Good-Bye

I had to say a very painful good-bye to two of my animals...Tux and Howard! We put them to rest last Friday. I'm still having a hard time with it,I feel so lonely without them! Both of these animals have been such a huge part of my life in different ways! A friend of mine Marilyn Balikowski(the Saint Bernard breeder) sent me the best story. It really has helped me deal with the lose a little better.

I would like to share the story with you all...it's a little long, but it's worth reading.


Best Dog in the World
By T'Mara Goodsell
One's first love is always perfect until one meets one's second love.
~Elizabeth Aston
Years ago, I owned the very best dog in the world.
I was a child when we got her. She was a graceful brown hound, a foundling who taught me that our pets are not purchased, but ordained.
She romped when I did and knew how to smile in that funny way that only some dogs have. She grew up with me, always there when I needed her. My grown hand still remembers the sleek bump on the top of her head and that gentle divot just past her nose that fit my index finger just perfectly.
She passed away during one of my college vacations. My heart broke then, and I knew that there would never be another dog like her, and there hasn't been. I was sure that I could never love another dog as much as I'd loved her.
Fortunately, I was wrong about that part.
My next dog came into my life when I was married. My husband traveled for a living, and I was often lonely. This dog grew into a lumbering Wolfhound and Sheepdog mix who taught me patience. He was a large, grizzled sentry, that dog. He rarely left my side until the children were born, and then he became their guardian, too. I can still feel that swirl of fur along his back and the weight of his chin when it rested in my lap.
When he passed away, my heart broke. As much as I had loved that childhood dog, I had been wrong. This was the very best dog in the world. There would never be another dog like him, and there hasn' t been. I was sure I would never love another dog as much as I'd loved him.
I was wrong again.
We got the next one, a loping black Lab-and-Terrier mix, when the children were little. He taught me the importance of adapting. He was everyone's dog from the beginning, and that was just as it should be. When he played tug of war with the children, he dragged them across the kitchen floor as they shrieked with laughter. He always seemed to sleep in the room of the child who needed his company the most.
These days his face is expressively gray, and he spends more time with me since the almost-grown children aren't around so much. The other day my oldest, home from college, played tug of war. We all laughed--just a little--as the dog was gently pulled across the kitchen floor.
He is, of course, the very best dog in the world. I will never forget that exquisitely soft tuft of fur behind his ears or the tickly feel when he nuzzles. There won't be another dog like him.
And that's okay, because we will never be at this point in our lives again.
Sometimes I've wondered why two species that get along so well should have such different life spans. It just doesn't seem right. And then I wonder if that's part of the lesson: To teach us that love itself has a spirit that returns again and again and never really dies.
It's amazing, in a way, how they bring to our ever-changing lives exactly what it is that we need at the moment. They make room for one another, this family of dogs who has never even met. And they fit--into our families, into our lives, into our memories, and into our hearts--because they always have been and always will be the best dogs in the world.

Brody

Introducing Brody MacRae, the newest member of the MacRae family. He is our 12 week old Saint Bernard puppy. We drove all the way up to Buffalo NY to get him. Brody came from the same breeder as Howard. These people are the sweetest and most caring people. I just love them! You can tell they take pride in their dogs! If you would like to go out to Marilyn Balikowski's website click here onCornerStone Saint Bernards. The first picture you see on Marilyn's site is a bunch of puppies sleeping on the steps. Howard is the all white one taking up most of the room. I just LOVE that picture!






Brody is just amazing! I really wish everyone could meet him because he has the sweets disposition. It warms my heart to know my son is going to grow up with Brody as his bestfriend! I just know I'm going to get some amazing pictures of these two together!

The Hammock

This was Mason's first bed...the hammock from Amby. We just loved it and Mason did until he wanted to sleep on his tummy.

Howard

I am devastated! I just found out last night that my Howard has bone cancer. All we can do is keep him as comfortable as possible. My tears just don't want to stop! My poor Howard!! We don't have much time left with him.

Layouts

A few layouts I have been working on...trying to get Mason's album started. If anyone scrapbooks could you please let me know what kind of page protectors you use. I have tried American crafts and I really don't like them...they stretch out to much and my layout ends up falling out. Leave me a comment to let me know what kind you all use.

Thanks XXX

1 year Photo Shoot

Here are some pictures from our Photo Shoot with Meghan a few weeks ago.

County Fair

Mason went to the County Fair everyday last weekend. His favorite thing to do and see were the tractors. We would let him sit on them and he would pretend he was driving. Trying to take him peal him off the tractors was awful! He had a good weekend.