Holidays can be hard...

Jeff, all I can say is, AAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! :p :) :D :p :) :D :p :) :D :p

We need PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

Marianne

P.S. I see you were posting pictures even as I was writing. So now all I can say is DOUBLE AAAWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!! :) :)

How cuuute!!!! :D:D I am so happy for you, Jeff! Pebbles is a doll and I know she will warm your heart. Welcome to the world of Teacups where we worry about ounces VS pounds, hours between meals VS number of meals, and spend many hours a day hopping around on one foot looking for a teeny body before we set that clod-hopper on the floor. :p

Congratulations, Dad, and welcome to the family, Pebbles!

Hugs,
Leslie, Squirt and Trinket

Welcome Pebbles,

What a great Christmas present, Jeff. She is soooo cute and tiny.

Pebbles, I LOVE the name.

I am so happy for you.

Hugs,
Addy

Welcome Pebbles! You are so tiny. Jeff-maybe you could go back and get that cute aussie as a brother/sister?

Well-I made it through the surgery and one week. I have to keep it wrapped up and in a boot for 7 weeks....and only then will I really know how it is all going.

I checked back on the puppies-where 4 expected turned out to be only 3. I guess no one changed their mind. I am now first on a list for puppies expected about 1/18. I've been trying to find pictures of Mom, and Dad and if I found the correct ones, I think this batch may be too large for us. I'm just going to wait until closer to the time they're due.

A good friend, my age, has a daughter, my son's age -and they are both only children. It's a very long story so I'll skip that part. Saturday AM I talked with my friend and things were fine. At 5pm she called me and said "My daughter died today." It was a blood clot in her lungs and my friend thinks this did not have to happen. Her daughter had recently moved west after having extensive surgery and health problems through the spring and summer. The docs out west would not take her on as a patient and it was too soon post-op. Apparently you should be about 2 years post-op for something big like she had before you change physicians.....the move made this very difficult for her, but she was flying back every two months for her follow-up check ups. She was just here right before Thanksgiving. Well-instead of someone being familiar with her case, after she had a seizure they were looking for a viral issue. They weren't looking or thinking about blood clots. She did not survive the second seizure, the next day. What do you say to someone? I just kept saying how sorry I was. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around this.

On a much lighter note.......I am all finished wrapping and shopping. IT's a new milestone. And have 3 days left!! Perhaps I can get some of those little kitchen hand towels made. Or maybe some naps??!!:D:D

I'd better get to bed. It's really cold in the house now!!!:eek:

-Susan

Welome Pebbles and congratulations Jeff for finding her and giving her a great home. I know she will lighten your heart this Christmas.

Susan I hope you get your little one soon. Horrible news about your friends daughter, I cannot imagine what she is going through.

Peace and love and joy to all this holiday season:)May you all be blessed with family, friends and lots of furry friends around you.

Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone; Pebbles is definitely a bright spot in my life right now! She is just SO cute...we went to the vet for the first time today and the girls there just adored her. I have never had a dog THIS small, so it is an adjustment. Particularly when the vet is saying "give her 1/2 a millileter" of liquid vitamin and I can't figure out where the mark on the dropper is for such a small amount? Because there is none! LOL

I still have my eye on that Aussie girl...I liked her a lot. Was just a bit hesitant as my Mandy's breeder will (should?) have a litter in Jan/Feb...I'd like to get a pup from her, if possible. We shall see; Pebbles would benefit from having a friend her age!

Susan, that story is just SO troubling. Medical care in this country is just all screwed up...$$$ first, care second. But, you do hear stories like this out there.

Happy holidays to everyone!

Jeff, Angel Mandy & Pebbles

Oh Jeff....she's just adorable....you must be having so much fun!! What a Merry Christmas you're going to have....Welcome Pebbles!
Looking forward to more updates on your new family member!
Jo-Ann :)

Hi-
Does it never end? Another friend was lost to cancer yesterday. That's two cancer deaths in one month. :(:(:mad:
Our neighbor came by with Zoe yesterday-the springer spaniel puppy. Zoe is so very friendly. She's getting pretty big now-she must be 4 months or so. We live on a cul-de-sac and if the owner is out walking Zoe, Zoe always stares at our doorway looking for someone to come out. How cool is that? I wonder what Palmer would have thought with Zoe.,....something like....Wow! This is one big playmate!!

Take care all. Happy holidays! Best wishes for a healthy, happy 2011. Thanks for all of your support. It's been quite a year. You can find me behind the books on puppy training!! :D:D:D

-Hugs, kisses, and more hugs-
Susan

It's been almost a year since we lost Maggie, December 29 will be her angel day. I miss her every day. I posted a holiday picture of her in my album from a few years ago.
Meanwhile Beth, your Bad Boys namesake is a sweet, funny, bundle on energy. My husband was never really sold on us having dogs so I find it very funny that Cailey has decided to be his girl. She has our "little old man" terrier Benny on an exercise regimen (play, play, play) and he has lost 5 pounds. The vet is thrilled.
My son graduated from college (finally) last week and my daughter and our grand dog Emma have moved back home to save money for grad school so our nest is no longer empty (or quiet).
Wishing all of you peace.

Merry Christmas Eve!
Sure is quiet and not as merry without Palmer. He's in my heart.
-Susan

:(The above post was @4:30-it's now two hours later. This is very rough. I soooooooooo need Palmer.:(

I'm thinking of you, Susan, and so wishing I could think of something brilliant to say to ease the ache. But I know there are no words that will do that. I am closing my eyes and beaming you hugs from across the miles. And I will light a Christmas candle in honor of your sweet Palmer.

Marianne

Missing you so much Spicey, especially today.

Love and kisses, Mum x

And now, for me in my time zone, it is Christmas morning...:o ;)

Already such a mixture of feelings for me. So grateful for the loved ones who are still physically present; very much missing those who are not. The past and the present join together in my heart and in my memories.

I'm heading off to light another candle right now. For anyone else who wishes to join in, here is a link to our special candle-lighting site:

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/...m?l=eng&gi=K9C

It will be beautiful to see the glow of all our Christmas candles, all through the day and night. I hope it will help to warm all of our hearts.

With my best wishes to all,
Marianne

And now it is the day after Christmas. Christmas eve included a very bad argument with my husband and a lot of tears. Christmas day went smoothly. I often thought of Palmer, told him I was missing him, and continued on. Christmas without a fur ball just is not how I'd like to have it be.
I lit a candle for Palmer. That does help. The hugs are very helpful. We'll get through this. I did find that dinner at the "formal" table was easier than it was on Thanksgiving. As I I am aware, going through all those "firsts" can be very difficult. I feel at least that I am walking through this one........experiencing the emotions. I can feel my fluffy friend. He is here.
Best wishes to all and huge thanks to all.
-Susan

I started a thread this same way last November. I hope it was a comfort last year, and that it will be a comfort once again. We are a family that spans the globe, bearing our sad losses together and holding one another up, all together. So once again, here is a thread that can be our "home" for the holidays. Here we go...

Quote:

---

These last few weeks have been so tough for our family here. And the holidays are especially hard, no matter whether the loss was yesterday or ten years ago. So I thought I'd start a thread where people can check in, if they want. It'll be here all through the holidays. And if anybody has a special memory to share, we will love to hear about it. And if anybody is having an especially hard day, we'll be here to listen and join in a group hug. Because that's what we do. We laugh and cry together. And that's the way we continue to honor our loved ones, all through the holidays.

---

Marianne

And for those who may not already know about our special candle-lighting site, here is a link:

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/...m?l=eng&gi=K9C

All through the holidays, we can keep our candles burning bright. Shining with comfort and warmth. The candles will keep shining through our tears, and remind us that love never dies.

Marianne

Thank you Marianne,

Just taking a moment to remember my Roxee and Mickee. It will be difficult going through the holidays and missing all their little quirks. They would always get excited and knew that when the tree went up, it meant special treats and a load of toys. I can still see Roxee looking at the gifts under the tree..then looking at me and waiting until I said OK... She always knew exactly which package contained her favorite toy and loved ripping it apart. Mickee would always be close by reminding us not to forget his special treats.

I have been taking every opportunity to enjoy as much time as I can with Rozee, (Roxee's littermate sister) and LittleBit. Rozee always waits for the big bag of toys to get dumped so she can jump into the middle of them :) she is getting older, 16 now, but still loves her stuffed toys. LittleBit is still learning that life in our home is about fun, playtime and cuddle time... it will be her 2nd Christmas with us. I think she likes it here ;):)

Miss my Roxee girl and My Mickee boy........

It is Christmas morning, and the doggie girls and I are the first ones awake. It is still dark, and so the lights from the tree gleam so beautifully. In just a little while, coffee will be brewing and "Merry Christmas!" will ring throughout the house. But right in this moment, I stand by the tree and remember Christmases Past, and shed a little tear for the loved ones who are with us today in spirit alone. Oh, for just one more moment together, one more hug. Just one more Christmas...

But the light from the tree shines so brightly. And so does our love. I will always remember. And I will always miss you all, until the day that we are reunited once again.

Merry Christmas to all my beloved angels. Peace be with you, now and forever ~
Marianne

I decided to "bump up" this thread once again, just in case anybody has a thought or memory that they'd like to share throughout this holiday season. For me, when I think of my angels, the holidays always bring both smiles and tears. And it feels good to know there is a place where I can come and talk, no matter which way I'm feeling. :o

Don't worry, Spirit Barkis, I'll be saving a bite of turkey for you, just like I do every year! I miss you so much.

Marianne

Thank you Marianne, what a kind, thoughtful thing to do.

Last year my mother had fallen and broken her pevic in two places and we did not think she would recover. Most people her age do not. I was out looking for nursing homes. It was quite a feat to bring her home last year for Thanksgiving, she could not walk by herself or get in and out of a car.

This year, she walks with a walker just fine and can walk in and out of my house without a ramp and get in and out of my car.

We plan on having a joyous Thanksgiving with her and Zoe and Koko. The kids are stopping by for appetizers and their Papa's famous Bloody Marys sans liquor;)

I am so thankful my mom and Zoe are still here. I feel truly blessed.

I will say a shout out to my dad in heaven. I believe he does a great job watching over us and has some good pull with God:) I miss him very much even though he has been gone for 12 years. But his presence is always with me, steering me to the right path.

Thank you Dad, for still being there for me.

Today is Koda's birthday..he would have been 7 Dec 19. Today.
It has been a hard journey the past 5 months,but I got through it.I still shed a tear at the thought that he is gone, but I can say that I KNOW his little soul is up there watching ,running and playing.We have since found so many countless memories of him on old camera films and memory cards that make us laugh and smile at the good times we had.
I have taken in a little white shih tzu with poor back legs...like koda minus the cushings..he needed a home when we were grieving so I asked my Koda angel if he would like me to help this dog.I knew he would want me to. His name is Casper and he is very much his own dog. Koda was my first shih tzu type and he was so wonderful, it is an honour to have another.
At first I felt terribly guilty, but that is to be expected. He does not take Kodas spot, as NO dog ever can, but he is a welcome smile to a house of cats..lol.
I also have fostered a stray cat that came to me the day Koda died.
There were 2 of them that came that awful day and I started feeding them.I rehomed one and now took in the other with the help of a rescue, will get him a forever home.
Koda taught me to love unconditionally...(knew I would start crying)
I gave him all the care and love that I never thought possible,and he has taught me so much about inner strength.Even at the end, he was so stoic and tough about his illness and never showed it.
Koda boy..happy bithday in heaven.I wish you were here with me in body but I know your spirit is here.
Miss that dog sooo much.

Oh HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear Koda!!!

Birthdays, like holidays, are times when our precious memories should always be celebrated -- even through our tears. So thank you so much for telling us that this is Koda's special day!

I know he is so glad that you have opened your heart to these new babies. As you say, he is not being replaced in any way. But I believe that love is a circle that remains unbroken. So Koda is joining you in passing his love on to these new little ones. And so the bond among you all grows even stronger.

I am so glad that you posted this note. I wish Spirit Koda the happiest of birthdays, and I wish you and your whole family a holiday season filled with love.

Sending many hugs,
Marianne

Big Happy Birthday to your sweet angel Koda. I know he is watching over you and I think maybe Koda had something to do with you meeting Casper.

I am glad to read that you are able to smile at the memories you and Koda have - and these memories will stay alive for an eternity. And it is okay to have tears in your eyes as well.

((((hugs))))
Terry

Awww, Happy Birthday to Koda. Just think, he gave you a special gift, he gave you Casper to ease the pain and to show you laughter would again be possible. Koda led the way and the journey now is yours to make with Casper and the others who will come in and out of your life. I am sure that his playful loving spirit is always with you.

hugs,
Sharlene

Yes this is a very hard time for me - when I got out the Christmas decorations and found Casey's stocking, then hanging the ornaments on the tree and finding hers the tears started flowing..... 15 Christmases with her and now she is gone.

Last year after Christmas I bought two dog ornaments with angels wings for my tree, one for Casey and one for Desi. Dear Casey passed away a month later but now her angel hangs on my tree.

Hugs to everyone else who is going through the same sadness. Luckily I am babysitting 4 dogs over the holidays as well as having Desi and Oreo so the house will be full of wagging tails Christmas morning.

Oh Ellen, I can imagine how bittersweet it is for you to see Casey's little angel on your tree. We have little photo ornaments so there is a picture of every one of our furbabies on our tree -- even my beloved kitties from way back when I was a little girl. It is kind of a wall of memories that hurts and comforts all at the same time.

I know all those wagging tails will be filing your house tomorrow morning. But there will also be one wagging tail that you will be missing so much. I will be thinking of you and Casey's little angel when I look at the photos of my own dear spirits.

Sending many hugs across the miles on this Christmas Eve,
Marianne

I just want to remind you all of our special candle-lighting site:

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/...m?l=eng&gi=K9C

We can fill the page with our lighted candles, and even though our eyes may be filled with tears, our hearts will be filled with our love that burns so brightly. Just like a beacon in the night. Just like the flames from our candles.

I wish a blessed Christmas to all ~
Marianne

i did go to this site and it gave me peace.thank you xoxox patty

I lit a candle there for my Kodas memory. I too, found a box from last Christmas labled "to Koda Love Mom and Dad. It was the Boston Bruins coat that we had gotten him last year for Xmas and saved the box.
It was very sad.I also pulled out his ShihTzu dog ornament for the tree and put it beside another angel that was my daughter\s from her grave.
Koda is definitely with her...I know she would have loved animals as I do. Her name was Nicole and she was my first baby, born Dec 31,1991.
She died of SIDS a month later while we were napping..Next to her death, Koda's was the hardest...
Rest in peace my angels...I will see you again.
Hope you all at this site,had a merry Christmas. It is hard on the holidays, but we have to count the blessings that we still have.
Thanks for all the hugs and support here, it means ALOT.
Theresa.

Theresa, I am so very sorry for your losses. There is no doubt in my mind that your baby girl, Nicole, was there to meet Koda when he crossed over. I am also sure that they will watch over you and your family until it's time to meet again.

Rest in peace Nicole and Koda.

In all honesty, this has been the most difficult Season since my daughter passed away in ’06. Letting Tasha go around the same time just added to. Memories of family and babies gone before have been so close, bringing both tears and laughter. And about the time I was getting my feet back under me, the shooting at Sandy Hook occurred. There are no words to describe what that did to my Soul. All I could think about was those poor parents who would open closets and look under beds to see presents that would never be opened. I know about those presents. I still have those presents.

Gia and I collected ornaments throughout her lifetime. Every Dec. 26th, we were standing in line at the crack of dawn in front of high end stores we could never afford to shop in, our Christmas money clasped tightly in hand. We would gather all the ornaments that we liked, then go off by ourselves with our cart and sort them, choosing the ones we could afford to buy with great excitement. Once home, they would be lovingly packed away with the rest, anticipating next year when they would hang on our tree. Most of the ornaments we bought were glass and quite fragile, and there are those we made as well as some from when my mom was young. When Gia’s oldest son was born, we used those ornaments his first Christmas then put them away until he was older. We got soft, unbreakable ornaments to use meantime.

This year, I was able to put up the Glass Tree. It is set in my bedroom at the foot of the bed where I can see the ornaments we gathered over the years. Every night I turn the lights on and feel my child near for a little while. One of Tasha’s beds is lying under the tree where she left it and that seems fitting. I allow the sorrow to come in all its manifestations then light a candle in gratitude to honor my Beloved Dead. Each was a gift, each brought many Blessings, and each has taught this old bag of bones about living as a Spiritual being.

My Journey will one day end as well and I hope they find me worthy of the Blessings they so freely gave. Until that day, I will continue to mourn and celebrate their lives in equal measure to the best of my ability.

Leslie, thank you for sharing the milestone of your precious Glass Tree with us. What you have written touches me more deeply than words can convey. So I close my eyes and imagine your tree in all its glory, and I find myself in a place where no words are needed. Because the feelings are all that really matter.

In loving memory, always, of all those who are near and dear to us all ~
Marianne

Just a few more hours remain for me before turning over the old year and ringing in the new. I've just been to our "Remembering" thread and allowed my mind and heart to rest for a moment on each one of the names that have been entered there during this past year. On one hand, it is beyond sad to see so many loved ones listed there. But on the other hand, it settles my own spirit to know that they are all together and that we are able to honor them always.

There is nothing that would please me more than to think that we would not need to begin a new list in 2013. I hope against hope that many days will pass in the coming year before the list begins. But that is not for any of us to know or decide. What I do know is that it helps so much to know that we have a family here, each of whom cares and understands how much our dogs matter. Each of whom knows how much it hurts when they are no longer by our sides. And each of whom will do their best to support us when we need help.

So in honor and memory of all those who passed on during this past year, I salute you and I salute our family. I hope the new year will bring solace and comfort to us all!

Marianne

Amen, Marianne and Happy New Year everyone.

You said it best for all of us Marianne.

Happy New Year to all.
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Beautiful words here that are spoken from the heart. They are not ours to keep but to be loved and cherished and then set free. We honor all we have lost and always remember.

Thank you for all the beautiful words that we can clutch to our hearts.

Is it possible that another holiday season is almost upon us??? Once again, I am "bumping up" this thread so that it will be here in case anyone wants to pause and add a note during these coming days and weeks. We will all be "Home for the Holidays" right here.

Hugs to all,
Marianne

Thank you Marianne for bumping this thread up. :) Several of us may need a little help dealing with the holiday season without our fur babies. :o

Kathy

Oh Kathy you are so right about that. I'm already dreading these holidays because that's when Tia got sick. I'm sure to be here many times for my virtual hugs.

Donna