And More Loss

Terry came in at noon to find Dirvey  had joined Macie in Doggie Heaven . . . Hyder was standing watch.

We had Dirvey for two years -- Bethany and Mat got her 8 years ago right after they married and moved to KC.  They decided their dog, Harley, needed a companion and rescued Dirvey.  We watched Dirvey come into her own with their TLC.

Bethany posted this on Facebook this afternoon . . .

Dirvey, our one-eyed, spinning, crazy little rescue pug who brought lots of smiles and LAUGHTER to lots of people went to her forever home in doggie heaven this morning. She was our fur baby before we had human babies and used to love to snuggle my belly when they lived in there. Real babies were too much for her & she spent the last few years getting way more love from my parents than we could've given her. We miss her & are thankful for the many laughs she brought our family

Dirvey was Terry's Father's Day present  when we realized that she wasn't going to be able to adapt to Bethany and Mat's growing family.  



She had her own special spot in the back yard where she liked to sun -- she talked and growled when she ate her food -- and sometimes would forget she was eating -- she walked from one-place to another by spinning in circles.  Dirvey didn't like change, or strangers and when company came would stay under the bed for hours and seldom venture out.  

We kept her Christmas of 2008 when Bethany and Mat went to Denver, and she stayed under our bed for SEVEN days -- we would have to drag her out and try to coax food to her under the bed.
She discovered that every night at 9:00 Terry would be giving out doggie treats and one night we looked up and Dirvey had joined the line-up of three other canines.  
 

Hyder is so lonesome now

She sort of did her own thing -  never really bonded with the other dogs -- But Harley took on the responsibility of looking out for her.  we had all sorts of pet names for her - "squirvey Dirvey" being one of them.  You couldn't walk her on a leash with all the whirling and twirling.

 

We really bonded with her on the Spring Break Trip to Denver to see Marshall in 2012 when we were "doggie sitting" for the kids.  We couldn't leave her behind with our other dogs who were being cared for by a friend because we weren't sure she was smart enough to make it inside if it rained.  She wasn't always sure what to do with the doggie door.  She sat in the back seat content to be the Alpha for a short time.


This little fur ball who left her mark so many places on our carpets -- not remembering to go outside and shed tons of hair everywhere -- certainly left her mark on our hearts.

 Dirvey connected with her two favorite people -- 

Bethany and Terry-- who were truly that!

Additional Loss

New Years Eve we started noticing that our dog of 14 1/2 years was slipping into a trance and then got to the point she wasn't able to move.  Terry kept watch over her for the next few hours and we decided she'd probably had another of her strokes.  She'd been having these episodes for about 18 months and with his care and attention she would come out of these in 3-4 days. She'd over come breast cancer surgery five years earlier and  she never seemed to be in pain.  Terry read about caring for an aging dog  and by keeping her

comfortable and hand-feeding for awhile,  she always seemed to bounce back. We kind of thought of her as the "EverReady Bunny"

This time was different and we knew we were going to have to make a decision -- it was just so hard. 

We got Macie when Marshall was a senior at Wright Christian.  He had found her as a puppy on the soccer field and brought her home and asked if he could keep her -- all dogs at the Bell house at some point -- become Terry's dogs --so he finally said we could.

She'd been such a peaceable -- gentle dog - who could jump straight up as high as your head when she wanted you to open the sliding glass door and let her in.

Macie became the Alpha dog when Maggie died and slipped into that position with great pride.  
 During the time Mom was with us Macie would see a cat walk across our drive and bark and bark and then run back to Mom's bedroom to make certain she was safe from the cat.  Those nights when Terry got up every two hours to check on Mom -- Macie would follow him into her room to check also.

She was in first place and never seemed to mind that "needy" Hyder would try to crowd her out.  As she got older, Hyder would watch over Macie while we slept and would waken Terry when she felt Macie was in trouble.

She and Hyder developed this love / hate relationship over their food but generally were two companions and good for each other.  always taking their afternoon naps in the living room together --one on each couch -- dozing in the sun. 

They loved to ride in Terry's pick-up with him -- each sticking their heads out opposite sides of the truck.

For several days we have told Macie stories and that seemed to help - but I understand that a brown dog and a gentle Master are still greatly feeling the loss.

From the Mouths of Babes

Sydney Kate is growing and grunting for EVERYTHING she wants -- she's learned that all she has to do is raise up her arms to be picked up --point and grunt for what she wants -- and she's got it.
She is so aware of what C is doing and wants exactly what C has--
we're seeing so much modeling going on. When I think of S - I always think of the word peace -- she's such an easy baby and I've called her the "peacemaker" in the family.  Holding her -- you suddenly come to peace.

Campbell always keeps us laughing and our heads spinning wondering where she came up with that phrase --  like the other day when she told her mom she was making a "HYPOTHESIS" -- and explained later she'd learned that word at pre-school.

Sunday afternoon, her momma found her lying on the rug in the bathroom -- when asked what she was doing she said -- "Oh just talking to God -- He's my friend!."  At that point she got up and looked in the toilet --
"Is HE in here?" 

This shows how a morning can go with Campbell Hope 

 Or when she learned that their family was having another little Good --

Wish I Could Say, "Been There -- Done That"!

Marshall has been away from Denver for five weeks on the Western slope of Colorado. Katie went over and visited him last weekend and they went skiing in Telluride --  We got this wonderful video Marshall made on HIS PHONE while skiing down the mountain.  OHHHH the new technology ---At the end of the 3 minutes -- I FELT LIKE I'D BEEN ON THE SLOPES!

 "Got to enjoy the slide down the slope with

              no broken bones  --

                    no cold weather 

                        or stumbling off the chair lift --

                              and for a short bit -- I so enjoyed the view!!!

Ornaments

I had a New Year's Day call from my friend, Charlene.  She was taking down her Christmas tree and was putting away ornaments that my mother and I had each given her--- she was thinking of me and decided to give me a quick call.---

That gave me the push I needed to take down the tree on Wednesday and as I did I thought about how much of our family history goes on the tree every year--

There's the ones we bought in India during our summer trips in the 70's -- ones from Mexico -- pine cones from a Chris Krinkle Market in Austria -- the candles that we clip on the tree like the ones on the missionary's tree in Vienna -- there are ones my mother made -- ones students have given me -- the bubbling lights like my Grandmother's tree in the 1950's --ones from my friend, Geeta, Charlene and so many dog ornaments from Dot and Earl -- I bought different ornaments for what the kids were involved in -- there are the ones the kids have made in elementary school --all reminders of special times with special loved ones.

Come to think of it so many of our decorations have history -- every time I think of tossing some -- a special memory of the person or place they are associated with comes to mind.  Reminders one more time of blessings --

ornaments from my tree growing up

a set of 8 stockings my mom made hoping for all their grandkids to be home for the holidays

a Father Christmas like the 

one we saw in Austria

A fabric wreath Bethany and I made when she was in elementary school

This Santa Marshall gave me when he was in second grade

Rudolph - my brother Bill made for us in the 70's!

a heart garland I sewed many years ago

Geese made by the husband of a friend 25 -30 years ago

a hand painted sweat-shirt from Dot --turned wall hanging

a wreath given by this same friend Charlene, when we were teenagers

a Christmas banner I designed and was finished by a friend Michelle

Our advent wreath given by my sister-in-law Sandy and completed with our ornaments from a trip to Eurekea Springs

A quilt I made in the early 90's from Christmas scraps