Baby Bump

My cousin, Amanda, couldn't wait to take some baby bump pictures of me this weekend. She just grabbed me off her couch and pulled me outside for a few minutes. Sorry that I look a mess...I wasn't prepared for a photo shoot. Fortunately for me though, she said she'd take some more when I was "good & big"...That made me laugh...I didn't realize I was a bean pole!!LOL

I posted these for my girls that keep requesting that I document my 'baby bump.'
FYI- ladies it's only fun, if you're not the one exploding from your mid-section.

Jack

Well, we've had to wait a bit to be able to share about Jack. He passed away Thursday-July 16th. We took these final pictures with him that afternoon.



















We buried him at my family's place in the country...under a beautiful grove of oak trees. My family had a place ready for him when we got there, even a welded cross.

















We miss him every day. I miss his cold nose waking me in the morning. I miss his sweet face pressing under my hand begging me to love on him. I miss the way he played with his stuffed animals and carried his blanket around the house. I miss the way he was attached to David like glue. I miss his excitement and tail wagging when I came home every day. He has set the bar really high for all future four-legged children...and maybe even ED. I still cry thinking of him.. he was my sweet-boy. He always will be my first baby boy. Jack, we will always love you!!

Friends are the Best!!

I just want to say thanks to all my friends!! My girls are the best!! I've gotten a several emails & words of encouragement lately. So, thank you!! You have no idea how much you lift me up!!I can feel your warm thoughts & prayers!!


Gibby even sent me flowers!! I thought I'd share how much her bouquet brightened my cloudy day! Plus, you all get a peek at my bulging belly!




Sorry, it's a little blurry... a coworker took the pic for me!!

Happy Time = Depressing Time

This is supposed to be some of the happiest moments of our lives. Yet, we have spent the last few weeks on the verge of complete breakdown. We ask that all our friends continue to lift us up as we spend our last days with Jack.

We are having to trick him to eat now. As of yesterday, he won't eat out of his bowl. He's turning into skin & bones. He'll only take the food as "treats." We have to limit his water intake, because he has so much fluid being drained off his heart & lungs. He has to be walked/let out every 3 hours max.

Although, after the vet doubling a few of the medications last Thursday...he seems to have a bit more energy. He's getting up & following David around the house again......instead of just laying around all the time. He still wags his tail for getting a 'treat/food' after a trick, before a walk, and meets us as the door. So, I know my boy still has some spark left in him.

His heart still beats rapidly..and you can see him breath heavily after playing with a toy for less than a minute. The simplest things tire him easily.

I called some of my family, and had a tough conversation...seeking to find Jack a peaceful resting place. We still haven't decided what we'll do when the time comes. I do know that we don't want him to suffer. We're prepared for that (as much as anyone can be). Although, I know we'd rather him pass comfortably as home.

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We have placed applications with a few doberman rescue groups, for another dog, after Jack passes. We visited one this weekend, a 2 yr male dobe named Connie Mack. He was a beautiful dog, full of energy but very loving. David was thoroughly impressed with him. Although, I can't seem to think of this visit as anything short of "cheating" on my precious Jack. So, I honestly can't tell you what I think of him. No dog could compare to my sweet boy Jack.

It will be hard, but I know that I can't compare them. While Jack is perfect now, it took months of training to establish our house & "pack" rules. We'll be starting over with any dog, but Jack wasn't perfect in the beginning either. I lost an expensive sweater, several bread starters, and a sandwich or two those first few months.
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So, here we are... in the midst of celebrating new life. Yet, we are grieving. Life is so complicated. Ecclesiastes assures us of all these different seasons of life. Yet, it's hard to understand the overlap of these seasons (life & death). We know that God is in control. His plans are to prosper us. So, I guess that means... We will praise the LORD our Creator, our Master, our Maker, our Savior even in this. We have been blessed by this creature in our life. Even now, we'd go thru this again to receive all the blessings.

Can't Wake Up

I miss coffee...

Hiatus

Sorry, it's been a long hiatus. Only about 8 people read this blog anymore, and it's just hard to find the time....especially now that I'm exhausted 24/7.

Baby ED Update: For the record, I'll be 20 weeks on Wednesday. The baby is kicking, twirling, stomping, flipping, and nudging without end. This weekend, it felt like my appendix was exploding, but it was just ED. David can even feel the kicks...when I can predict them. They are usually so random. We had another ultrasound last week. ED was moving so much that the technician had to get another more experienced lady to take over. David posted several pictures from the ultrasound on his facebook. However, the pics are on his computer...which is currently on the fritz....and our camera is dead at the moment. So, no pics this post. For the curious, NOPE...we're not finding out the sex. Everyone can blame me- it was my call. Women for centuries & millenia carried their children without knowing. I keep hearing things like...well, what do I buy you then? If in doubt, just wait till I deliver. That's more accurate than any sonogram any day of the week. LOL. The nursery colors are red, chocolate brown, and yellow. Plus, if you know me-- you know how much I LOVE SURPRISES!! My belly is huge...although, nothing compared to what it "will" become. Every time David sees me in profile, he smiles so big. He's so excited...he can barely contain himself. He's going to be such a wonderful Daddy!! I'm extremely blessed to have him as a husband and father of our child. God is better to me than I deserve.

Friends Update:David got to visit with some friends from Texas last week in Starkville. Plus, he got Little Dooey's in the process... so, of course, he loved it.

We've been able to visit our friend, Anna, twice in Memphis in the last month or so. I love my new friends, but old friends just can't be topped. They understand you in completely different and deeper ways. I wish we lived closer!

Church Update: We have a new minister of music at our church. Yay!! His first day was yesterday. The praise band still has to figure out how to work with him. His style is very different than Tracy, but he's a great guy. So, we're looking forward to it. Plus, it means that I no longer have to direct the choir!! Yay!! I've been filling in for almost a year now. While I "can" do this, David & I both believe God was not calling me to do that for more than an "interim" period. It was nice to sit back and enjoy singing with the choir Sunday morning!!

Jack update: Our precious boy, Jack, was diagnosed less than 2 weeks ago with dilated cardiomyopathy (congestive heart failure). So, his prognosis isn't very good. It's fatal, with a time frame of 3-6 months. I can't tell you how much I've cried over this (the hormones don't help either)! This is a common problem in older doberman pinschers. So, the vet's told us he is much older than they originally thought. We always thought so. He's such a laid back dude (not the typical energy level of a young dog). He has spoiled us for any future dog. He's sharp, learns fast, loves us thru & thru, guards our house (like a true dobe), and is always happy to see us. While David was in Starkville for the better part the last few years, Jack has been my constant companion.... although, admittedly, he's a Daddy's boy. He follows David everywhere. So, it will be very difficult for both of us..when he's no longer around. He has been part of our family. He goes where we go. He would always spend his days outside playing, and inside with us every evening. Now, he gets to stay out of the heat...and lounge all day inside with the A/C. We are spoiling him rotten: a new doggie bed, new toys, new heart friendly treats, and more loving than he can handle.
For those of you that have not just had dogs/cats, but true pets... you know how hard it is to lose them. They become part of your family. Please be in prayer for us. We were in the process of training Jack for our new one...now, we're trying to prepare ourselves that he won't be around when ED arrives. So, this time for us is bitter sweet.