It was hard to find the right dog to fit our needs and our family. We
loved Roxy so much and no other dog could replace her or pick up where
she left off. Accepting that we would have to pour into our new addition
and teach her the ropes, we agreed to take "Aurora a.k.a. Rorie" and
welcome her into our lives. She met my basic requirements: crate
trained, over six months old, partially housebroken and of course,
adorable. My husband got the puppy he wanted and I did not have to lose
sleep at night with a whining bundle of fur that needed to go outside
every hour. Win-win for all. The name was changed to a Hawaiian word, "Koa", it means brave and fearless. It was especially significant to me because I desperately wanted another dog but was so afraid that my anxiety would overwhelm me and the stress might trigger my panic attacks. I prayed to overcome it and this name stood out to me as the perfect one.
She has golden eyes that look at us in a sweet, inviting manner. Her long tail and big floppy ears beg to be smushed. Chocolate brown fur that is short and glossy with a strip of black down the middle of her back shines in the sun. At 45 pounds and 7 months old, she is still a puppy, but her size is that of a boxer and there is potential for another 10-15 pounds of weight and size to gain. This Labrador mix is a goofball who gets a wild hair and tears through our house in a tornado of speed, crashing into walls as she turns the corners and does not clear them. It reminds us all of Roxy's spunk and fun and helps us remember her with a warm feeling in our hearts as we love this new girl in town.
When Zoe rides her scooter in the courtyard, Koa follows behind with a playful gait. This bothers Zoe because the two have not fully bonded yet and Zoe may be a little intimidated by the medium sized animal following behind on four paws. In time they will come to an agreement. London has fallen in love and fawns over this dog just as I hoped she would.We sit together on the floor and mush on her together and talk to her in ridiculous voices that are usually reserved for babies.
The aqua color memory foam bathmat intrigues her after she steps on it in an inquisitive manner and then discovers that it moves. This results in a full frontal pounce with two paws and a nose to get underneath this flat beast that is taunting her. Several jumps and sniffs later, she moves on to other exploits. Luckily I got this on video and it provides our family with much amusement and a first hand glimpse of her personality at home. Every morning she comes to my side of the bed to greet me with ice cold ears and licks because she has just had her 5am morning walk that Scott is kind enough to take her on. It starts my day off with a smile and I am eternally grateful to my husband for letting get the extra hour of sleep. The void that Roxy left is slowly being stitched up by the thread of Koa's presence, but her memory and the love we had for her will always remain in our hearts, pictures, and memories.
I
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
A Good Friend Leaves...
It was the end of Spring, we were ready for beach days and rainbow colored Otter Pops in the hot afternoons on the back patio. No one prepared us for the sudden shock. Roxy went from being our happy couch potato to a very sick and lethargic dog within 24 hours. It turned out she had cancerous masses in her spleen and liver and was bleeding internally. I knew it was serious when she turned away as I went to pet her. Never in million years would she refuse love. This was heartbreaking for all of us. We brought her home for a few hours to lay together on the floor and share unspoken time together.
That evening, we bid her farewell and said our goodbyes with tears streaming down our faces and hearts tearing apart inside. I took her to the vet and stayed with her during the whole process of sending her off to Heaven. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do and makes me cry as I describe it. We are comforted by the knowledge that she is in the most perfect place with a new body and the joyous spirit that she had here on Earth. She is now eating anything she wants and running as fast as she can with every type of animal and Roxy is happy. We are left here to remember her and to reminisce on all the joy she brought to us. We love you and will always miss you dear Roxy.
xoxo
your family.
That evening, we bid her farewell and said our goodbyes with tears streaming down our faces and hearts tearing apart inside. I took her to the vet and stayed with her during the whole process of sending her off to Heaven. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do and makes me cry as I describe it. We are comforted by the knowledge that she is in the most perfect place with a new body and the joyous spirit that she had here on Earth. She is now eating anything she wants and running as fast as she can with every type of animal and Roxy is happy. We are left here to remember her and to reminisce on all the joy she brought to us. We love you and will always miss you dear Roxy.
xoxo
your family.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
In Media Res...
An explosion of sound danced in my ears and my brain took a few moments to process the incredible sounds as my eyes gazed at the colored lights. The sound was so strong it vibrated throughout my being and it was like a wake-up call, reminding me of who I had been at 19 and other ages as well. I was thoroughly alive for the next two hours as I went through a myriad of emotion on a musical journey with one of my favorite bands I've ever heard or seen. It was like re-discovering a long forgotten part of my soul. Scott pointed out the tech working the lights and we were fascinated by the machinery that he manipulated as he sang every word and moved with the songs like a fourth band member working from afar. Halfway through the set the fire alarm rang out and people didn't seem concerned, the band played on and we looked around but everything seemed fine. If the techs weren't moving and the band was still going, I figured we were good. After the song, the singer commented that it happened to them all the time. Funny. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has an awesome female drummer, did I mention how great she is? Need to see them again.
We began the evening by going to dinner and watching the sun gently settle among the clouds over the water in the harbor. The novelty of a different atmosphere made it charming and we shared jokes and conversation at our table. He reminded me of a fine whiskey that acquires subtle nuances and character as it slowly ages, clearly attractive with more to offer each day. My best friend.
Upon arrival at the House of Blues, we were escorted to prime seating next to the lighting tech within excellent view of the stage. My foot surgery was clearly a perk! Unusual paintings covered the ceiling, meant to evoke images from New Orleans and a standing room only venue lay the canvas for the night. The cocktail server and I put our heads together for a moment, resulting in a fabulous Southern Comfort, Sprite, and a lime that had a good wallop to it. Ah yes, now I could settle in and anticipate what lay ahead.
The opening band took the stage and by the second song I began to pay closer attention as I heard some influences of the Ramones, Stones, U2, and others. The singer had a classic rock and roll scream that he used at just the right moments to add flavor to the songs. I was moving in my seat. Definitely impressive. The name was unusual, Bass Drum of Death. Go figure.
We began the evening by going to dinner and watching the sun gently settle among the clouds over the water in the harbor. The novelty of a different atmosphere made it charming and we shared jokes and conversation at our table. He reminded me of a fine whiskey that acquires subtle nuances and character as it slowly ages, clearly attractive with more to offer each day. My best friend.
Upon arrival at the House of Blues, we were escorted to prime seating next to the lighting tech within excellent view of the stage. My foot surgery was clearly a perk! Unusual paintings covered the ceiling, meant to evoke images from New Orleans and a standing room only venue lay the canvas for the night. The cocktail server and I put our heads together for a moment, resulting in a fabulous Southern Comfort, Sprite, and a lime that had a good wallop to it. Ah yes, now I could settle in and anticipate what lay ahead.
The opening band took the stage and by the second song I began to pay closer attention as I heard some influences of the Ramones, Stones, U2, and others. The singer had a classic rock and roll scream that he used at just the right moments to add flavor to the songs. I was moving in my seat. Definitely impressive. The name was unusual, Bass Drum of Death. Go figure.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
School Days
I knew that the fall would bring many changes to our lives, London would begin Kindergarten and Zoe would start preschool. Our lazy mornings would suddenly take shape around a clock and lunches would be packed in Hello Kitty and the Littlest Pet Shop bags. We savored our beach days and readily accepted pool date offers from friends in an effort to stockpile the fun and sunshine into our very beings. As we transitioned into our new schedules, we discovered exciting new things, people and opportunities.
London met a great friend the very first day of school, Keira. They began talking outside the classroom while hanging up their backpacks. It was a sweet moment as I watched my daughter make her first new school friend and I was proud of how she introduced herself and took on this unknown territory with a shy confidence and strength. Kindergarten turned out to be her total cup of tea. London loves the wheel program that teaches her computers, sports and music. She comes home with stories about her teachers and classmates, as well as tons of facts and figures that she learned. It's exciting for me to experience with her in so many ways.
Helping out in London's classroom gave me a better idea of what her day is like and what she is learning. Pre-reading, beginning addition and subtraction, and sorting of patterns were some of the items being taught. I particularly enjoyed working with small groups and helping the students fill in their word sheets with silly games and crayons. These five year old's are magical, funny, and endearing. One of my favorite moments was when London walked up to her class in the morning and a group of girls came up, said hello to her and gave her good morning hugs. She had a big smile and it made me so content for her.
Zoe began preschool and found herself at home with the cinnamon play dough and art supplies. She was a little quiet and careful about investigating her environment and the children around her. Zoe wasn't going to dive in and be her zany self right off the bat, it would require some acclimation. As the weeks went by, she found her comfort zone. One day when I arrived a few minutes early to pick her up, I watched from the door while crouching down and to the side to avoid being spotted by her. I was not the only mom doing this. She was holding hands with two other girls and jumping up and down laughing her head off as they played a game together of "dance to red light green light". That's the Zoe we know and love!
To be continued...
London met a great friend the very first day of school, Keira. They began talking outside the classroom while hanging up their backpacks. It was a sweet moment as I watched my daughter make her first new school friend and I was proud of how she introduced herself and took on this unknown territory with a shy confidence and strength. Kindergarten turned out to be her total cup of tea. London loves the wheel program that teaches her computers, sports and music. She comes home with stories about her teachers and classmates, as well as tons of facts and figures that she learned. It's exciting for me to experience with her in so many ways.
Helping out in London's classroom gave me a better idea of what her day is like and what she is learning. Pre-reading, beginning addition and subtraction, and sorting of patterns were some of the items being taught. I particularly enjoyed working with small groups and helping the students fill in their word sheets with silly games and crayons. These five year old's are magical, funny, and endearing. One of my favorite moments was when London walked up to her class in the morning and a group of girls came up, said hello to her and gave her good morning hugs. She had a big smile and it made me so content for her.
Zoe began preschool and found herself at home with the cinnamon play dough and art supplies. She was a little quiet and careful about investigating her environment and the children around her. Zoe wasn't going to dive in and be her zany self right off the bat, it would require some acclimation. As the weeks went by, she found her comfort zone. One day when I arrived a few minutes early to pick her up, I watched from the door while crouching down and to the side to avoid being spotted by her. I was not the only mom doing this. She was holding hands with two other girls and jumping up and down laughing her head off as they played a game together of "dance to red light green light". That's the Zoe we know and love!
To be continued...
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Family
The green trees, a lighter shade of green with lots of yellow in it instead of forest green, stays on my mind. The soft grasses, large space between houses and a feeling of openness are what I keep remembering about going to Boston. A suburb just outside of the city was our destination and it felt like I was 3,000 miles from home. Part of me feels at home on the East Coast because I spent a great deal of time growing up there, in various states, and it is familiar in little ways. The accents, the city life, and the landscape stay with me.
The purpose of the trip was to see my 95 year-old grandmother and to introduce her to Zoe for the first time. Gramma had only met London once on her first birthday and we hadn’t seen her since. I cannot imagine having a great granddaughter and not meeting her. We had to fix that. Gramma fell in love in the first three minutes as soon as the girls both ran up to her and gave her a hug of their own accord. It was a sweet moment. The city is charming as expected. Historical brownstone buildings covered in ivy, intricate ironwork on the stairs outside, and gardens that rest atop the buildings for the fortunate ones that can live there. The Commons is a gorgeous park in the center of the city that houses friendly squirrels and is filled with dogs out for a stroll on leash. Boston is a smaller version of New York with shorter buildings and more charm. Scott and I could have spent days exploring and photographing the old churches and life in the streets.
My Cousin Emmy gave me a huge hug when I saw her and it was like old times again. We always pick up where we left off and talk at an accelerated pace with an explosion of things to share with each other. She feels like family to me and it’s fun to be together. Her dog is considered a German Shepard but I think he is a scientific experiment of a new breed. His size far surpasses that of any German I’ve ever seen before. He is mammoth!!!! He kept licking little Zoe’s face and was a total love. Awesome dog.
My Uncle Paul and I only met once before, nearly twenty years ago. He and his wife Jean invited us for a family breakfast on the last morning of our visit. We pulled up to a charming house that was built in 1860 and a matching barn sat beside it. A large front and back yard surrounded it with a pink Dogwood tree nearby. Colorful fish swam around in the coi pond in the front. The home was cozy and filled with beautiful stained glass pieces that Jean has crafted over the years. I was surprised to see some art from my dad and my grandfather on the walls as well. There isn’t much of it to see now, so it’s special to get a glimpse of.
Our family had breakfast together and then went outside to see my uncle’s bees up close. He encased me in a special suit and then guided me through the process of checking on the bee’s production and see if the Queen’s had been released yet. It was a new experience for me and I liked the excitement of trying something new. Things went smoothly and no stingers were lost that morning. The girls chased each other in the grassy back yard and then gave Morgan, the Golden Retriever, a lot of attention. This was a normal day in so many ways but very special for all of us. I was sad to leave because I know we could have enjoyed more family time but I was grateful for the experiences that we did have together. My grandmother now knows her great-grandchildren and that is so important.
The purpose of the trip was to see my 95 year-old grandmother and to introduce her to Zoe for the first time. Gramma had only met London once on her first birthday and we hadn’t seen her since. I cannot imagine having a great granddaughter and not meeting her. We had to fix that. Gramma fell in love in the first three minutes as soon as the girls both ran up to her and gave her a hug of their own accord. It was a sweet moment. The city is charming as expected. Historical brownstone buildings covered in ivy, intricate ironwork on the stairs outside, and gardens that rest atop the buildings for the fortunate ones that can live there. The Commons is a gorgeous park in the center of the city that houses friendly squirrels and is filled with dogs out for a stroll on leash. Boston is a smaller version of New York with shorter buildings and more charm. Scott and I could have spent days exploring and photographing the old churches and life in the streets.
My Cousin Emmy gave me a huge hug when I saw her and it was like old times again. We always pick up where we left off and talk at an accelerated pace with an explosion of things to share with each other. She feels like family to me and it’s fun to be together. Her dog is considered a German Shepard but I think he is a scientific experiment of a new breed. His size far surpasses that of any German I’ve ever seen before. He is mammoth!!!! He kept licking little Zoe’s face and was a total love. Awesome dog.
My Uncle Paul and I only met once before, nearly twenty years ago. He and his wife Jean invited us for a family breakfast on the last morning of our visit. We pulled up to a charming house that was built in 1860 and a matching barn sat beside it. A large front and back yard surrounded it with a pink Dogwood tree nearby. Colorful fish swam around in the coi pond in the front. The home was cozy and filled with beautiful stained glass pieces that Jean has crafted over the years. I was surprised to see some art from my dad and my grandfather on the walls as well. There isn’t much of it to see now, so it’s special to get a glimpse of.
Our family had breakfast together and then went outside to see my uncle’s bees up close. He encased me in a special suit and then guided me through the process of checking on the bee’s production and see if the Queen’s had been released yet. It was a new experience for me and I liked the excitement of trying something new. Things went smoothly and no stingers were lost that morning. The girls chased each other in the grassy back yard and then gave Morgan, the Golden Retriever, a lot of attention. This was a normal day in so many ways but very special for all of us. I was sad to leave because I know we could have enjoyed more family time but I was grateful for the experiences that we did have together. My grandmother now knows her great-grandchildren and that is so important.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
A Change Is Gonna Come
As I walked into the local elementary school, I felt mixed emotions. Was I ready for this? Was she ready for this? I signed in and waited for the kindergarten tour to begin. The principal greeted us and we began to view the five different classrooms, observing the teachers and students on an average school day. I saw little six year old's interacting with each other in groups, working on projects and writing on notebooks and small dry erase boards. They looked happy and engaged. This reassured me and I began to relax a little as I envisioned my daughter there doing the same things. The teachers had colorful, relevant classrooms with visual learning aids on the walls and cute little desks and chairs.
I flashed back to a memory of being seven years old and seeing an art easel for the first time with paint and brushes sticking out of it. I was drawn to that room and wanted to jump in and create. Back to the present, I noted that London would be perfectly at home here and it was a natural progression from where she is now, mentally and age-wise. She would thrive with the new challenges and increased opportunities. Calm began to settle in.
It is bittersweet to watch one's baby grow, joyous and yet painful because you know that this time will never return. It will manifest itself in the person she becomes and in the personality and choices that she makes. I am proud of who she is now and who she is becoming. I am excited to see what each day brings and how she is so lucky to know God at such an early age and how that will guide her and give her the greatest foundation possible.
I flashed back to a memory of being seven years old and seeing an art easel for the first time with paint and brushes sticking out of it. I was drawn to that room and wanted to jump in and create. Back to the present, I noted that London would be perfectly at home here and it was a natural progression from where she is now, mentally and age-wise. She would thrive with the new challenges and increased opportunities. Calm began to settle in.
It is bittersweet to watch one's baby grow, joyous and yet painful because you know that this time will never return. It will manifest itself in the person she becomes and in the personality and choices that she makes. I am proud of who she is now and who she is becoming. I am excited to see what each day brings and how she is so lucky to know God at such an early age and how that will guide her and give her the greatest foundation possible.
Green Day
London was bursting with excitement as she told me about the leprechaun that had run rampant in her classroom, leaving a trail of green footprints, overturned objects, and general messiness in its path. She told me a run-on sentence about setting traps for it and how the leprechaun was so small, silly, tricky and messy. Her best friend then told me in a whisper that the leprechaun had visited her house and used the bathroom, leaving behind green water. Zoe quickly became interested in this tale and joined in her sister's enthusiasm.
While the girls were out of the house for a bit, I found green objects in our house and planted them carefully in various spots that would catch the girls eyes. Green mardi gras beads, bracelets, and a toy car were some of the items we found. Lastly, we checked our bathroom and sure enough, the little green trickster had visited and taken a bathroom break, leaving us with green water!
In school, St. Patrick's day was about green clothing and people pinching each other. In college it was about green beer and green food. Now, it's more fun that ever before because the kids are so excited about something that they believe in wholeheartedly. This little green person is completely real to them and they are hyped about it. How cool is that?
While the girls were out of the house for a bit, I found green objects in our house and planted them carefully in various spots that would catch the girls eyes. Green mardi gras beads, bracelets, and a toy car were some of the items we found. Lastly, we checked our bathroom and sure enough, the little green trickster had visited and taken a bathroom break, leaving us with green water!
In school, St. Patrick's day was about green clothing and people pinching each other. In college it was about green beer and green food. Now, it's more fun that ever before because the kids are so excited about something that they believe in wholeheartedly. This little green person is completely real to them and they are hyped about it. How cool is that?
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