Today is a throw open the windows, put on your favorite T-shirt and shorts and head outdoors to play with the fur-children. It is so amazing how warm and bright sunshine on my face can make me feel so lively inside. There is a soft breeze blowing across my face and through my hair, almost as if a hand is caressing me.

After about ten minutes the fur-children are all tired out and lay peaceful on the grass as they too feel the caress run over their fur and I really do see them smile.

As they are drinking in the sunshine and taking a break it is now my time to sit in my lounge chair with a cold beverage and do nothing but allow the sunshine to penetrate my heart and bring a smile to my face. Life is not always this simple, but for today it is what God has given to me.

Enjoy every moment God gives you, no matter how small it may seem because everything He gives us is a gift.

Happy Birthday Dad, gone from Earth but never my heart.

Remember, only God loves you more than your dog.

Memories at the Tree

I am sitting quietly this morning gazing at our beautiful Christmas tree with all the lights twinkling. Last night was set aside for us to adorn the tree with our loving hands hanging irreplaceable and evocative ornaments. The candles were glowing, the aroma of coffee and pine meshed together and filled our nostrils. As I sipped on my warm and frothy Irish coffee, I affectionately watched Ana with awe. She is an incredible blessing sent to me; a child whom I’ve come to love as a daughter. I watched as she carefully selected an ornament and then the perfect location to hang it, all while talking and smiling and enjoying the moment.

I did pause a little as I partook in this “family” night remembering past loved ones whom have gone. One by one they came, they meandered into my thoughts, they gave me a smile, and then they slowly faded away again. I too was smiling as I remembered all the love my heart still feels for them individually as they all have left me with such loving memories and cherished time. I will never stop thinking about the special ones that touched my heart as they “own” that piece within me for all eternity. Beautiful and memorable is how I would describe last night. Warm and cozy in flannel on the outside warm and cozy on the inside by the Irish coffee, memories of all the loved ones in my life, past and present, including the four legged ones.

Always remember that our best friends walk beside us on four legs; that compassion isn’t only for humans; and that the relationship between two souls meant for each other never really comes to an end.

Please hugs your pups because only God loves you more.

Perfect Love

I always thought for sure there was no such thing as a perfect love, but now I think differently. A broken heart from a loved one hurts, it stings, and it burns, but it can be repaired with new promises made and old mistakes cast aside. A new future plan laid out for the continued journey and a promise of the two hearts are 100% in agreement that this love affair is what they need, want, and are willing to work at, a perfect love is possible. Nothing is ever the best it can be the first time around, it takes falling down and asking for forgiveness and giving of yourself to make it move past the hard times and into the new beginning. Love is a very difficult emotion, it can make you feel the most unparalleled best you have ever felt in your life or it can make you crawl into the deepest darkest place in your soul. I find that honesty, communication, trust, a giving heart, and forgiveness, can make a relationship sustain for years, but the look in each others eyes, the closeness of a hug, you know the snuggle factor, a soft kiss, holding of hands, a whisper in the ear saying "I love you", and a beautiful smile also make the love grow stronger. There is no one answer for all, but if you can love with an open honest heart, soften your tone when a loved one is hurting, listen to your loved one, and always end your written sentences to to your love with a sign off of “I love you” even if you are a bit upset at that moment then I think you can be pretty sure your love will last forever. Never give up, and always make your loved one feel as if it is the last day you will be together, because some day, it will be.

Remember hug your pups because only God loves you more than your dogs.

Blessings

Well today outside is just a cloudy and drizzly day, but inside I am filled with sunshine. I have been reflecting on the many blessings I have had in my life and still have today. Of course it goes without saying the man in my life is someone that loves me for me, and nothing is better than that. I am not a easy woman to be with, I have a very broken past that still haunts me today, but he is still right by my side even when I am checked out in my own little world, or playing with toys at the stores, or dressed up like a runway model on his arm for the evening. He has weaknesses and flaws, but don’t we all? I will never be close to perfect and yet he accepts this in me and loves me in spite of it. He is a true and admirable blessing that I will hold onto for as long as I can.

My recent discovery of my grandson, yes I said grandson, has given me a new purpose in life. He lives so far away, and we have so much catching up to do I could write to him a chapter each day and still be behind on where he is in his life and how I got to this point in mine. Just knowing a little ten year old is thinking of me, wanting to know all about me, and share the rest of his life with me is a blessing that God could not have sent at a better time.

Not last by any means are my pups; Otis, Marley, Brock, and the baby Abby. As a child that was beaten for years my dog was all I had that showed me any love. I would have died to protect her, and she for I. She is at Rainbow bridge waiting for me and someday I will hug her and thank her again for being there to save me when all hope was lost. She was my only blessing for many years, and my current babies have no less love for me than she did, and I for them.

Blessings come in many different and unique ways; a life savior, a clean bill of health, a special someone, or maybe the blessing was just being able to pick myself up and move on. I have had to do this many times and all across this great nation of ours. I have lost touch with the very few friends I had met along my journey, but I still hold dear many memories of times from my past that did make me laugh and smile, gave me hope, showed me that I was worthy of love, and just every now and then, my greatest blessing of all was inner peace.

Stay happy and keep those tails wagging!

Love that Boy!

Sometime I wish my dog could talk; well actually more than sometimes. My oldest dog Otis gives me these looks with his eyes, deep and brown, as if the world’s peace answer was in there somewhere and I just need to understand the expression and put words to them.

He is my gentle giant and I love him more than many other things in my life, as much as this may hurt or confuse some, I love him more than some family members and more than many people I know. He has done for and given me more in ten years than some have done or given me in forty so why not love him as much as he has loved me for his whole life.

For now, when Otis gives me those deep brown eyes and a tilt of his big black head with soft fluffy ears I just smile, walk over, and give him a big hug and then I thank him for being a good boy that provides me with unconditional understanding and love….then he gets an ear scratch and cookie…me, well I get a wet nose, a lick on the cheek, and a tail wag…just for being me.