My Son and the Idaho Army National Guard

So, we've had our going away party, we've had our special, last minute dinner parties and get-togethers... my son joined the Idaho Army National Guard in November, 2007, and had to report last night.

The Guard had a hotel room in my son's name last night. He had to report, first thing this morning, to his final physical exam before getting his flight instructions. We anticipated he would fly out today. Yesterday, I was having a hard time believing he was leaving. Today, I woke up accepting the fact, he was gone for the next five months.

Then, shortly after 9:00 a.m. I receive a call at work. It's my son! They have sent him home and he reports back in three weeks! YEAH!!! Turns out my son has a horrible respiratory infection and they want him to get well before they send him off to boot camp. YES!!!

This means he'll be home for his birthday, March 20th! And, he'll be home for Easter. It means he has time to finish those things on his list that didn't get done. It means he'll be able to see Molly's puppies...she's due any time. It means he'll be able to help me with a garage sale. It means he has time to take down my Christmas lights still strung along the edge of my roof. It means so much to me to have these last few weeks together!

Monday Night Vet Visit

The puppies seem to be doing good tonight. But, last night, boy... it's heart wrenching to listen to them cry after they've had their little tails docked and dew claws removed.

My guy was brave, he actually stayed in the surgical area where the puppies were handled. I sat in the waiting room with Molly.

I do not know how I can justify this practice of tail docking and dew claw removal. I know it's AKC Standard to dock tails. I wish there was something we could give these little guys for pain.

Molly came along with us so that we could get a head count of the number of baby pups she will have. She's not that big. The x-ray showed two healthy pups, and that they were due any day.

Lucy and Puppies

The night before last, Lucy was restless and panting. I let her sleep with me, as I normally do when my girls are close to delivering. It was a sleepless night. Seems I was up every couple of hours, for either Lucy or myself. LOL At 5:30a, when my alarm went off for work, I let Lucy out, turned on my pc and sent my boss and co-workers an email. I would not be in to work, Lucy was in labor. I fell back to sleep.

I was awaken by the squishy, licking sounds of Lucy cleaning her first born, in my bed, right by my face! It was 7:30a. I moved Lucy to the bedding area I had made for her, placing the puppy, a female, in the middle of the bed. Lucy is such a good ma' ma dog! She finished cleaning up the puppy and the puppy latched on and nursed. The next puppy, another female, was born at 9:30a. And another puppy, a male, was born at 11:45a.

Last Friday, I had taken Lucy in for an X-ray to see how many puppies she might have, to save me from guessing. The X-ray showed at least four, maybe five puppies. So, after the third pup was born, I knew there was at least one more! We waited and waited. A couple hours turned to three hours. I was worried there was something wrong. I could feel only one puppy still in her belly, and I felt it kick... a good sign!

It was after 2p, I called the Vet and explained the situation. He scheduled me in as a "walk-in" at 6:30p, if Lucy hadn't the pup by then. He said as long as she wasn't pushing, she was probably alright. Lucy was nursing and tending to her new puppies, acting like she was done giving birth. I fell asleep.

I woke up a couple hours later, about 4p. Still only three puppies! So, I called the Vet and said I was on my way. I didn't feel the unborn puppy kicking like I had, a couple of hours earlier. As soon as I could get my shoes on, we left... me, Lucy and three babies.

The minute we arrived at the Vet's office, I was ushered into a private room, given a large bed cushion and comforter, placed on the floor, for Lucy to labor on. The puppies were snug in my insulated, soft-sided, lunch pail, until I was able to get Lucy settled in. Then, the puppies came out to nurse. I was on the floor with them, encouraging Lucy, telling her what a good girl she was, until the Vet came in.

Lucy still hadn't pushed in hours. There was a definite mass still in her stomach. And, I hadn't felt the unborn puppy kick in a long, long time.

The Vet took Lucy back for an ultrasound, to see if the unborn puppy was still viable. I bundled the puppies back up in my lunch pail, and we were off to the ultrasound room. The ultrasound showed a very strong beating heart! We were all surprised! This was good news! Seems, when this much time has passed, normally there's a problem and the unborn pup rarely makes it.

Because we still weren't sure if there was a fifth puppy, they did an X-ray. The X-ray confirmed, there was just one unborn puppy, for a total of four puppies! The plan was to give Lucy a shot of Oxcitocin (sp?), the drug the induces labor, and let her try to deliver this puppy on her own.

With fingers crossed and all the prayers we could come up with, Lucy started pushing about 15 minutes after her shot. We were back in our private room, in the center of the floor on a comforter over a thick cushion. About 20 minutes later, puppy number four was born! Another male! Lucy did such a good job!

The Vet said it was common for people to think they are all done birthing puppies, go to bed, then wake up the next morning to find another puppy added to their litter. I was glad we didn't take any chances and Lucy delivered in good time. So, we have four, very healthy puppies, two girls, two boys!

Weekend, Gone Too Fast

At first, I didn't know what to do with myself when my schedule changed and I started working four 10's, having Friday, Saturday and Sunday off every week. Now, I don't know where the time goes!



Friday, I took Lucy in for her Vet check. The lady who lost her puppy earlier this month, went with me. We wanted to find out how many puppies Lucy was having so I would know when Lucy's done delivering puppies. Appears to be four, maybe five, puppies! That's quite a lot of puppies for Yorkies. We're hoping for a male for my lady friend.



Saturday, my son's girlfriend threw a going away party for my son. He leaves for Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in a little over a week from now. I helped her pull the whole thing together. We made our own invitations with Military scrapbooking supplies. Then, we made this huge, tri-fold, poster board, full of photos and more Military scrapbooking items. The photos were from the time he was born, to today. My son even help with this. We had a lot of fun together, going through all those old pictures and trying to decide which photos would end up on the board. Lots of fun!



Someone at the party asked me if I was going to be okay after he leaves, it must be hard. I've thought about that ever since she asked me. I am going to miss my son! I think my response was a bit short, and very possibly, unfriendly. I do not mean for my response to be so short. I think I knew if I let my true feelings out, I would have broke down crying. I couldn't do that, not in front of all those people. I need to be strong for my son, support him in his decision to join the service. Let him go.



Everyone enjoyed the poster board, full of photos. We bar-b-qued hamburgers and had homemade chili beans, and lots of good side dishes of fruits and salads. We had a really nice time.



Sunday, my son's girlfriend and I went to the baby shower of my dear friend Jenny. We had a wonderful time.

Babbling with a Full Plate

Taxes... I'm such a procrastinator! I keep putting it off, getting papers in order, until "next weekend." Next weekend gets here and is gone before I even think about taxes. It's like I mentally block the task of getting my life in order, especially my taxes. I wish they, the tax men, would figure out what they need, just take what they need, and then leave the rest alone. I suppose the current tax ways are good for everyone, I just hate doing mine.

I've got so much on my plate at the moment, but probably no more than anyone else. It's that procrastinator in me, competing for my time.

My son is leaving in just over two weeks for boot camp. His girlfriend and he are attached at the hip and I am feeling like I never get a chance to really talk with him, without her. I know, I know, I'm starting to sound like the jealous mother... Honest, I'm not. I just would like to have a good talk with him, without the girlfriend.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore this gal. She's a real sweety. My son and she are planning to get married late next spring. They are so young and nothing is set in stone, so we'll see. We all know, they should enjoy life and see the world before they get so tied down to each other.

But first, my son needs to go through boot camp and advanced training. He'll be gone for five months, leaving the first week of March and returning the last week of July. His girlfriend and I are planning a "going away" party this coming weekend. It will be just family and maybe a couple of friends. We're having fun going through old photos and putting together a posterboard of photos from when my son was born, to today.

On my doggy front, Lucy and Molly, are both pregnant! Lucy is due any day. This Friday, if she makes it to Friday, we go for another ultrasound to keep the guessing out of it and find out how many puppies she has. I want to know when she's done or when I should start worrying, when she does go into labor. Molly is about three or four weeks behind Lucy. We're going to have a very busy puppy spring this year.

And yes, a male puppy is going to the couple who lost their puppy earlier this month. The morning after Oliver died, everyone still very teary-eyed over his death, I offered another puppy to them, if they wanted.

This last weekend was the first time I've talked with the wife since my offer. Bless her heart, she thought she was ready to see the "going home" photos I had taken of Oliver, the day he went home with them. She had a hard time seeing them. She told me she didn't know how she would ever face me again. They had promised to take care of Oliver, promised to keep him safe, and not 24 hours after taking him home, he was gone.

I assured her I had no hard feelings, that bad things happen to good people sometimes. I was so sorry. We talked about the cost of Lucy's babies and agreed they would pay cost for their new baby, if they wanted one. I let her know, Lucy was ready to deliver next week sometime and asked if she would like to go with me to the Vet's office for her ultrasound this Friday. She had no idea Lucy was pregnant and due so soon. She was tickled pink that I asked her to go with me! She's going to see if she can rearrange her schedule Friday to join me and Lucy.

When I learned Oliver was gone, I couldn't believe it. It just couldn't be true! Disbelief turned to pain over his death, to anger... they should have been more careful! Turns out they were being careful, this was just a horrible, horrible accident. Immediately my anger moved to, they need another puppy. I know just how long this couple has been wanting one of my puppies, how they have been waiting and planning. Waiting for this little guy has been nothing less than being pregnant and having a baby, for them. They loved that little puppy. They picked him out when he was just three weeks old and came by to visit every week until they took him home. They have so much to offer a puppy. I know it's not my fault their puppy died. I know I do not have to GIVE them a puppy. I want to do this for them.

Then there's work. Work with all these women. There is always someone who's offended by another. Always one who has to push the others around. Always one who thinks she doesn't have to follow the rules. I try to let them work out their issues themselves, getting involved when it seems they are not able to do this. And, I thank God, I'm off Fridays and only have to be there four days a week!

If you've made it all the way through this entry, wow! I really appreciate you for listening to me babble on and on about things important to me. Online friends are the greatest!

Good News

There is good news to be told this week. My Lucy is pregnant! I took her in for an ultrasound Wednesday night. The doc was happy to tell me she was healthy, and it appeared she has healthy puppies. She still has three weeks, or so to go. We are looking forward to new puppies in the house.

I'm Gonna Miss Him...

We go through life, doing the best we can with our families, our jobs, our hobbies...our life. I do my best with raising Yorkshire Terriers, and think I do a good job. Sometimes, things are out of our control, no one's fault, just plain, dirty bad luck...

This last litter of Yorkies were all spoken for by the time they were seven weeks old. There were three puppies in all, and all three are as cute as could be, with personalities to match. My Yorkie pups are all AKC registered, home raised with loads of love, hand held from the day they were born, making for well socialized Yorkies.

Last weekend was going to their forever families weekend. First went "Zoe," she was the smaller of the two females. Then, later that night, "Gracie," the larger of the two females left with her new family. The male stayed with me until Super Bowl Sunday, going home with his new family just before the game started. They named him "Oliver."

Oliver was my favorite of the three. Maybe because he was picked out a week before Christmas and he had a name, which he knew! I do not think I've seen a happier pup, a more-proud-of-himself pup! He had these short, little legs, and would prance around like he was in charge. I called him, "Oliver Little Mr. Short Pants." My guy called him "Prince Oliver Short Pants." So you get the idea, Oliver was full of himself and just as sweet as they come.

Sunday, Oliver got to know his new family. He chased their cat around the house, napped on his new daddy's shoulders, and just charmed the heck out of his new family. The first night went like a breeze! Oliver slept in his kennel next to their bed and was such a big boy, first night away from our home. Not a peep was heard from him. The next morning he went outside to do his business like a champ.

The wife got ready for work and got a face full of kisses from Oliver as she left for work. The husband works from home at times. Monday the husband was home. He was being so careful with Oliver being down on the floor and around the house, but accidents happen, even sometimes when we're careful.

The husband took a step and landed his foot across Oliver's little body. He rushed Oliver to the ER Vet, but they were not able to revive the little guy. Oliver was gone.

My guy was told immediately, but he spared me the horrible news until after I left work. I hadn't quite made it home when I received the news. Luckily, there was a super market parking lot, right there, when I was told... I had to pull over and take a minute to pull myself together.

Monday, Oliver crossed that Rainbow Bridge, and is running through the fields with our Harley now, waiting to see us again someday. I cannot imagine how bad Oliver's new family must feel right now, they truly loved that little puppy and will miss him forever.

Snow, Snow, and Cold!

This week has been absolutely, FREEZING! Normally, our snow comes, the sun comes out the next day and the snow is gone. The past few days, it's been so cold even when the sun comes out, the snow is freezing and going no where.

Five Weeks Old

They just don't get any cuter than this!

Oliver, Zoe & Gracie.

Glad It's January

The holidays could not have come and gone any quicker than they did for me, this year. I did my best to find my Christmas Spirit, without any luck. I went through the motions, displaying the Christmas cards we had received, picking out gifts for my family, making sure I was able to see everyone. I even through together a cute display of "spirit" on the wall at the entrance to my office at work with small red drawn, cloth, gift bags for all the women, and green holiday gift bags for the men... 18 women, and 4 men... all with their names in glitter. They really were cute, and I received many compliments on them. Wish I had thought to take a picture to show off here! My son was encouraged by his girlfriend's mother to surprise me and put some lights on the house because he had done such a wonderful job with their house! I think the kids told me just the other day, they put up more than 6500 lights on her house. What the girlfriend's mother didn't know is, he's always put lights on our house, and not just a string of lights! He'd do a really nice job, with coordinated lights, strung above icicles. The more the merrier! After the encouragement he received from her, he put up a string of lights, alternating red and white bulbs, along the edge of our home... nothing like the jobs he's done in prior years. I will say, I was still thrilled to have the lights. They looked very nice. My guy bought us a new tree this year. A four foot, artificial, fiber optic tree, small enough to fit in our dining room... We had the giant dog, Tai, my son's six month old Golden Retriever, so we needed to have something small and off the ground. It was beautiful! Just something was missing! Where was my Christmas Spirit? Hoping my "spirit" would show up soon, I took the week before Christmas, December 18 through December 25, as scheduled time off from work, needing to return to work December 26. My first day off I received an urgent email from my boss, I was needed in the office. I got myself together after sleeping in, and spent the whole afternoon there disciplining one employee and meeting with a small group others. It was a stressfull afternoon. By the time I got home, I felt it, that overwhelming heaviness coming over me. I spent that night with miserable aches and pains, fever and chills. That next day, I was too sick to get out of bed. I forced myself to take a shower, thinking the heat and steam would make me feel better. I slept most the day and went to bed early that night. My parents had called the next day. They'd made a chicken and rice dish and wanted to share with me. Thinking this sounded wondered, and I didn't think I was contagious, I told them I'd be there in a bit. We talked about Christmas plans and settled on dinner together with my son and his girlfriend. I went home, tummy full, and went to bed. First thing Friday before Christmas, my mom called and cancelled all Christmas plans she had made with me and my son the day before. She said she wanted to wait for my brother to drive up from California, after the first of the year. Knowing my brother, as I do, I knew he would not make it from California to here, any time soon. He doesn't do snow, and we've had plenty. So, I asked the kids if they could get together with me and my parents for Christmas, BEFORE Christmas, Saturday the 22nd. Monday, my guy would be home; Monday was also Christmas Eve; my son said he would be busy with his girlfriend's family Christmas Eve; and Tuesday - Christmas Day - my son again said he would be busy with his girlfriend's family. So, as I saw it, if I wanted any kind of Christmas with my family, the least stressful day was Sunday, December 23! My guy had talked about going to his mom's to be with his family, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, or both days. I did not want to go to Twin Falls. I wasn't into driving in the ice and snow the 130 miles to get there. This had nothing to do with his family, I love his mom. The fact that Mother Nature was being cruel this year, that's what was driving me to stay put. There had been so many fatal accidents on a particular stretch of the icy Interstate, I just wanted to stay home, all cozy, safe and warm, watching the puppies and getting ready for work Wednesday, December 26th. I was looking forward to being alone, believe it or not, not an ounce of stress being tugged this way or that, looking forward to just doing nothing. So, back to my story... Friday, early afternoon, my dad calls and invites me to lunch with him and my mom. At lunch, I asked if they would like to get together with just me and the kids, Saturday. They seemed fine with this. Afterall, my mom had cancelled her plans until after New Years, when my brother could make it up. So, plans for Saturday with me and my kids were made. I let the kids know and everything was good.

New Year

Wishing you all

a happy and safe New Year,

may 2008 be great to you!