Happy Mother’s Day! First, always, to the moms who have a lost a child. I hope this day is what you need it to be, and nothing you don’t want it to be. To those who have lost their moms, I hope today goes easy on you. To the moms of kids, dogs, cats, horses, you run this world. To the dads who mom, the friends who mom, the older kids that mom their siblings. To the men who mom, sisters who mom, the motherly neighbor. To all those who step in, when a mom can’t. There is never enough mom love. To my favorite mom, my mom, I love you the most. To my boys, mom’ing you is my life’s joy. ❤️
Doug’s 3rd spring break. This one was harder for him. Partly because of his NCL progression, but partly because the house we went to, was just different. My dad was at our family beach house (on an annual golf trip he takes with friends he has had since grade school 💙), so we headed north this year to a house in Rohobeth, Delaware. The house was great in so many ways, a pool, close to everything, and two primary bedrooms, so we were able to stay on the main floor and Doug didn’t have to do the steps. But the floors were very slippery and there were no rugs at all, which was hardest on Doug (but even I fell 😂). The yard was much smaller also which meant the pool was always a risk factor for him, so he had to be on a leash out back. I made a yoga mat & blanket rug set up for our room, but most of the week still felt like a struggle for him. One huge positive though - the kids were MUCH more comfortable being around him (they are 🐱 people) from day one. That made me both happy and sad. Happy because it’s a huge win and a testament to Doug’s sweet nature that he won them over and also to the kids because they know how much i love Doug and they are gentle with him also. And sad because, I want him to be able to go on all their spring breaks and watch them grow up. I think NCL has just been on my mind extra this week with his different-house struggles, so hopefully we can get back to less NCL, more joy for him. But here is the thing about Doug, he adapts to anywhere I take him. I bring a camera for him and he sleeps soundly while we are gone, all he needs is his stuff (bed, bowls, blankets) and he goes with the flow. My perfect boy. 💙
This dog, is perfect. I’ve known he is perfect, for a long time now. Long before I knew he was dying. Even when he was wild, I knew. Doug rarely barks, only if he perceives danger for us. He sleeps in, it’s me who has to wake him up every day. He doesn’t know tricks, he’s not a performer. I don’t need him to be. He doesn’t sit for dinner, because post surgery, he can’t really hold a sit. Even so, sitting for food is not required. He will stay behind any barrier I put it front of him. No matter what is on the other side of that barrier. If my fingers, or a child’s hand is near his mouth, he won’t close it. If I say ‘potty’, he goes. If I say ‘inside’, he comes. ‘Upstairs’, ‘downstairs’, ‘in the office’, he knows all of those. All he has ever wanted, is love and food. And a heated blanket. Even in NCL, he’s been perfect. Never frustrated. Never acting out. This past week with Covid, our dog walker opted out, so he hasn’t gotten as much exercise as he needs. And there he is, ok with that. Needing only to be close enough to touch me, at all times, non stop. Perfection, as always. Just like his brothers. #loveliveson❤️ #covidisnojoke #myperfectboy
