Friday, December 31, 2010

Rusty

This post is long over due.  It's also a difficult one to write thus I've put it off.  After Bosco passed away Rusty was just not himself.  Of course that is normal and to be expected, he lost his best friend, his brother.  Rusty had been a part of our family since he was a puppy.  All he had ever know was a home and family where he had another dog for a companion.  Everyone I talked to who had two dogs and one had passed away said give him 2-4 weeks.  That's what everyone said!  Well two months later He was still struggling.  Brent said we needed to find a new home for him, one with another dog.  Selfishly I said no.  I was still too heart broken from Bosco to think of facing not  having a dog in our home at all.  Poor Rusty was just falling apart.  He developed severe separation anxiety.  He started trying to dig out of the house when he was home alone.  In the process he tore up the linoleum at our front and back doors.  Still I wasn't ready to do what was best for him.  A bit of pride slipped in as I thought of all I'd been through with Rusty.  I had endured the puppy years.  I had made it through potty training, behavior training, through teething and the subsequent chewing.  After all I had been through I did not want to get rid of my great dog!  So he suffered on.  He would howl when he was left alone.  I made arrangements with our neighbor for their dog to come over when I was gone.  I also brought her over during the days, to help Rusty not be so sad.  It worked!  Rusty was so much happier when their dog was here.  It seemed like a great solution.  Then it almost seemed to back fire.  When she would leave Rusty was even worse. 

Finally my heart had healed enough I could see just how broken Rusty's was.  Even then I struggled with the decision, always thinking, he just needs more time.  Finally three months after Bosco had died we tried to find a home for Rusty.  I was not taking him to the pound, or some rescue, I didn't even really want to give him to a stranger.  I wanted to KNOW he was going to a good home where he would be loved.  It was easier then I thought.  Brent's Aunt said they had a dog that was lonely too.  We made arrangements and Thanksgiving day Rusty left our family and joined theirs.  It took everything in me to not break down and cry, at our family party, as I told them of all the tricks Rusty can do (sit, lay down, roll over, shake, dance, sing), tell them of all his naughtiness, (he runs away, he'll get into the garbage, he snores).  It's been hard.  It's so wierd not having a dog.  I still miss coming how to happy faces and wagging tails.  I miss my boys snuggeling with me.  I miss playing with them.  I just  miss them.  Despite how much we miss Rusty it was the right decision.  He's fit right in as part of the family with Brent's Aunt, Uncle and cousins.  He gets along wonderfully with their dog.  He's happy again.  He just needed to be with another dog.  I'm thankful he's with family so we can see him occasionally and get updates on how he is doing.

We miss you Rusty!  We are glad you are doing well with your new family!
















Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Photography Fun

A couple friends were nice enough to let me practice.  I had fun.  I think they did too!



 

Look what I learned in photoshop, text!

My first sun flair!


Parking

A little while ago our neighborhood redid our roads.  Although I thought they were looking fine they felt the roads needed a new seal coating.  To do this they split the neighborhood into thirds.  Each third took turns parking in the other two thirds of the neighborhood.  Since we would be unable to get in or out of our garage for 24 hours Brent and I both had to park on the street.  Knowing this I parked my car as close to my house as possible the afternoon before.  I had to run errands, grocery shopping to be exact, during that 24 hours.  Not so bad, I was able to park almost as close when I returned and  I just loaded the stroller to capacity and hauled my groceries home.  That night I had to run to a friends house.  Since it was in the evening and everyone was home from work I was not as luck finding a close parking spot.  I grumbled as I searched for the closest place to park, then walked a few hundred yards to my house.

This experience made me very grateful for my garage!  It reminded me of a time when I was living in LA.  I did not have a garage, or even a parking space for that matter.  I was left to find parking on the street.  At the time I was working doing in home elderly care.  I was working 12 hour shifts.  Sometimes I got off in the middle of the night.  One particular night I found myself exhausted after a long days work, a long week of working and insufficient sleep.  I circled and circled looking for a place to park.  There was nothing.  The further and further I got from my apartment the more devastated I got.  It was cold, it was dark, although I lived in a pretty safe area I was still walking alone at night in LA, the further away I got, the less safe I felt.  At one point amid my desperate prayers I was in tears.  I knew it was silly and I was over reacting but I was just so tired.  Finally I found a space, probably close to a mile from my apartment.  With a prayer I made the trek to my home, grateful to make it there safe and sound.

I'm glad we had new seal coating done on our streets in our neighborhood.  I was complaining about how awful it was going to be to not be able to park in my garage for 24 hours.  Then I remembered what it's like to have no where to park.  Now I'm more aware of the blessing a garage and easy parking is!

Eating

Somehow food always ends up in Croix's hair, on is head, and all over the floor!

Travel Blues

Sometimes after a trip, you're a little sad it's over.....I think Croix might have a case of the travel blues!

Seeing the World

I love that having a toddler helps me to see the world in all sorts of angels.
(please don't notice my dirty floors, fridge, and counters!!!)




 And see things in a different way

 Like baking pans as toys

 Drawers as sitting places
 Just for fun, the "dismount"

 Notice from here
 to here, we go from a smile to a frown


 Just in case you were wondering how cute his pajamas are...

Pretty darn cute!

Boxes as toys.

Yesterday I was at a friends house and after we had been there for an hour, Croix pointed to the ceiling, which had ornaments hanging from it.  I had not noticed at all!  At the grocery store he points out the design in the floor.  He shows me artwork on walls.  I love how my child opens my eyes to the world around me.

No Words

There are no words for how I love my little Croix.  He's sitting in a dustpan, holding a pot holder happy as can be!

Christmas Morning

Santa came early to our house because we went up to Prescott Christmas Eve to spend time with my family.  So we had Christmas morning here before we left.  We had so much fun with Croix.  His first Christmas where he had any clue what was going on.

He got a tricycle that really is still too big for him, but he'll be able to use it before his birthday.  I got it at a garage sale and I don't think we can leave it in the garage until his birthday anyway!




So serious playing with his new toy!
 
 This Tigger does cartwheels and dances....he loves it!
He thought the stocking was for chewing on.
Some fun whistles


He also got this awesome chair from Grandma and Papa
He got this awesome firetruck from Grandma.  It even has a real water tank that he can squirt water with.  I don't think we'll show him that until summer time :D           
 All These fun new toys and what did he go play with, the box of course!

Christmas morning with a toddler was such a blast!  It was so fun to experience Christmas with Croix.  He would open one gift and just love it so much he didn't even care about the other gifts.  It's also been so fun to watch him play with his new toys.  A big thank you to all Grandparents, he likes their gifts the best!