Good Karma... Beagle Karma, that is!

Ahh.. the looks deceive!

A little short of a year ago, we adopted this little fellow. He is the epitomy of rambunctious! But we love him! We later found out that our son's 6th grade teacher had SIX beagles! (Yes! All at once!) She currently has four, as 2 have passed away recently!

Tuesday Morning before school, Teacher calls and asked if our beagle was missing... no.. he was in the kennel for the day! They found an older female wandering around the school - wondering if I knew who it belonged to. I said I'd check one home on my way to work, but left it at that. Then before school got out, DS and Teacher called again, wondering if we could bring her home, until the Beagle Rescue volunteers could come and get her. Not something I was really wanting to do.. but.. okay.

So, I walked over to the school with a leash and collar, and brought her home. Milo, our dog, was more than excited... I don't believe he stopped barking the entire time she was here! I got in touch with the Beagle Rescue folks, and they advised that I take her to animal control, which is....by law.. what should be done. I wasn't looking forward to trying to keep the two dogs apart all night, so I was happy to do that. The Rescue folks will check on her today, and make sure she gets taken care of. It turned out that she was microchipped, so they were going to call her family in the next town.

SO.. Teacher says I get good Beagle karma for taking care of this sweet dog. She was sooo unlike our perky puppy! She was older, probably 7 or 8, and quite docile. Gosh.. I can't wait until Milo gets a bit older!

The other sad part of this is that my 6 year old DD got VERY attached to her in a short time... just sobbing when we went to animal control, and again last night just thinking about her! We've assured her that "Samantha" will get back to her own family, and that she'll be taken care of!

So goes the doggie drama for the day!

Ugh...

Thanks for the birthday wishes, y'all!

On a less happy note, I had to have a parent/student/principal conference with one of my children today, after said child would not do as said child's teacher asked said child to do.

Anyone want to guess which child it was??

EEEK!

Yes, today is the day. I am officially middle-aged, I think.

I'm forty today.

No.. I have NOT abandoned my blog...

I just haven't had a whole heck of a lot of time or known what to say..

February could be a bleak month, but I'm trying really hard not to let it be one.

On my mom's birthday, the 7th, the kids and I took some flowers to her grave - some beautiful pots of tulips.

I worked that day, so didn't have much time to sit around and feel sorry for myself that she wasn't here to celebrate with.

On the 13th, the anniversary of her death, I spent the day with my son at the Renaissance Festival - sixth graders from all around the Valley were there, I heard it was 14,000 there that day? We had a good time! As a chaperone, I only had 3 boys assigned to me, and we hung out with another lady and the 3 boys she had. It is mostly a marketplace, with vendors displaying their wares, but we managed not to spend much - I only spent $2.50 for a soda, DS bought a jesters hat for $10.

So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I am trying to do some things that would make my mom happy, and to do things that SHE would do.. spending time with my kids, and serving other people. When I previously expressed to a friend that it was going to be a difficult month, she told me that she LOVES February, because that is when the days get longer, and there is more LIGHT!

So, I'm going to try and see the Light this month.. and make it a good month..

Now.. there is chicken on the counter that I just brought home from the grocery store.. I guess I'd better go make dinner!!

Oh, and a side note.. I went back this week to get some of the flowers from the cemetary, so that I could enjoy them at home - and they were gone.. all three pots. Bummer, dude! I don't think the city removed them, but someone is enjoying them at home... PPPBBTT!

She's gone.

On Thursday, DH and his brother made the decision to let their mom go. The blood pressure meds had been reduced previously, so apparently her BP was holding it's own. However, it seemed that the vent was just keeping her alive artificially, which is not something she would have wanted. So, around 7 p.m., the vent was turned off, and the tube removed. The nurses cleaned up all the tape & etc, before the boys came back into the room. They sat for awhile, just watching her breathe. She had not been conscious or responsive for a few days.
It didn't take long - before the hour was up, the nurse came in and said she was gone. I think DH and his brother are at peace knowing they did the right thing to let her go. So now my kids have lost a 2nd Grandma within a year.

Her favorite color was purple - anything she could get her hands on... she'd paint it purple for her apartment. She loved her dog, Serenity, who was her companion for probably 12 years. It saddened her when we had to get rid of her recently, but she knew it was getting difficult to care for the dog properly. Despite the rough childhood she provided for DH and his brother, she had a good heart, and would give anything she had to us. She was not selfish. We loved her and we'll miss her, but we know she is probably glad to be free from the pains of her body.

Rest in Peace - Grandma Wanda.