Lucy Girl

Kenny and I were married July, 1993. Lucy Girl became our first "child" that October. We had a old falling down kind of house on East North 12th street in Abilene but it came with a huge fenced in yard, complete with a pretty well built dog house. Well, we couldn't let that dog house go to waste, could we? So, off to the pound we went in search of our first "married" pet.

Kenny thought this beagle mix was a cool looking dog, but I immediately fell in love with a dog named Cinnamon, who later became Lucy to us. She was a golden retriever mix and FULL of life. Boy, how she would run in her early days. She would run in circles, jump on top of her dog house, fetch the morning paper everyday, and take Kenny on bike rides by literally pulling him for blocks before slowing her pace. After 6 weeks of obedience school she went from wild to tame and has since been a cherished part of our family, my parents family and my late grandfather's very best friend.

She traveled from Abilene to Escondido in the back of our Honda Accord and for the last 12 years was living the dream as a California dog. She watched as her original owner grew pregnant and brought four baby boys into the world, and she never hurt a one of them. Just a couple of days ago I watched Brooks kiss her head and lovingly lean his weight into her side as she lay on the patio. In a word she was just the sweetest dog.

Lucy died in her sleep sometime last night. Peyton was the first to discover her and realize something was very wrong. Kenny and the older boys buried her with dignity up at mom and dad's house and left flowers, sweet words and her bowl on her grave. We visited the animal shelter today to remind us where Lucy came from and how thankful we are to have adopted her nearly 13 years ago.

I don't know if mom and dad will get another dog, maybe it's our turn, maybe not. But it's a funny thing to realize how very special a good dog can be. The hole Lucy has left will not be easily filled. Bless you sweet doggie, and thank you for loving all of us your entire life.

WAAAALLLLK!!

Do you remember as a kid, probably at some public city pool, hearing a lifeguard shout this word for what seemed like 4.5 minutes? Over and over little dripping munchkins would be corrected from their desire to run. Something about swimming in a pool on a hot sunny day makes a child so giddy that it's hard to slow those legs down and nearly impossible for a 7 year old to concern themselves with something like safety. "Life is great, I'm wet, I'm cool!" Buoyancy is like a drug running through their veins, and temporarily altering what little good common sense they have amassed in their first years of life. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Such was a typical summer vacation day for my boys yesterday. Christian, Peyton & Elliot all playing in the pool. I love it. They grow so close playing together, working through all the "unfairs" builds their unity, strengthens their brotherly bond. The squeals and shreiks I hear are usually harmless cries of games and adventures. But yesterday I knew the sounds I heard were not to be ignored.

Christian met me at the door, "Peyton's bleeding, alot, his head, I don't want to tell him, I don't want him to freak out". I knew the day was coming, the day we would have our first major pool injury. Guess what, they were running, around the pool, and Peyton's legs were working more than his brain was that day. He sort of jumped down this concrete slide (rather than slow down and sit down) and lost his balance, slipped and slid down the slide very out of control. He slammed his head at the bottom of the slide and knew something was terribly wrong. The blood was scary, but it could have been way worse. The gash was ugly but things weren't unmanagable. Christian prayed immediately, and stuck by Peyton's side through everything. Hours later, after a few hours at the emergency room and 5 staples in his sweet little head life was good again.

A painful lesson to learn, but we are thankful God was watching over Peyton, my sweetie pie. And I pray next time they WAAALLLK!