Update on Spike: Pls Read Later Post: Our MinPin King of the Castle

Please see the November-08 Post I just re-wrote about our dog Spike who died in August of 2008. This re-write was not tied to the anniversary of our beloved dog's death. But, rather a new friendship for me on Twitter: @SuuperG (Gina) and meeting her and her dog Paloma through a series she is doing on her on her blog: http://gitanablog.com/. She is a royal, wonderful, brave dog, sweet and vivacious! She is very seriously ill and Gina is doing everything she can for her. She inspired me to write more on my small post for my dog: Our MinPin King of the Castle below. I want to thank her for giving me the courage to explore all the joy and sadness the re-write has brought my husband Mike and I. And the gift it was. For Mike's birthday yesterday I read it to him and we had the most healing time of laughter together and some tears, but mainly wonderful remembrances!! Through it came the best talks we've had of our beloved Spike since. He has and continues to bring joy to our lives. Blessings Gina and Paloma, love, Libby, Mike and Spike!

How Our Little Family Celebrated Christmas

This is a picture of our little family doing Christmas. This is before my sister Sara was added. Before we had two Christmases. Before things changed. We look pretty happy and in many ways we were, but who knows what pulls apart a family, there a bunches of little things.

What I am most proud of is my mom and my dad. They didn't let the little family go at all. They built two strong families for all of us so we always felt safe and always knew we had both of them and could rely on them and could love and trust them.

Now that is an accomplishment. An accomplishment I thank God for in my prayers and my parents for in my love.

God bless you Mom and Dad...you are the best! Love, Libby

Life in the Sorta Slow Lane: Brothers and Sisters at Christmas#links

Life in the Sorta Slow Lane: Brothers and Sisters at Christmas#links

Brothers and Sisters at Christmas

We had so much fun at Christmas time, we had two Christmases. Our friends were very envious. We loved it. Our mom did too. While we were at Christmas Eve at dad's she told us later, she could get ready for our Christmas day, that my grandparents also attended.
We had Christmas Eve at my dad's house. This picture was taken there. My youngest brother Scott and I are mugging for the camera! Christmas eve was a whirlwind of presents and fun and hanging with my dad, the four of us, Suzy, me, Bill and Scott and my sister Sara who we never got enough of. And her mom Betty, who was sweet to us all. And made Christmas very magic. You can see by the tree in the background. Also my Grandfather "Pop" was there and Grandma Dorothy, my dad's parents. And Betty's mom Rachel who could play the piano beautifully. We had great fun. And presents!

In the morning, after spending the night in our new jammies at home, we sat on the stairs, waiting for the beautiful Christmas my mom had ready for us. With the creche with baby Jesus and the Real Tree, everything was so beautiful! We sat with me (the oldest) on the top step, then Suzy, Billy and Scotty, the one closest to the presents and when Mom said okay, we plummeted down in all our excitement. The most fun Christmas we had was when mom gave us presents every Sunday of Advent and we really followed our Advent calendars and did our lessons perfectly. Your present might be a new tooth brush, we were all so excited. My brothers and sisters and I were always so close. I think it was our belief in Jesus and the wonderful times we had celebrating His Birth and all that he did for us on the Cross, and His Resurrection...In our youths the Baby Jesus is what we could relate to the most and we loved Him so!

Our MinPin King of the Castle!

Favorite companion for 14 years and Ruler of our Household, our MinPin Extraordinaire died the end of August. Or rather he went to Doggie Heaven -- because what would Heaven be like without dogs? This is a story about our MinPin who ruled the Roost. He was a benevolent ruler who at 10 pounds and 14 years old could still jump as high as my 6 foot tall husband Mike's waist. Mike taught him this trick, so he wouldn't have to bend over to pick him up.:) It was an amazing sight especially when our ruler was younger and could overshoot his target and land chest high. He scampered around his kingdom like a rabbit. In the winter months he preferred the comforts of his Castle to the great outdoors. He regarded the cold outside as a place in which to make cursory tours of the rest of his kingdom. MinPins are Companion Toy dogs and his favorite place to survey all that was his was while being carried like any royalty!

At an otherwise robust 14 years old his one physical ailment was getting out of hand. He had developed a collapsing trachea as a  much younger dog a characteristic of his noble breed. At first there were medications that worked well. But then he began having coughing fits that were really cruel, lasting many hours. Nothing more could be done for our proud ruler, he couldn't breath. So we did the right thing. That's what we do in this life we grownups and people with responsibility, who have lives entrusted to us. The right thing. But, we protested, he was still a beautiful and happy dog. However, those last two weekends we knew. Life is so very hard at times like these you say -- and it's THE biggest understatement. We will always love our little friend with the giant disposition and he loved us! So I don't like to think of him as I last saw him. I like to think of him running like-ty split on soft grass, or dodging the furniture in whatever house he has now -- and jumping high in the air like he did for so long! Barking his big dog bark at the top of his lungs -- In Doggie heaven -- The wise old Kingpin, MinPin, meet Spike!

We had a family picnic

Our family is getting the size where we choose picnics over houses for our gatherings. I'm getting brave and moving into a nice apartment with a party room and planning a big Christmas this year at my place. I haven't broken it to my husband yet, but it's just been too long! Here are some pictures from the family picnic. We had a terrific time!

Life Moves On!

We have a nice dog in our family. She's my daughter Abby's girl...a black lab with blue eyes. She calls me the dog's grandmother. I don't know about that, this used to be our dog, our family dog. But when she grew up and moved out, Spunky went with her and became her dog. I think I should be the mother and she should be the sister like always. But life moves on! :)  She certainly took a mother's size chunk of raising Spunk. She was a quiet dog from the shelter. Very shy so to bring her out we named her Spunky. It certainly worked.

Now my daughter lives in Duluth. I met her half way for lunch the other Friday and she brought the little sweetie. My daughter, Spunky and I. We had fun. I thought about this today and it made the feel better. As you can see -- it's nice being the grandmother of such a nice dog!