I gave up my house for Lent.

Lent has always been an awkward Liturgical Season for me. You give up something, and do really well...for a bit then inevitably something happens and chocolate and wine find their way back into your life. I am sure that there is someone out there who agrees with me? 

Lent is a season of sacrifice, and deep prayer. I have always dove deep into the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, finding Lent to be a time to enter into a deeper relationship with Mary. This is probably one of my favorite parts of Lent...joining my suffering to His, and taking comfort that in the end death has no grip on me. 

As with adoption, each season seems to take on a new meaning. Adoption is all about waiting; faithful waiting and basking in the fact that all things happen in God's timing and not in ours. We are still waiting...patiently, most days, waiting. 

This year, just seems to be a whole new 'level' of Lent. I was chatting with a friend, and we were discussing what each of us had decided that we were going to give up this year for Lent. I giggled, then asked, in my best serious voice, "Does giving up my house count?"  

Now, why in the world would someone give up their house? Well, you see, it was not voluntarily done. When the apocalypse happened, and Texas literally froze, we had several pipes burst. Which, ordinarily would not have been a huge issue, but we were not home when it happened, so our little house filled right on up with water. When our kind neighbor told us that the power was back on the neighborhood, Jared went to check on his grandma (who fell & broke her hip Sunday) and then went to check on the house before we brought all of the dogs back. When he walked into the house, through the front door, he was greeted to several inches of water on the floor, and the ceiling in our entry way was on the floor. It's a good thing that he knows how to turn off the water because he ran back out and turned off our main water line. Then back in to assess the damage, which is when he called me. To quote, I said hello, what's up? Jared, "The damn ceiling is on the damn floor." Then he promptly said that the had to go. Well, his dad was iced in Byran, so I called his brother. Jacob answers, assuming Liz & I need something. I said no, apparently the ceiling is on the floor at my house, can you go and check on Jared. He left work & rushed over. 

Since then, it has been a whirlwind of being on the phone...all the time. Calling and filing with insurance, and then calling every remediation company that has a good rating on Google, and getting on their list. I called the same day it happened, and could not be given a date for service. That was the same song & tune for all 15 companies I called. Some were kind, and we got on their lists; others, frustrated just like homeowners & showing it in their customer service. 

By the grace of God, we were able to secure a remediation company to come out, but the damage had already been done. A little science fun for you. If you live in Texas, the weather is never to far away from 80 degrees, and if you have holes in your ceiling, your A/C cannot keep the house cool. So, what happens? Mold. Mold is what happens. As they tore down walls...they kept finding mold growing. I knew that it had taken over my new sewing room, as it was visible, the rest of it was hidden behind walls, floors and cabinets. What started as just a wet mess, was quickly becoming a wet & moldy mess. Thank goodness the remediation company knew what they were doing, and took the appropriate steps to save things. 

As I sit back and think on the answer I gave to my sweet friend though, I gave up more than my house this Lent. I gave up being comfortable. So often God calls us to do things that are out of our comfort zone, and out of our norm, but we often shy away from those things because we do not like being uncomfortable. 

I am comfortable in my own home, my own routine, and setting. I hate, despise, and loathe change. I am a home-body, and find comfort in my routines. If 'giving up my house' for Lent is teaching me anything, it is about being okay with change and learning how to lean in to being uncomfortable, which by the way, is anything but comfortable. 

I had to learn really quick how to get along without my bed. 

I had to learn to let Shelby go cuddle elsewhere in the evening. Apparently when you stay with your friends, you sleep with your friends. 

I have had to learn to plan my wardrobe for the week since my closet lives at my mom's. I joke that I wish I had Jared's option of a handy Ace polo & jeans daily. At least Friday's are easy, Spirit Day! 

I have had to plan for my weekend days & what I would like to do, as I am often at my mom's doing laundry. 

I have had to learn that it is okay if someone else cooks dinner for my husband and I. 

I have had to learn how to shop differently...feeding 4 adults instead of 2 &  no sewing room with school/work snack storage. 

I have learned that sometimes routines have to change...as much as you do not want them to.  Creating new routines and new habits is tiring and stressful...on a daily basis. 

I have to remember to not go home after work. 

I have learned how to ask for help. Gulp. Probably the hardest thing to learn out of all of this. Jared and I are the typically the last people that will ask for help. The tables are usually turned, and we are always helping others. We have asked more of our friends, and our families lately than we probably ever really have had to do.  

There is so much more that I have had to learn. This just seems to be the tip of the iceberg that has become the Great Flood post the Great Freeze. We are wading into the waters of dealing with insurance. So far the water is cold, very, very cold.  

If being uncomfortable is what God has called me to be this Lent, then I would say it is going swimmingly well. We were not made to be comfortable in today's world. If you are comfortable in how you are living, are you challenging yourself to do new things, to grow, to learn? Comfort is wonderful, but the uncomfortable is where we truly grow. The iron put in the fire sure isn't comfortable, but it becomes something new and wonderful after. It seems to be that all of the growing, molding, and learning seems to happen when we are outside of our comfort zone. 

I know that after this storm, that we will come out on the other side better and stronger. There might not be a more fitting season to be in this storm than during Lent. Uniting my suffering with the suffering of the cross. This is where I have been planted this season, and learning to grow in my uncomfort is where I am. If you ask how things are going, you may get a variety of answers depending on where I am sitting in that very moment. I will do my best to give you an answer with grace, but sometimes, life just gets the best of you and emotions just overcome you. 

So, I will be enjoying a glass of wine, and some chocolate, because for Lent, I gave up my house. 

**On a side note, our sweet Collie rescue community has set up a GoFundMe to help us with costs that have come up & that will come up. We have had to say no to fostering for the foreseeable future, which breaks my heart. 

https://gofund.me/fbef83cf

So Long & Farewell to 2020

 As I sit on the couch, with a precious Collie girl Bella in my lap, as the fireworks begin to go off, it is a reminder that this year, this weird, odd, bizarre and at times, cruel year is coming quickly to end. Looking back on this year, so many things have happened, and so many things have not. I decided tonight is as good as any to look back and reflect on what this year has meant to the Brinker's, while the sweet Tequila in my favorite margarita, eases the pain of things that were dreamed of, wished for, and prayed for in 2020. 

In our world of fostering & rescuing, there were so many happy moments that overshadowed all that was going on in this world. Our sweet Sage, who we had for over 6 months, finally found her furever home in early June. That girl has hit the jackpot with her new family and we could not be happier about where she has landed. We fostered 2 different sets of puppies, the "Friends" litter, Chandler, Joey & Phoebe came along at just the right time. Virtual school had just begun, and I was deep into the trenches of trying to figure out this new mode of teaching over night. Those puppies quickly became members of our class, and regularly made it onto our video calls. Then came short and sweet, Miss Emma. She was quite the puppy...gave Bella a run for her money! As with puppies, she was gone in a few short weeks! Then Miss Lassie came along...skunked. Yes, you read that correctly, she has been skunked. That was just as fun as a barrel full of monkeys let me tell you. Girlfriend got a bath, then another, got groomed...and the skunk smell was finally beginning to fade. She hopefully goes for a sleepover tomorrow...praying that it goes well! Then, we rounded out the year with a second set of puppies, our "Sports Teams" litter, 3 boys---Astro, Comet & Rebel, and their so sweet little sister, Aggie. They were Christmas puppies....yes, I know, how cute would reindeer names have been...stinking adorable, that's how cute. Missed opportunity there. There is just something exciting about giving a pup their new name for their new beginning. 10 fosters for 2020...to me that is a whole lotta good. 

Emma---a whole lotta personality in that little dog! 

The "Friends" litter...they were such little lovers! 

The most recent puppies...the "Sports Teams" litter! And yes, I put them in a stocking and took their pictures. That is what a good mama does. 

Beautiful Sage. She overcame a lot to get where she is today. 

2020 stole our sweet Micky boy from us. He was diagnosed with cancer on a Wednesday, and by the following Monday, our sweet boy was telling us that it was time to let him go across the Rainbow Bridge. That boy healed our hearts and brought so much joy to our house. He was such a happy dog, and loved everyone that he met...even if you did not like him. He was a sensitive soul too. I have a theory about Tri-Colored collies. They are way more vocal than their counterparts, and boy are they such sensitive souls...they pick up on EVERYTHING going on around them. Micky was no exception...he loved with all that he had and all that he was, a beautiful boy gone way to soon. 

My most handsome Micky. Hey Micky, you're so fine....

2020 was just cruel enough that I helped my boy pass over Rainbow Bridge, and then I had to prepare to begin Distance Learning the next day....man, that was rough. Thanks, 2020. I put a smile on, and off I went doing what I do best! Speaking of Distance Learning, what a trip that was. A crash course in technology that you think you know how to use, but hey, its 2020, you really have no clue what you are doing. It's like walking in the dark and there are legos scattered across the floor. Some steps are great, and others hurt like hell. My foot still hurt from Micky, and I just kept on stepping on those legos for a few weeks until I got into the groove of working from home, and teaching through a computer (What is life even at this point?!) We made it though. The ride might have been rough, we may not have always kept our hands and feet in the vehicle at all times, but we survived, and we thrived in the end. 

Our sweet nephew, Brooks was born the day after Jared's birthday! He is the cutest little nugget, and his pictures and videos bring so much joy! He was born a few days before my Spring Break began. When Spring Break arrived, I packed up in the car & took off for Memphis (before lockdowns and stay-home orders) to love on that sweet boy & take care of his mama. I soaked up all of the baby cuddles that week! We snuck up again in the summer to love on that sweet baby some more, and so Jared could meet him! Then back again super quick in August for his Baptism. 

All of the new baby snuggles! 

Sweet chrism after his Baptism. 

Baptism day! 

His Auntie Shannyn made his Baptism Cake! 

I taught myself how to do something new during quarantine!  Quilting! I love the idea of building something beautiful out of nothing! I have made baby blankets for a few years, but really dove head first into the world of quilting this year. I watching a whole lotta Missouri Star Quilt Co. videos, with Jenny giving tutorials. This expanded into me finding a place to get certified to use a long arm quilting machine so that I could quilt my own quilts. Found Double E Quilting, and love their friendships that are forming, and all of the knowledge that I am learning from Eva!! My goal is to one day own a Lucey of my own in the sewing room that my sweet hubby, brother & father in law are building me! Jared says its time for me to move out of the living room. I have also created my own little quilting business, Sparkling Ridge Quilts--find me on Facebook or Instagram! 

My first quilt! 

Quilting has also been great for keeping my hands and mind busy as we enter into year 2 of our adoption journey. I have found that if I have something to keep focused on, it helps to keep my scattered mind from wandering too much. Needless to say, a lot of quilts have come together since the quarantine began... 14 quilts in total....and ahem, well, a whole lot waiting patiently to be created. I keep telling myself that there is no such thing as too much fabric...there is no such thing as too much fabric...if you keep saying it, it will be true, right?!

As we round out 2020, we are still waiting. Some days are tougher than others. We pray for our phones to ring with good news. While nothing happened in this realm in 2020, so much more did, and for those things, we are still grateful for in our lives. We sure have gotten to spend a lot more time together...whether this is a good or a bad thing, well that depends on the day and who you ask.  2020 was more a year for the dogs....mom worked from home & they could not have been more thrilled! It was quite the adjustment for them...and me...when work began again in August. 

We also welcomed the most dapper Dexter to our family....something about those Tri's....

                                 We pray that in 2021, all of your hopes and dreams come true! 

366 Days....

When you look back on a year, it's amazing how much can happen in that span of time. Since we officially applied last summer to our agency, a lot of things have happened.....

*Another school year has passed

*Another year of work for Jared has passed

*We have fostered 5 dogs

*We lost Micky

*We gained Dexter

*Shannyn taught school virtually & survived to tell the tale

*We gained a nephew

*Our home saw improvements

*Our yards got a face lift

*We are living during a pandemic

*We have officially been waiting one year.

1 year

366 days (Thank you Leap Year)

8,784 hours

527,040 minutes

31,622,400 seconds

have passed, and not with out prayer, hopes and dreams. 

Did you know that the average family waits for 2 years before they are matched and welcome a child into their lives? So, being the realistic people that we are, while also holding onto to hope that our phones will ring any minute, we are settling into more waiting. 

While we settle into this, we want to ask you to join our journey with us! We got the idea from a friend, and thought that it was wonderful! 

We have purchased 2 puzzles....collies and goldens seemed very fitting. 

We are looking for your help to build these 2 puzzles! We are looking for people to join us in prayer & to join the journey financially if you feel called. There is nothing more difficult or humbling than asking for help from others. 

If you would like to join us spiritually through prayer, please fill out the Google Form, and we will place your name on the back of a Golden Retriever puzzle piece.  

 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Z5dyx6R_6gyuLGCN0i8hdtdLr7vgSA9kEBEApZpFRMY/edit

If you would like to join the journey financially, at any amount, we will place your name on the back of  Collie puzzle piece.  

You can donate through our GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-brinker

PayPal: jones.shannyn89@gmail.com

Venmo--Shannyn-Jones

Once we have filled all the pieces and they are built, they will get put in a double sided frame and hung in the nursery. Then we will be able to show this sweet child all of the people who prayed for them and joined their parents in this journey to them becoming a part of the family. 

Thank you in advance for your love & support! 

What Day is it Again?

Funny. I logged in to begin to compose a post today, and this one was saved, with simply the title.

It still rings true today though...as a search for a routine has begun again since school has ended. Falling into summer used to be easy. Begin the summer job and keep the same routine going. But, when summer is cancelled, you are left pulling at any string looking for a sense of normalcy...as we have been since March.

So much has happened at the Brinker House & in the world since I last posted in January that I feel several separate posts will have to make up for my lack of blogging...unless you just want to read a novel, which is not a horrible idea!

So, buckle in, keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times, and enjoy the ride!

Chapter 1--Wait, what? Work from home? 

When I last wrote, I was spending my days in Memphis with the BFF before her Baby Boy came. Just 2 teachers soaking up their Christmas Vacation, no thoughts of the work that awaited them upon their return. There was talk on the news of a virus spreading rapidly through China, and I was gearing up for a busy Spring Semester at work. Funny how the world changes in what feels like over-night. School began with us in full gear with lots of learning left to do, projects to partake in & a Field Trip to go on! January flew by and February creeped in like a sly fox. February seemed to never end. Maybe it was the leap day. Maybe it was the lack of a day off. Maybe it was just February being rude. But let's be real for a minute, it was the fact that Spring Break was looming every so close. Like that carrot dangled in front of the rabbit, and that is all anyone could focus on. I thought of it as motivation to get through the long days, my kiddos, they were just longing for another break and to hang out with their friends. Spring Fever was setting in. But, by golly, not only was February sly as a fox, but like a hurricane stewing and beginning to make landfall, Covid-19 was slowly encroaching on the US. February finally ended, and March showed up to the party...drunk. We made it through the first week, and had a blast counting down to Spring Break! But that Covid-19 Hurricane was getting ready to make landfall. 

On Friday, March 6, I laughed with my students in my classroom, prayed with them, in my classroom, taught them, in my classroom, played with my students, on the playground, and I wished them a wonderful break and promised to see them in a week. My calendar still feels stuck on March 6...the last day of normalcy. Then the eye made landfall. First, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo was cancelled. Then, we were told we were going to have one more week of Spring Break. Then...boom...out of school till May 4, and the city is shut down unless you are an essential worker.  It was like a massive punch to the gut. My first thought was my kiddos...do they understand what is happening? Are they okay? Then, how will we do this...

Off to school it was. We learned how to use the Google Classroom platform; packed up what we believed the kids would need from home, and made copies of anything they might need. It was a total whirlwind, and left my head spinning and my heart reeling with emotions. 

Let's pause for a minute, hop off, and have real talk for a hot second. The following is sentiment shared by a teacher on Facebook, and hits the nail right on the head. 

A teacher somewhere is packing up their classroom right now, mourning the class they never got to see to the end. The class they won’t get to see graduate. The class they won’t get to enjoy the beautiful spring weather with. The class who will no longer be able to sit and feel the suspense of a mystery read aloud. The class who won’t be able to sign yearbooks and make summer plans with friends. The class they never got to say goodbye to. The students they won’t get to hug anymore. The students they weren’t able to explain what was happening. The students they can no longer check in on every day due to technology deficits or little parental support. The students that shy away from face-to-face videoconferencing because they don’t understand why their world has been turned upside down and routines thrown out the window. The students whose only positive interactions and care were inside these four walls.

This hasn’t been easy. Lives have been immeasurably disrupted. Teachers have had to switch gears and create a classroom online and implement lessons in ways they’ve never had to before. Oftentimes spending more hours than they would in a normal workday. Heightened sadness, staggering stress, disenfranchised grief.

Stepping into these classrooms is overwhelming. It’s as if it was frozen in time. Weeks and months gone unchanged. Calendars still set on March, preparing for Spring Break. Projects left unfinished on the counters, crayons and glue sticks half-used, novels bookmarked halfway through, forgotten lunchboxes and coffee mugs; a time capsule.

As difficult as this is for you, know that teachers are grieving. They chose this profession because they love education and they love children. They’re dealing with a lot of adjustment and stress themselves. Packing up a classroom before the year is complete, feels alien. It is sad, it is frustrating, and it is hard.

Tonight, pray for a teacher.

There is no question that this time of quarantine was not just trying because I was stuck at home, but it was also a time of grieving what could have been...

Okay, hop back on! Buckle back up & hang on! Off we go...

I feel very blessed that all of my students had access to technology and the ability to meet with me every morning for live lessons. But, an hour filled with mini lessons does not fill that void. I was available all day for my students to call and ask questions. My afternoons were filled with checking assignments and providing feedback to the students, communicating with my parents, and getting online assignments ready for the next day. Hours began melting together, and work became an all day affair. Taking who you have planned and ready for in classroom and on the flip of a dime turning things into online assignments was no joke. It took up a lot of time. I am one who enjoys the distinction of home life vs work life, and during this time, the 2 were becoming one. That was one of the toughest parts. When your dinning room becomes your classroom, your world is rocked.

While this time was tough, it came to a bittersweet end seeing my kiddos on the Last Day of School; seeing my kids in person for the first time in 9 weeks. My teacher heart was happy and breaking at the same time. The year was ending, but felt so incomplete. It's one of the things that I love about teaching, a clear and cut beginning and ending to a year. This year, I'm still stuck on March 6...

My new "classroom" for the last quarter of school.

Chapter 2 Cancer Sucks.

During the second week of "Spring Break", our sweet Micky boy went in for extensive tests to try and piece together all of these weird symptoms that did not go together at all! He had been having trouble with a paw since October, which we thought was good after a minor surgery. XRays showed that infection had affected his bone, but no evidence of anything else...anywhere in his body. It never could get quite right...antibiotics would help for a time, pain meds would help for a time, steroids would help for a time...then he began to have other issues. I noticed that he was slowly losing weight, even though he had a hearty appetite and ate 2 meals a day. Then the sweet boy began having accidents while he was fully asleep. Then accidents when he was just lounging around, walking around, etc.. Urine test did not reveal any infection, so the next step was a massive brainstorm. I made a huge long list of things that I could not even pronounce half of the names. Dr. McIntyre made herself a list after reviewing all of the information that she had gathered through his visits. We merged lists, had a few that matched up, so she laid out what we would need to do as far as testing for each one. Well, cancer was on both of our lists, as much as we hated it. I decided to start there, convinced that he did not have cancer, my boy was just too young; I had not had enough time with him. To rule this out, he would need an ultrasound of his bladder/abdomen. I dropped off my boy, with his diaper bag, yes you read that right, he was wearing pee-bands/diapers, and prayed for the best. Y'all. They brought my boy back to me, and the sweet vet walked in the room, and she did not even have to say anything. My heart sank to the pit of my stomach and tears swelled in my eyes as she began to explain what was found on the ultrasound revealed that while his bladder was fine, my boy was terribly ill. It abdomen was riddled with cancer and he had fluid building up in his peritoneum. Fluid build up indicates that the cancer is very advanced.

I was told that I had maybe a few weeks at best left with my boy. My boy who came in and healed my heart when I believed that it was broken. My boy who never left my side. My boy who soaked up all of my tears. My boy who curled up in between Jared & I each night for cuddles. My boy who made all "right" in my world again. I could not believe that I was losing another baby. Another blow to the gut. When you cannot have children of your own, and while you wait patiently to be picked, your furry children are your children.

My boy was diagnosed on Wednesday and over the next 4 days, I watched him slide down the unstoppable slope. I knew that he was only going to get worse, and that it was not fair for him to suffer only because I was not ready to let him go. On Monday, we took in our boy and helped him to the Rainbow Bridge. The next day, virtual learning began.

Micky boy is resting easy now and doing all the running and jumping he wants. Losing a fur baby will never, never, never, never get easier or not suck, but when you have a vet who loves your furbabies as much as you do, it helps to ease some of the pain.

Micky on his way to what would be his last HCR event. 

Hey Micky, Hey Micky, Hey Micky you're so fine....

Chapter 3 How you doin'?

So no one told you life was gonna be this way

Your job's a joke, you're broke

Your love life's D.O.A

It's like you're always stuck in second gear

When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month

Or even your year, but

I'll be there for you

(When the rain starts to pour)

I'll be there for you

(Like I've been there before)

I'll be there for you

('Cause you're there for me too)

Let's take a look and see where we are...the middle of the Hurricane Covid-19...remote learning is in progress & our house is a little empty with the loss of the Mick. Well, what could help ease the pain and make being stuck at home a little bit sweeter....nothing other than puppies. Fuzzy, furry, little collie puppies. We were so blessed that these babies this year were are healthy! They just were not quite old enough to be on their own yet. We had these guys for about 3.5 weeks, then off to their furever homes they went! But not before we instilled a love for George Strait in them. Play Classical music to soothe them they said....bahahahaha. King George did the trick! 

So meet Joey...who did not share food; Phoebe who loved to "sing", and Chandler who was easy going. 

Puppies are good for the heart & soul! 

Who doesn't love a pile of puppies! Melt your heart into a puddle! 

We love to play outside and answering to "Puppy, puppy, puppy"! 

As you will see, this became their preferred method of sleeping. Tummy up & out....means they feel safe and secure where they are! 

Shelby is a good little Mama to the puppies. Chandler in particular was her shadow. 

Mom, look! It can hold me up while I sleep!

If this face doesn't put a smile on yours, then, well....

Phoebe was promoted to Assistant Cleaner! 

If you have been around for awhile, you will remember that we had puppies last summer too. We had a very sick puppy, Oreo, now Willy and Henry. These 2 boys got adopted together and went to just the best home ever! Oreo is on the left, Henry on the right. They are so big and so sweet....and they still remember us! We have gone to visit the boys & were greeted with so many kisses and cuddles.

The boys on their First Birthday! 

Chapter 4  Well, he's a big boy. 

Micky left a big hole in our family. While Bella seemed to be getting along well without her big brother, she was driving Shelby up a wall with all of the playing and horsing around that she does. Funny though, Shelby girl just joined right in. 

About the time we lost Micky, HCR got in a beautiful sibling pair, Lacey & Dexter.  Since they were siblings, I brushed off thinking about Dexter because I assumed he would be too bonded with his sister to separate. Dexter & Lacey were turned over to HCR after their owner passed away from cancer. 

Well,well, well after a couple weeks, it was determined that they were not an overly bonded pair and would do well apart as long as they had a playmate. So....I went and found a picture of him and sent it to Jared. He replied with, "Well, he's a big boy." Yes, yes he is! Dexter weighs in at just under 90 lbs. I have been told that this is how big a typical collie used to be, but they have been bread to be on the smaller side. 

He agreed that we could go meet him. Dexter put on a show....he is like a cat! He loves to wind between your legs, rub up against you, and lean on you. This sweet boy stole his way into our hearts. We loaded him up & headed home. 

Funny how you do not notice things until they begin to change. As Dexter settled in, so did the girls. They were no longer pacing about and worried about the front window. Bella began napping in her chair again. All things that I had noticed, but had not correlated to not having a male dog in the house. The girls need a protector, and Dexter quickly and quietly settled in as the King of his Kingdom. 

Happy Gotcha Day, Dexter! 

Dexter & Lacey as puppies. Their previous family shared some pics of them with us from their childhood. 

Queen Sadie Mae & King Dexter

Keeping watch over his kingdom. 

A Tri-Color, a Blue Merle & a Sable Collie walked into a bar....


Chapter 5  Waiting

We are still patiently waiting to get "the call." It will come in his time. We are coming up on the one year mark of officially being on the list. We will be getting our Home Study renewed soon, and we will continue with the waiting and prayers. While waiting is certainly not fun, we know that it is part of the process. 

We are keeping busy with work, fostering and projects around the house. We'll be ready when that call comes! 

Thank you for coming along on the ride. We hope you enjoyed it and will come back again! Until then, I'll be busy with several sewing projects and helping another foster with her puppies. Oh, and trying to keep track of what day it is! 

Life After Loss

I know that we have kind of gone silent over in our world, but trust me, all has not been calm, nor has it been silent.

We are still fostering Sadie Mae and have added sweet Sage as a foster as well. She loves us, but is still learning what life if like to be an inside dog, with a bed, and regular meals. Our sweet vet won over her heart with food, and now expects it (cough, cough, y'all started it)...and we took that cue and have showered her in what she would like since then. She was found roaming the streets with who believed to be her sister, Ivy. These girls spent their first weeks in rescue fighting infections...both inside and out. Now, we are putting on weight and getting strong to fight the yucky heart-worms. Once she has been treated, she will be available through Houston Collie Rescue.

This school year has been nothing short of keeping me on my toes all of the time!This year, I have 14 students, 10 of which are boys. The girls and I must rally together to make it through the day. This group has come a long way from where we began our year. I love my kids, and I miss the daily routine that school brings while on break. I am still teaching fourth grade & still pinching myself that I get to work at the best school ever! I could not be more blessed in that regard.

Jared is still working at the helpful hardware store. He enjoys his work. He is also itching to begin a reno project at our house. He has been working on lighting while I have been gone...who knows what he will do next.

This fall was characterized by so much more than our work and our fosters though. These were the last months that we had with Jared's beloved Uncle John.

Over the past 2 & a half years, Uncle John fought the good fight against mesothelioma.

Cancer is a horrid disease. There is no way around it. It picks its victims and then it shows no mercy. If you not receiving a treatment, you're getting a scan. If you're not sitting around waiting for a day full of appointments, you are getting news that you may or may not want to hear in appointments. If you are not having some kind of surgery, you are fighting some kind of complication. There never seems to be any rest for the weary...none of the weary in the village. Yes, I said village. No, we were not raising a kid (although some may beg to differ here?). It was a village of his family and friends that surrounded him and carried him through, and then those that rallied around his friends and family and carried them down the long and bumpy path.

Uncle John was our monthly house guest over the past 2 and a half years. He would stay with us whenever he had something going on down here. He always sent a text asking if his room was available; I guess he thought of us as a hotel. Maybe we should have cut back with the mint on the pillow and the homemade meals? I was responsible for replying to the text, to which he then always called Jared to make sure that he could really stay. Uncle John, I am the final say so, I think he was just being nice to Jared. The pups of course LOVED when we had a visitor; someone else to love them because mom and dad are just not enough. Did John love the pups, probably not. But that did not stop him from sitting on the couch with Shelby glued to his side, Micky resting next to her, and Bella on his lap. He also learned the hard way what happens when you do not close your door all the way in our house. Shelby & Bella become your roommates. Y'all, even when he did close his door, that is where they slept. I think this is where you can credit the dog's 6th sense and knowing that something more was going on...especially before he got his lovely machine that helps with snoring. Man, Micky would lose his mind when Uncle John stopped snoring...and wake us up!

My fridge always had more than 2 things of juice in it because he preferred something different every time that he came. I would swing by the store and buy some juice for him...then he would go get something else; every single time.

Uncle John was our baseball buddy....even if he rooted for the Red Sox. If they were in town playing our Astros, he would call us up with tickets & off we would go! There were a few select times that he rooted for Astros, but he could have talked baseball with us for hours. None the less, knew that you do not have to talk the entire baseball game, just being there with each other was enough. Maybe, as much as it may hurt, we just might have to root for the Red Sox once. But, only once.

This fall, was his big surgery, and after that, things were just never the same. My gut told me that we were coming towards the end of the battle. His days of staying with us sadly came to an end, and he was able to stay with his brother. We soaked up hospital visits, family dinners, and time with him whenever he was in town.

Shorty after Thanksgiving, he lost his battle. He is now resting easy...using every dish & not worried about the dishes as he cooks wonderful meals; enjoying the best seat in the house for his teams.

Sadly, death is something that is all to familiar, but every time it happens it shocks you. That someone you love and were talking to a few short days ago passes away.

Death seems to trap you in those few moments when someone has just passed and your mind is trying to process what is happening. You are stuck in a moment of time and cannot seem to keep moving.

What I have noticed is that death looks different for everyone who experiences it. It could probably be a whole post in and of itself.

So, what did Jared & I do? You keep on living, and you live your life to the fullest. John lived, and lived well. He believed in living life to the fullest. SO live. That is exactly what we will do.

We will love unconditionally.

We will foster.

Jared will work on house projects. 

I will bake. Bake all the things with all the dishes. 

We will take the puppies on play-dates. 

We will visit friends. 

We will throw showers for friends. 

We will spend time with our families. 

We will have family dinners.

We will take vacations. 

We will enjoy our jobs. 

We will wait, wait patiently. 

Death does not mean that life is over, and we stop in our tracks. We often let death put a pause button on our lives, when in reality, that is the last thing that our loved one would want us to do. John would not want us to stop living. Cancer certainly did not stop him from living, so death will have no hold over us.