week after he arrived at our home, they've become best buddies...racing through the snow together, playing with each other's toys and even sharing the same waterbowl.
It quickly became apparent that Socks had needed something...and that something was Kevin. We too, had a hole in our lives since Luke had passed, and although it had only been a month, it was hurting us all to have him gone.
Although Kevin isn't a replacement for Luke, he's a new Friend that we've taken in. Kevin has quickly won us over with his youthful playfulness and his calm demeanor. He's a great companion for Socks and follows each of us around from room to room, just wanting to be near. I think he needed us too.
I know sometimes things come along and you have to ask yourself "Do I really need that?" In Kevin's case and in Sock's case too, I'd have to say "Yes.."
Food
Water
Clothing
Shelter
A solid relationship with God
Family
Friends
A good dog...
(not necessarily in that order)
I'm probably forgetting something, but recently my Wife, Sherry and I had the discussion about "Needing" another dog. If you've followed my blog or if you know me, you've read or heard about my dog, Luke who was one of the best dogs I've ever had the privilege of sharing this planet with.
When Luke was first diagnosed with Cancer nearly three years ago, the Vet said that we "needed" to get another dog. His thinking was that it would help Luke deal with his cancer, and it would help our boys deal with the loss once Luke's time came.
As it turns out, he could not have been more correct. After we found out about Luke's illness, my friend, Jennifer, approached me one day and said that her good friend was having to part with her two dogs due to the dissolution of her marriage. Jennifer then sent me an e-mail from her friend asking if anyone would be interested in taking either her golden retriever, or her lab-shepherd mix, because she could no longer care for them.
I was intrigued by the retriever, but in the picture that was included with the email, my eyes immediately were drawn to the black and tan, German Shepherd looking dog. She was a beauty! I forwarded the email to my Wife and we discussed it at home with the boys. They saw the picture and were both interested in the retriever.
I called Jennifer's friend, and she said that she already had someone that wanted the retriever, but if we wanted to come look at "Socks" we could. We all agreed that we'd go meet with Socks the next day. I was skeptical of the German Shepherd part of the mix, because I knew that their breed can sometimes be aggressive, however, I secretly hoped that the Lab part of her would be the dominant part of her personality.
Our Sons, Dustin and Jared were eager to meet Socks and so I instructed them on how to behave. Especially in Jared's case. Jared loves dogs and is known to throw his arms around them and hug them right to the ground. So I warned him specifically to just stand there with his hand out and let Socks come to him. I told Sherry that how the dog reacted to Jared would be the determining factor as to whether we'd take her home or not.
We walked into the house and there she was. Shiny black coat and sparkling eyes. She immediately ran to Jared, and because he's short, she was able to slather his face with kisses. Within moments he was on the floor and they were playing together.
We told the lady that we would call her the next day to let her know our decision, but that we thought we were interested. As I got into the van I asked the boys what they thought. They both agreed that they liked Socks a lot... I turned to Sherry and said "We're stupid if we don't take this dog!"
Later that afternoon, we called Sock's owner and told them we'd like to have her. She asked if it was okay if she drove her to our house so that she could meet Luke and see what Sock's new living arrangements would be. I readily agreed and thought that it would be good for Luke to meet Socks and her family too.
Luke could be a handful, but he was the most affable dog ever, never meeting a dog he didn't like. When Socks arrived it was like "Old Home Week." With both dogs licking, sniffing and chasing each other around. (Well, as much as Luke could chase in his condition.) Sock's owner was sad to say goodbye, but happy that Socks would have a good family and a good playmate in Luke.
Truth be told, Luke "needed" Socks. Socks turned out to be a lifesaver for Luke and I honestly believe that she is what kept him alive nearly two years past his expected "Expiration date" that the Doctors had given him.
Socks is, according to my Father-in-Law, the most peaceful dog he's ever seen. He's right too...although she looks imposing through the front window of our home as she barks at passers-by, she'd be more likely to lick them to death than to hurt them. This isn't to say she's not protective, but she's a big baby in most cases.
Socks cannot survive without a human's touch. She can't just be near you...she has to be touched. She'll lick you, nudge you, flop into your lap...you name it. I've often awakened from naps to find her head on Sherry's pillow, and her nose pressed against my nose. You can look into her eyes and see the love that she feels for you.
As much as Luke needed her, she needed him as well. When he died last month, she went into a deep depression. She still perked up when we played with her and still wanted to be near to us, but even more so than in the past. She took to staying by herself more and more and seemed restless and tired. You could tell she missed Luke. She even adopted some strange behaviors that she'd never had before that caused us to worry about her some.
Then the boys, who I knew were sad about losing Luke, started mentioning that they wanted another dog. I, of course, said "No" rather emphatically. Sherry said no too. It was too soon....we didn't want to replace Luke. Jared even put at the top of his Christmas list that he wanted a new puppy...not for him, but for Socks. I asked him why and he said "She's just so sad." I could see that too, but never thought that a dog, could "need" another dog...even though I'd seen it myself when Luke was sick and he "needed" Socks.
A few weeks after Luke died, I started looking at dog ads. I don't know why, really. I never had the intention of getting another dog. One day I spotted a few ads for free dogs...some of them were even yellow labs. One dog, specifically, looked just like Luke. I showed Sherry the ad...it kind of bothered her to think of getting a dog that looked so much like Luke...but I was interested, so I called the dog's owner.
After several days and a couple of left messages, the man called me back. The dog had been given away.
"Sigh." I looked at a few other ads...Sherry was interested in a full-blooded, full-grown collie...but it too, was taken. We found some black lab puppies listed and called on them, as well as an ad for a two year old yellow lab who didn't really look that much like Luke at all.
We made appointments to see them both on Sherry's birthday and then concocted a story to fool the boys into thinking we were going to see some old college friends of mine. "Do they have kids?" Jared asked.
"Three," I answered, not bothering to tell him that they had three Labrador Retrievers.
When we reached the home of my "College" friends, they led us through the house and told us that their "Kids" were out in the yard. When they opened the door, in poured three, full-sized Labs...two chocolate ones and one yellow (almost white) Lab.
Dustin smiled at me as if to ask "What's going on here?"
"Guys," I said to the boys, "Your Mom and I were thinking that you might want to meet this yellow guy...cause he needs a new home.
"For real?" Jared asked. I laughed and told them that we'd made an appointment for that afternoon to go see some little six-week old, black labs, so that they had some serious choices to make. I told them while the puppies might be cuter, that the older yellow lab, would be more practical.
We visited and played for a bit and told the owners that we'd call them back and let them know. They were a nice, elderly couple who Dustin had trouble believing that I'd gone to college with...(Ha!) That afternoon we saw the black lab pups, who were cute, cuddly little butterballs, but didn't seem to hold as much interest for the boys.
To the boys credit, they chose the older, yellow lab...who had his shots and had been neutered, which financially was a big selling point for me.
One week later, we went to pick up "Kevin" (as the boys named him...causing much laughter). Socks greeted him enthusiastically and now, one week after he arrived at our home, they've become best buddies...racing through the snow together, playing with each other's toys and even sharing the same waterbowl.
It quickly became apparent that Socks had needed something...and that something was Kevin. We too, had a hole in our lives since Luke had passed, and although it had only been a month, it was hurting us all to have him gone.
Although Kevin isn't a replacement for Luke, he's a new Friend that we've taken in. Kevin has quickly won us over with his youthful playfulness and his calm demeanor. He's a great companion for Socks and follows each of us around from room to room, just wanting to be near. I think he needed us too.
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