Our Aweful Beautiful Life

It's kind of surreal to realize I get to celebrate Mother's day. Honestly, I'm just happy that I've still got a mother I can share this special day with and thank her for all the things she's taught me over the years. She's still the one I want to talk to when I'm in a bad mood (unless she's brutally honest, then I'd rather just talk to Dad!), the one I lean on for sound advice, and the one I call first when the kids are sick to see if it warrants a call to the doctors office. I'm pretty sure I'll be one lost puppy when she's gone...but for now, we're soaking it up together. I can honestly say I couldn't ask for a better Mom/best friend. It's true what they say about girls growing into women and their mom's having a dual role later in life. I'm pretty darn pleased with the dual role woman I got placed in my life. And I'm hopeful that someday I get to share in that same dual role with my daughter. She completed my...

Well, after two months of fighting illness and decline, we had to make the tough decision to put Murphy down today. It wasn't easy -- but we'd seen steady decline and you have to consider the dogs health vs. our own need/want to have the pet in our life. We have had Murphy for nearly 7 years -- since he was 8 1/2 weeks old. Our first baby, if you will. I know that sounds cliche, and trust me, having grown up on a busy road out on the farm, we weren't used to having a dog as a pet for more than a few months, maybe years, at a time. They'd run away. They'd get hit. Whatever the case, they didn't seem to stick around long. And aside from Heidi and now Rocky, I don't quite recall a love this strong for a pet. Well, aside from my pigs...I loved them each summer, but that was different. When I was two, (I think) my Grandpa Hall gave me my first dog - Heidi. She was a beautiful beagle and she hung out with us until I was in late elementary school, perhaps 6th gra...