Friday, October 27, 2006

It's getting easier...

What wonderful friends (and of course sweet family) I have been surrounded with during this time of turmoil in our lives! I have been reading all of your sweet comments and am checking y'alls blogs again---so I think my blogger funk is coming to an end!
Over the past week the Lord has been revealing his goodness and provision to Josh and I. While it still saddens me to think I will never hold my sweet samson again on this earth, it is comforting to know that God is in control of the situation. My last post was such a downer, that I had sweet friends calling in tears of empathy. So many of you have grieved of the loss of a precious pet and your words of wisdom and comfort have been priceless!

This last week has been full of activities including BU homecoming! I thought y'all would enjoy a few happy pix:


BONFIRE 2006

all the kids (including my neph-pug jude!)

jude was acting shy here, but he was a party waiting to happen all evening! everyone hearts this friendly breed, so he was loved on all night by complete strangers. it was a nice distraction from my crazy sad week to play w/ ju-ju bee!gotta take the pic quick before your hair starts to melt!!!

Baylor VS Kansas game

when i arrived at the end of the 3rd quarter, there wasn't much hope as we were down 17 points(and we know how the bears normally have a very difficult time coming back in the second 1/2 of the game!) but suddenly, we scored 2 touch downs, it was like we had a brandnew team! it brought the crowd to their feet in amazement! (can you see nic & brent way up there?)

a little tough to believe (and read when the pix is so tiny) but we BEAT kansas 36-35 in the last minute and 1/2 of the game!!! we were sitting in the right endzone to watch all three last quarter touchdowns happen before our eyes!!!

our famous self-portrait to comemorate the win!!

* there is a cute pic of the four of us kids who were at the game, but blogger is having issues uploading any more pix and i don't wanna make it mad--so maybe later!

Friday, October 20, 2006

In Memory of Baby Sam...

It's taken me a week to even THINK about typing this blog. I'm sure it will get 'saved as draft' many times over the next few days, but I will try to compose myself because I want to share this with you. My blog is kinda like my diary, but you can only be so transparent when you know others will be reading along. How do you share the saddest day of your life?

One week ago (Friday October 13th) I got home from work around 5:00 and took the pups out like any other day to check the mail. While I was leafing through the letters I glanced up to check on the pups and didn't see samson. Shiloh was right in front of me laying in the grass, but no sam. I started calling his name, turning full circle, and that's when I saw him. Just a few feet away from me, lying limp in the street. I think I screamed, mail fell out of my hands as I ran to him. I scooped him into my arms and held him like a baby. His heart was still beating, but the rest of his body was eerily still. I began to cry and look around, wondering what to do next. An older man got out of his white truck parked a few yards in front of where I had picked up sam an came walking towards me. He was shaking his head and kept repeating, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I tried to swirve and miss him." Everything was moving in slow motion, my feet felt like bricks and I couldn't move. Much to his surprise, I told the gentleman he needed to call my husband. He fumbled around for his cell phone and realized he'd left it in the car. While he went to retrieve it, I looked around once more and Shiloh caught my attention. I pleaded with him to stay put and began to cry even harder as I looked again at my precious baby dog lying in my arms. Why was I not paying closer attention, I asked myself? Why did sam wander into the road--he has NEVER done that before!? The man returned with his phone and I called out the numbers for Josh's cell. When Josh answered I attempted to compose myself, but my words came out in a rush, "Baby, samson just been hit by a car and I think he's dead!" Josh asked if he was breathing and I couldn't tell, he asked if I could drive over to the vet. I told him that I thougth sam was gone already, but I could try. As we were talking, sam slipped away as his body released what it needed to as his muscles relaxed. He went slack in my arms and I held him tighter and told Josh I would wait inside. He said he would be there as soon as possible (he works 20 minutes away in China Spring) and for me to go inside to get my phone and wait for him. I began to weep as I carried my baby inside for the last time. You see, sam didn't like to be outside for too long and would let me pick him up and carry him like a baby while I kissed his little head. It was almost too much for me too take.
I began to panic a little as I was worried I would loose Shiloh too, if we didn't get into the house quick enough. We made to the couch before I dissolved into tears again while I wrapped sam in a towel and continued to hold him close. All I could say was 'i am sorry baby sam, so sorry' as I rocked him in my lap. As calmed down a little I started to think of who was the closest sibling to my house and called cam first, momentarily forgeting it was Baylor's Fall Break and both of my brothers were in Plano. I attempted to call Erin, but her line was busy. Two seconds later my mom called to check on me. She was crying and so was I. I hadn't felt this helpless, or this responsible in quite a long time. Mom told me Erin was on her way and then handed the phone to Clay. Everyone was so sweet and understanding.

I called Josh as he was litterally pulling into the parking lot. He jumped out of the car and met me in the kitchen. We hugged and cried over sam. Josh is always the more level-headed one and it was somewhat comforting to see him start to grieve too. He offered strength and comfort, by his very presence. We sat on the couch and held him for a while until Erin got there. She too offered her comfort with a hug and tears. How horrible it must be to loose a child. I can't even imagine. No one can really comfort you, but there presence and love is enough---it has too be.

We decided to bury baby sam out back and had a mini-funeral for him Friday night. Pieces of his favorite toy (the famous pink & green bone), a rawhide and his favorite blankie were tucked into the box before we burried him. We smiled at the thought of him playing endless rounds of fetch (the ultimate game in sam's mind) in Heaven. I miss him so much.

While there is much more to write about how this has affected us. I will post this for now, or it will never be finished. Thanks to all who have prayed for us and expressed their sadness for us during this grieving time. Everybody kiss there puppies and loved ones tonight because only God knows our appointed time to join him in Heaven.

Okay, Okay I'm SORRY!

This is especially for Nic and Melissa who have pleaded for my updates;) I tried to rationalize with thoughts like, once I get the pix uploaded or Josh kidnapped the computer again, etc. So here are some thoughts over the last couple weeks.

MEXICO:
The most fun thing that's happened in the last two weeks was the trip Larka and I took to Mexico (oct 7-10). While we didn't really take pictures, we captured memories to last a lifetime! I'm privileged to have such a caring, thoughtful, and adventurous mom-in-law. We did two dives a day on Sunay and Monday, then she treated me to beach-front massage! Can you imagine hearing actual waves crash(as opposed to a pre-recorded cd) as all of the yucky tension is worked out of your body? amazing! We saw mulitple schools of baby fish as the reef was turned into a nursery during the month of October. Many were so tiny that you could bearly see what colors they were until you came face to face w/ a protective mama fish! I found a mascot on Sunday that rode in my palm for much of the dive. He was a tiny little hermit crab with a pretty little shell, no bigger than an inch! I named him Herby II after a hermit crab Er and I had as kids. One day I hope to have a camera that can capture the magnificent beauty under the sea for y'all landlubbers to see!