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the story of melvin, jake & doug – finding true love, facing great loss, always chasing joy

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Wordless Wednesday: I think they are plotting something.

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July 30, 2014 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: Butt stalker.

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February 19, 2014 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: This couch SHOULD seat five.

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October 16, 2013 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: Our new cover photo!

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August 28, 2013 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: Perfect world indeed.

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August 7, 2013 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: Success!

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July 31, 2013 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: Two-legged vacation joy.

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July 10, 2013 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: I just pay the bills, he owns the place.

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May 22, 2013 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: Jake versus the horse figurine.

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May 15, 2013 by OhMelvin

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My little oddball.

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May 13, 2013 by OhMelvin

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Wordless Wednesday: Heartbreaker.

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January 23, 2013 by OhMelvin

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Not wordy Wednesday: Stop with the pictures, please. (otherwise known as, these pillows are mine)

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October 17, 2012 by OhMelvin

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Not Wordy Wednesday: Assistants.

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October 10, 2012 by OhMelvin

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Not WordyWednesday: She left me, again

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October 3, 2012 by OhMelvin

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My sweet boy. 🖤 #americanbully #amstaff #englishbulldog #americanpitbullterrier #neuronalceroidlipofuscinosis #ilovehim #loveliveson❤️

Mondays with Doug: Here I am, just laying in a mess I made. Don’t worry, Smother will clean it up. I love making clutter and she really enjoys cleaning up clutter. I’m always thinking of her like that. I’m not sure, but I think she’s trying to change my name. For the past few years I heard a lot of: Doug, Doug, hey Doug, DOUG! But lately she’s all: Be careful, be careful, BE CAREFUL! That’s a strange name, amirite? Should I go by Be-C? Maybe I should emancipate. It’s not fair that she just gets to make up names and rules. Like ‘Bud, don’t chase birds who are already in flight’. First off, my name is Be-C. And also, be more positive! I believe I can fly. I won’t know until I try. (Poet and i know it). Also, in regards to my meals. I need more of them. I would like to add 2nd breakfast, 4th snack and/or (but definitely and) an appetizer course before 1st dinner. Or before 2nd dinner. I’m easy. Ok well, I have to get back to falling over. Peace my friends. Send snacks. xoxo, B-Ce #americanbully #amstaff #englishbulldog #americanpitbullterrier #ncl #neuronalceroidlipofuscinosis #loveliveson❤️

We are a year and a half into Doug’s diagnosis. Early conversations surrounded uncertainty about how long he’d live. Six months was the goal, a year would be great. It’s hard to face down a disease with oh so many unknowns, but in a lot of ways, I’ve been training for this for a very long time. When I look at Doug, I don’t see NCL, I see his mischief, his side eye, his insatiable hunger, and his joy. We measure life in what lifts us up, not by what holds us down. I don’t know how much time he has, but you and I don’t know how much time we have either. For such a shitastic disease, we celebrate slow progression! We celebrate that when he falls down, he makes it part of his dance. Life will eventually bitch slap us with the unbearable, but we will fight back with joy for as long as we can. #americanbully #englishbulldog #amstaff #americanpitbullterrier #ncl #neuronalceroidlipofuscinosis #loveliveson❤️

To those who have lost a child or lost their mom, I imagine Mother’s Day can burn. I send you much love as you travel through the day(s). To the moms of kids, the moms of dogs, the moms of any animal; to the male moms, the female moms, the they/them moms; to the want to be moms, to those trying so hard to be moms, to the moms that struggle; to the soon to be moms, the empty nester moms, the foster moms; to the single moms, the friends that help mom, the godmoms, and any other mom category I’ve left off, Happy Mother’s Day! To my mom, my perfect mom who I love so much, you are my original joy. And to my boys, thank for giving me such a beautiful purpose. #happymothersday #loveliveson❤️

Doug update. He’s still pure joy. To be honest, I think he always will be. As we face down NCL, I forget sometimes, how much we’ve been through already. He started off this life, stray. When he came to me, he was wild. I was grieving Jake. Over the course of our first year together, I worked on dialing down the wild while indoors, he had 2 extensive leg surgeries with 5 consecutive months of lockdown. He got diagnosed as hyperactive and had a lot of anxiety post surgery. In our 2nd year, his crazy digestive issues kicked in, slow digestive mobility. His body rejected all protein by sending it back up and out. He got attacked by two different dogs and went from dog friendly, to not a fan. A year and a half ago we found out about the NCL. But in between, every minute of every beautiful day, he is joy. He is the perfect balance of lay at my feet and leave him the F alone. He barks once or twice monthly, I think just to make sure he still can. He has a schedule, I love that about him. He pretty much does anything I ask of him, as long as I don’t get greedy. And as long as meals arrive on time. This fall, he will have been here for five years. How is that even possible? That’s one year longer than Jake was here. Two years shorter than Melvin. All of it, endless joy. #loveliveson❤️ #neuronalceroidlipofuscinosis #americanbully #amstaff #englishbulldog #americanpitbullterrier #dougholupka

Tomorrow is the anniversary of losing Melvin. This is one of the last photos I took of him. I knew when I took this picture, that we’d be saying goodbye the next day. The me that took this photo, assumed in some way, I wouldn’t survive losing him. Our goodbye, was heartbreaking. But I was surprised, and still am, at how close by he always feels. I will always be more because of Melvin. I will always only rescue. I will champion the specially abled. I will hunt joy, and love wildly, just as he taught me. There will never be a dog like Melvin, or a duo like him and Jake, but there will of course always be others. Melvin would have wanted me to love all the dogs. He would have wanted Doug to share ownership of my heart. The me that took this picture, feels a debt of gratitude that this majestic beast is forever mine to love. The me that took this picture, has mended. As I did after Jake. And as I will do one day for Doug. The only way for love to live on, is to make sure that it does. Melvin, you are the OG of my heart. Always. xoxo #loveliveson❤️

It’s been a year in quarantine. Doug started drinking and I’ve organized the pantry 476 times. Despite everything that has changed, I will always have a grateful heart that I got this extra time with my boy. 🖤 #americanbully #amstaff #englishbulldog #americanpitbullterrier #neuronalceroidlipofuscinosis #ilovehim #loveliveson❤️ @rescuepetconnect

Today marks Bob’s 3-year trapiversary. I found out he was a he, he was neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped, and chipped to me. We made it official! I had no idea if I’d ever see him again when we let him back out, and I never thought I’d love him. Fast forward three years - he’s had 46 condos, he eats better than me, he lives in the garage (which is now heated & cooled), he has a Christmas stocking, and he was on the f’ing Christmas card this year! I love him. I love a cat!? How did this happen. It’s such a complicated love too because I have so little control over him or his well-being. But make no mistake, if he was in danger, I’d fight someone. Typing that makes me laugh because I’m non violent and have no clue how to fight but I’d do it for my boys. So to you Bob, there was a chance you’d have never been part of a family. But you are a part of ours and one of us loves you very much. #bob #loveliveson❤️ #jakewouldhaveeatenbob

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