Relaxing on Friday evening

Today was a working Friday.  That is certainly not at all notable, except that the last three Fridays were not working Fridays.  The Friday before that was a 2-hour delay, and six weeks ago was the day after Thanksgiving.  So, in the last six Fridays, I only had to work a full day on ONE of them.

It was a good week at work.  We are starting this semester with great optimism that things will settle.  I'm not at all sad about that!  It would be nice to not feel the stress and emotions that we felt in the first semester.

I'm enjoying this Friday evening of relaxation.  Andrew brought dinner in for us.  One cat is asleep next to me, one cat is asleep next to Andrew, and Janey, our sweet new pup, is also asleep with Andrew.  Janey had quite a day today!  Andrew arrived home to find that she had completely chewed apart the bed that is in her crate.  Oh my, it was quite a sight!  Overall, we are so absolutely thrilled that Janey has joined our lives.  She has a lot of similarities to our precious Abby, but she is her own girl.  She keeps us laughing and brings us a lot of joy!  I've started taking down our Christmas, but it's quite a process.  Tomorrow is lunch to celebrate Grandma's birthday, and then hopefully I'll get some more Christmas put away.  

I'm grateful for this relatively quiet weekend!

The first day of 2026

As I've written many times before, January 1 is often my favorite day of the year.  And this year is no exception!  We've been watching the College Football Playoffs, (after the Buckeyes awful loss, we are now Hoosier fans).  Andrew and I have both been doing a lot of school work today, but we haven't left our home...just the way I like it!  In fact, I informed Andrew this morning that I wouldn't be getting out of my pajamas, although in my defense I actually put on clean pajamas this morning.  I gave myself a new set for Christmas, and they are incredibly comfortable.  I also put on my comfy Christmas socks for the last time this season.  It's been a great day.

NYE was spent at our good friends' house last night, and it was especially fun to share it with other friends and even some of the kids.  There were twelve of us together at Midnight, and we left shortly after.  I told Andrew that I know I'm getting old because although I love our friends and I especially had fun watching the game, I'm to the point that I almost prefer to stay home and just hang out ourselves on NYE.

Our sweet new pup, Jane, has been so much fun today.  After insisting it would NOT happen, she slept in our bed last night.  Beagles are just absolutely the best!  She and the cats are coming to an understanding.  There are so many little traits that remind us of our dear Abby but she looks different than Abby and I'm glad about that.  I'm so, so glad that she has come into our lives.

This break had a lot of crazy, but I'm so grateful for the last few days.  It's very nice to end the old year and start the new one with a sense of peace!

The last day of 2025

Here we are, at the last day of the year again.  I'm no longer surprised by the rapid passing of time.  I'll blink, and it will be summer, than I'll blink again and wonder where the summer went as the students return, and then I'll blink and we'll be celebrating Christmas again.  Even though the year will fly by, I wouldn't mind if the next five days (I'm still off Monday) pass by at a snail's pace.

There were a lot of wonderful family memories made this year between Thomas's wedding and our big family vacation.  Catherine is also in a lovely relationship, and she is making better choices in life.  I'm thankful for the way things are going with my children every single day, and I don't take their successes for granted.

The hardest part of this year was the world around us.   The hardships faced by so many this fall has been especially emotionally challenging, and Andrew and I have both joined groups and committees to address these issues.  We've also both been incredibly busy with our church and the new pastor search, and of course my job has been a source of exorbitant stress.  I still love my job, but parents are crazy.

Today, we also created a new beginning.  I'm so thrilled to announce that a new sweet pup has joined our family.  A neighbor who volunteers at a local shelter tipped us off to a young female beagle that had just arrived, and Andrew put in an application the same day.  We had a meet & greet today, and we could not be more thrilled.  We've named her Jane Harriet (Goodall and Tubman), and Janie is a delightful addition to our home.  Right now she is curled up in Andrew's arm and they are both napping.  There are so many things that remind of us our sweet Abby because of her personality, but she is absolutely her own dog and is an absolute lover.  We are thrilled she is here.

I'm excited about the beginning of another year, and I'm grateful we are here to see it!  Our dear neighbor (and mother of co-worker) passed away Monday morning, and that combined with the death of Tatiana Schlossberg is a poignant reminder that nothing guaranteed.  I'm grateful to be able to see 2026 arrive.

A beautiful fall day

Today was such a gorgeous day.  It was almost 70 degrees, and bright and sunny.  A cold front is coming through and the wind picked up, so the leaves were gliding.  It was truly a lovely day.  Work has settled and I'm able to get things accomplished in a more timely manner.  And of course, it is a lovely time of year when I currently have only 25 work days remaining in the year.  Ahhhh.

Since the time change on Sunday, the days feel even cozier as the darkness settles in earlier.  It makes me incredibly ready for the holiday season.  Although I still miss the big family meals at my aunt & uncle's house, and I miss the gatherings at Christmas, I'm still looking forward to family time.  We have some fun things planned, and my mother-in-law will be here for the entire week of Thanksgiving.  I am so grateful and so excited.

One down thing to today is that my mother had to say good-bye to her dog, Peach.  She had begun to suffer, and that is just not okay.  I know how much my mom must be hurting today.

 

This day sucked

I don't normally use such language, but today was awful.  We had to say goodbye to the pup we adopted this summer.  Bettis had become aggressive to Andrew and myself, and was constantly lunging at and aggressive towards the cats.  It had become dangerous, and it wasn't fair to the animals who were here first.  The hard part is that 75% of the time Bettis was a sweet lover, and we are going to miss that so, so much.  But last night, I was literally afraid to get into bed because of his growling and snarling.  We can't live like that, and the anxiety that the cats were causing him wasn't fair to him either.  I cried during the entire drive, and I cried when we took him in.  They assured us we had done the right thing, and they felt confident they could find him a good home that would work better for him.  Knowing how much he hated being there, taking him back felt absolutely awful.  We NEVER thought we would be the people to return or surrender a pet.  But we know this was what had to be done.  We are so, so sad about this, but are cuddling our cats to love on them.

The first half of July

I am wayyyy behind in writing, but it isn't a bad thing.  We've been having fun and enjoying the more laid back life that July brings.  I have lots of things to write about, including our trip to Kansas City, but I'm going to start with our new furry family member, Bettis!

Andrew made it very clear he wanted another dog after Abby passed last October.  I told him I didn't want another dog, but that I loved him and knew how much it meant to him, and that I was okay with another dog.  We had always kind of joked that June 16 was the date, but the unplanned trip to Vermont derailed that.  When he returned, there wasn't much talk about it, as I knew he was kind of just exhausted at that point.  After we returned from KC, he was READY.  He researched and had sent in applications.  Last Wednesday, we drove 1/2 hour north to the next town.  We had been told about a dog who had been surrendered by his owner just the day before as the owner was moving into assisted living.  They brought the dog out and he was just shaking so hard.  I put my arms around him, we put him on a leash to take him to see how he did with cats, and he was ready for us to walk him out the door.  He was ready to go!  They offered to take us to see other dogs, and I looked at Andrew and we knew...this was our guy.  He is a pug/beagle mix. I always said if I owned a pug I was naming him Bettis after Jerome Bettis. It's a little ironic because this guy has the beagle body, but Bettis Grant is his name.  We brought him home that night, and my goodness!  By Friday it felt like he had been here forever.  He's been a lapdog from the beginning and just full of love for his humans.  We are so, so grateful for this new furry family member!

The first official day of Spring

It snowed today.  Gotta love the first official day of spring!  It was really just very, very light flurries as we were doing dismissal, but it was cold and icky today.

When I leave work tomorrow, I will officially be on spring break.  I'm not quite as excited about it this year as Andrew will still have to work.  And because Catherine works in the public schools also, she will also have school as well.  I'm looking forward to quiet time though.  And I'm definitely looking forward to sleeping in.  Maybe do a puzzle?  Work on photos?  Honestly, it doesn't feel as though there will be enough time to do all the things I'd like to do.  And Andrew has a doctor appointment one day so that means I won't have the day alone that day.  Andrew and Catherine have the week after me as their break.

Last weekend we had a really nice family dinner.  My mom came down, and the kids were here.  It was fun to have six of us around the table.  I find hosting to be stressful, but I greatly appreciate that Andrew is willing to make nice meals for all of us.

Andrew has really been looking for a new dog.  I keep telling him not until June!  We will be going on vacation in early June, and although Abby was a wonderful traveling companion, we have no idea the temperament of our next pup.  And to be honest, I'm not ready for another pup.  I'm not looking for something else I need to take care of.  I still miss Abby terribly, and when Andrew pulls up a video, it brings tears to my eyes.  In fact, just sitting here typing this has brought tears to my eyes.

This is the weekend of basketball madness that I love so much.  I'm not really into it this year though.  I'm not entirely sure why.  Maybe because Dayton didn't have a great year.  Maybe because there is just so much else happening that this seems unimportant.  Maybe it is because Andrew isn't home.  I have it on, but it just isn't as exciting.  

I am grateful for the extra sunshine this time of year!

It's safe to say it wasn't my favorite October

Without a doubt, this will NOT go down as my favorite October.  Losing Lincoln at the beginning of the month was hard, but losing Abby two weeks ago was awful.  The other night, Andrew and I had to make an unexpected trip to Thomas's place, and it was Midnight before we got home.  As we pulled in, I thought about how happy Abby was going to be to see us, then I remembered the reality and I began to weep.  I explained to Andrew how I had forgotten, just for a second, that she was gone, and it hurt so deeply again.  She was just the best dog.

Anyway, between this and some drama in our kids' lives, I'm hoping November is a better month.  I'm trying so hard to remember it can always be worse and to hold on to peaceful thoughts as much as I can!

It's less raw today

Yesterday was just a very raw day.  Andrew and I dreaded going to bed without our sweet girl, but we also really wanted the day to be over.  I'm so grateful it was a Friday.  Our bed felt big and cold without Abby last night.  Waking up today though, it felt less raw than yesterday.

There were still tough moments though.  Andrew was going to his mom's today, and I was dreading him leaving because Abby was always depressed when he'd leave.  This time though, I was dreading him leaving for an entirely different reason.  This house is so quiet and it feels so empty.  I miss her so, so much.  I watched some videos of her this evening and allowed myself to have a good cry.

I know this is part of owning a pet.  We outlive them and we miss them.  Yesterday, I felt it was my job to be strong for Andrew.  This evening though, I'm really reminded that it just really sucks.  It also doesn't help that I don't have a vehicle (that is another post) and I'm basically stuck here for the weekend.  I know that there are worse things in life, but today I'm still sad.  It just feels so sudden.  I also can't help but feeling if she hadn't tripped on Wednesday, she might still be with us.  I wish I could go back in time and keep her from doing that.

I'm sad, but I know tomorrow will be better.

We had to say goodbye to Abby

Our hearts are broken as we had to say good-bye to our sweet pup this morning.  She had a slipped disc again, but as always, was responding to the medication and was improving after 24 hours on medication.  Then, she slipped, and it seemed to compress the disc.  By last night, she was no longer able to walk.  It was awful to see.  Andrew called the vet last evening, and the news wasn't good.  Unless we woke up to a miracle this morning, we would be waking up with our sweet girl for the last time.  Fortunately, Andrew had no school today, and my co-workers graciously re-arranged schedules so I could be off most of the day.  The vet confirmed our worst fears, and we had to come home without her.  We were with her at the end, and honestly, we've spent a good part of the day crying.  We had Facetimed the kids last evening so each of them could say good-bye.  Telling Thomas and Catherine today was hard, especially Catherine.  She sobbed.  We are grateful her suffering wasn't worse, but oh, we miss her already.  The hard part is that she was still our sweet girl, her body was just failing her.  It's so quiet here.  As dog owners, I mentioned to Andrew that we pretty much had scheduled our lives around her.  This absolutely sucks.  Andrew and Thomas will be heading east tomorrow for football and it will just be me here tomorrow.  Dogs aren't really just pets, they are part of the family, and this is happening way too soon after losing Lincoln.

We had to say goodbye to Lincoln today

One of our cats, Lincoln, passed away today.  It was a bit of a shock.  This morning, Andrew mentioned he seemed like something was wrong.  Catherine heard us, hopped out of bed and checked him out, then scooped him and took him to bed with her (she still had another hour+ to sleep).  He seemed to settle in with her.  Before she left for work, Catherine set him up in her room with a comfy bed, and his own food, water, and litter box.  He took a turn during the day, and when Catherine got home she instantly knew something was very wrong.  She said he sounded like he was gasping.  She called me sobbing, but I was in the middle of carline.  I had her call her dad.  He called the vet, who was willing to see them right away.  Catherine cradled Lincoln, went to pick up her dad, and then they went to the vet.  We all knew at this point that Lincoln wasn't coming home.  The vet said she heard a heartbeat when they first got there, and then he was gone.  She assured us that bringing him in earlier today would not have changed today's outcome.  I'm so grateful it happened fairly quickly and his suffering was hours instead of longer.  But I sure do regret I didn't think to be more aware when I left this morning and give him a quick pat on the head or tell him I loved him...because of course I did.  He'd been with us for eleven years starting when he was just nine-months-old with his sister Rosie.  Those two had to be adopted together as it was clear they had a special bond.  After she died, Lincoln lost a lot of weight, and he had lost his cuddle buddy.  We all agreed that we are so glad he gets to see her again.  My daughter's heartbreak is always the part that hurts the most, but I'll be honest, I'm pretty sad myself.  Losing our furry family members really sucks.

Apparently she had only used eight lives

 I wrote two weeks ago about the fact that it seemed as though we no longer had any of our outdoor cats.  I can't believe I never wrote a follow up, because the story wasn't over!  The VERY NEXT DAY, Thomas was in our detached garage working on getting some things ready to take to the scrapyard.  Andrew and I were sitting inside (probably watching a Reds game).  Thomas texted us to tell us he had found the outdoor cat and she was alive!  It turns out that she had been stuck in our detached garage for an entire week!  It was even the week where we had heat warnings.  We have no idea how she managed to survive, although we suspect she might have eaten some mice.  We also aren't sure what she might have peed on or pooped on, but amazingly, she seems to be just fine.  We've been going back to our schedule of feeding her, and she is continuing to hang out on our patio.  I guess she hadn't used all of her nine lives yet!

RIP Rockne

My sister's Old English sheepdog (her second) passed away this morning.  Rockne was such a sweetheart, and was really the perfect dog for my sister.  She was my sister's constant companion.  As ardent dog lovers, we are all so sad, and knowing how my sister's heart is broken makes me sad as well.  I'm sure she is over the Rainbow Bridge and enjoying lots of treats.

Another December has rolled around

Although the minutes at work often feel as though they are crawling slowly by, the days are zooming.  It's a busy month, and I'm trying to remember to do what needs to be done, and to be present in the moments.

Thomas called Tuesday evening and scared us to death with his intro of "So I did a thing..."  It turns out he bought a cat.  It was a three-year-old cat that needed to be re-homed.  Part of me couldn't believe it was happening, but then he explained he felt lonely (which was heartbreaking) and also that it reminded him of his late uncle's cat.  And then I completely understood.  My super sensitve, kind-hearted, emotional animal-lover of a son needed to buy this cat to "save" it, and to give himself a friend.  I 100% understood where this was coming from, and my heart broke even more.  He is so much like me in that regard, and because of that, when things make him emotional, I know just how he feels.

Yesterday I visited my grandmother.  It was a very nice visit and she was doing well.  My amazing grandmother is going to be 92 in a few weeks, and she still has her mind for the most part.  We are so incredibly blessed to have her in our lives.

I need to get to church and work tonight while Andrew has conferences, then tomorrow begins the weekend.  It will be crazy like everything else, but each day brings us closer to a few weeks off work!

We had a fabulous family weekend

We truly had a lovely family weekend.  We had tacos for dinner on Thursday, and then we just sat around and hung out.  I ventured to my hometown Friday for a bit of shopping.  Catherine was home mid-afternoon, and Thomas joined Andrew for some frisbee golfing.  That evening we made hot sandwiches and watched the UD basketball game and some episodes of our current favorite shows.  Yesterday we woke up to the snow, and the four of us ventured to support the fundraising with Empty Bowls.  Thomas and I didn't want soup and we didn't want to be surrounded by the people, so he and I did some walking while Catherine and Andrew ate.  Thomas spent the evening with his girlfriend while our best friends came over for dinner and hanging out.

We were supposed to attend a family celebration for a baby shower today, but I had a rough night and didn't feel great this morning.  The nice thing is that instead of having to  rush around, it actually gave us some more time with the kids, and I'll never be sad about that.  The house seems so quiet with everyone gone.  Catherine brings her kitten home with her when she is here, and he is adorable.  We told Catherine today that a "grand kitten" is the best kind of kitten because he is fun to have around for a few days, and then goes away. :)

Thomas also added to the family by getting a fish last evening.  So next week, there will be five people (my MIL is coming for the week), three cats, a dog, and a fish sleeping here.  And I can't wait!

We had to say goodbye to Rosie

We knew things weren't going well with our sweet cat Rosie.  Last week Catherine had hoped to have another night with her, and that happened Thursday.  At that point, she was still eating and we had hoped that perhaps we would get more time.  When our friend arrived from out-of-town Sunday, Catherine came to spend the night again, and that gave her even another night with Rosie.  By yesterday, I knew things were bad and I had made an appointment for this afternoon.  Catherine didn't work today, and I asked her to be here early afternoon because she wanted to go along.

Today when Thomas got up, he found Rosie in the living room.  I rushed home, and Catherine arrived home about 25 minutes later.  Her sobs were the most heart wrenching sounds ever.  I will never forget those moments.  Rosie was her baby, and Catherine was Rosie's human.  Those two had a very special connection.  We'd had Rosie for about 9-1/2 years, and Rosie was only ten-years-old.  It wasn't enough time, but it never is.  That is the hard part about pets.  We know we are going to outlive them.

Catherine and Thomas were emotional, but they were also amazing.  As I told my mom, all I really had to do was provide moral support, drive to the vet, and pay the bill for cremation (Catherine wants the ashes).  The kids really did take care of everything else.  Thomas didn't want anything, but Catherine and I drowned our sorrows with some DQ.  Andrew was on his way home from his mom's house, and the three of us sat in a room together and just kind of hung out.  When Andrew arrived home, we ordered some dinner.  Catherine headed back to her apartment this evening.  It made me a little sad, but I get that she is an adult and has her own place.

It's been a draining day.  I am grateful that I only have to work a few hours tomorrow and that the weekend is upon us.  I'm also incredibly grateful for my amazing family.

The fabulous day continued into the evening

Last evening our family sat together and watched a movie.  I'm pretty sure the last time that happened was December.  My heart was so incredibly full yesterday.  Our day as a family ended with all of us laughing together.  While I have NEVER taken those evenings for granted, the fact that going forward I may be able to count them on one hand is certainly on my mind.

Catherine was only here about 23 hours, but it was truly lovely.  I'm most grateful that she was able to spend some time loving on and cuddling our sweet cat Rosie, and that Rosie snuggled in bed with her all evening.  While Rosie has had some rebound days here and there, I'm afraid her days are numbered.  While we know something isn't quite right, she doesn't seem to be suffering.  We don't let animals suffer, so when that changes it will be time.  

I'm grateful for these extra days off to spend with people I love so very much!

The middle of July

I can't say that I'm a huge fan of July...it's that whole summer weather concept.  In fact, right now the heat index is 104 degrees.  Yuck.  Unfortunately, it's only going to get warmer for about the next week.  I'm grateful that I have little to no commitments that will require me to be outdoors anytime soon.

I'm really, really close to being completely finished with all of the band paperwork.  I'll make a separate post about that sometime, but I'm not going to lie...I am super excited about that!  I hope to be turning things over by this weekend at the latest...and maybe even tomorrow!

My stress level is a tad bit high right now.  We decided to make the investment and have a sump pump installed in our crawl space.  Of course, as is often the case with home improvement projects, things didn't quite go according to plan.  They found some pipe leaks in this process, and found out that box external faucets have leaks, so the already expensive projects are just becoming more expensive.  It is what it is though, and I'm grateful we have the money to fix what needs to be fixed.

We also have an issue with one of our cats.  Andrew and Catherine have taken her to the vet, and there is no guarantee she is coming home.  My heart breaks for Catherine, who adores this cat beyond words, and I know Catherine will struggle if she passes.  Catherine is having her own struggles, and we don't need to add this on right now.  I also feel sadness for our cat Lincoln, who still loves to cuddle with Rosie, even at age 10.  They've always been inseparable, and that was why the pet adoption place insisted they be placed together.

Next week we are attending orientation for Thomas, where he'll get registered for classes and find out things we need to know.  He'll be moving into the dorms in four weeks.  I can't even fathom that in four weeks I'll be spending the night in my house with Andrew as the only other person under our roof, and that will be our new normal until holidays.  Oh my goodness.

Lots of feelings and emotions happening right now, but also so much gratitude!

Kind of getting back to normal

Andrew gets to go back to school tomorrow.  The district decided they were being ridiculous and are allowing him to go back tomorrow instead of waiting until next week.  Even though they were paid days and he was still technically working form home, it will be nice for him to actually get to be back with his students.

It also means that he is able to attend the swim meet next weekend.  It will be the league meet.  Depending on events, Thomas has a shot at actually being able to score some points.  Andrew didn't want to miss it.  Even though he wasn't quarantined by health officials, because it was a school event, Andrew wasn't attending.  We are very grateful this has all worked out.

The only down side is that our sweet pup has to go into the crate each day.  Oh, we hate that!  The way she talks to us when we get home is a little heartbreaking.  I especially hate that I will be the one that has to put her in there each morning as I'll be the last one leaving.

There is a chance of ice overnight.  The odds aren't really in our favor, but a delay would be awesome.  Actually, I have a bunch of work with me at home that I could do, so a snow day would be even better.  I'm pretty sure we will all be in on time though.  I'm very grateful that I enjoy my job and don't mind working.  I'm very blessed!

I hope my grandmother is pleased

 I wrote in January about how we had taken custody of my grandmother's cat.  When G.G. passed away, it became permanent.  It took several months for Maudie to adjust, but she truly, truly is part of our family.  She and the other two cats don't really get along, but for the most part everyone can generally co-exist.  Maudie was very sweet with Catherine this summer.  When Catherine was having so many episodes and was mostly just hanging out in the recliner, Maudie spent her days there as well and kept her company.  Now, Maudie has decided that Thomas is her human.  It seems only fair, Rosie is all about Catherine, and Abby is all about Andrew.  I adore, absolutely adore watching Maudie with Thomas.  I truly hope my grandmother is very pleased when she looks down on us.  She adored Maudie, and I hope she is happy with how Maudie is living these days.