Heartache & Blessings

It’s been quiet here. For the last 3 weeks’ I’ve been a single parent as Mark has been in Africa. So it’s been a tad busy to say the least but in all it’s gone well. He is home tomorrow and we are so glad!

But today we lost a four-legged member of our family – our dear, sweet, mischievous basset hound named Snickers. Technically it’s been awhile since she’s been mischievous as she was 13 years old. But she was always a troublemaker at heart 🙂 Boy could I tell some stories, and I will another day.

When I came home from work this afternoon she was lying in the grass. I confess that lately, whenever I see her lying somewhere, I strain to make sure she’s breathing. I realized she wasn’t and when I went outside to check on her it was apparent that she had died sometime during the day – most likely while she was sleeping.

Natalie (5) was home and Noah was due to arrive in 10 minutes or so. I kind of stumbled around for a few minutes trying to figure out what to do. I called my MIL who said she’d call the Humane Society. I called my vet who said we could bring her in there and talked about our “options”. The problem was getting her to the vet. Physically she’s a 60lb dog that even, on my best day, is hard for me to get into the van. Emotionally I wasn’t sure I could even manage to get her into a blanket or anything.

So I started making some calls – other staff members that lived close by. I finally got hold of Art, Stacey’s dad, who came over. While I stayed in the house he got Snickers onto a towel and then when my MIL & FIL got here, he loaded her into the back of the truck and covered her up. I cannot tell you how huge a blessing this was to not have to do this myself or just have some stranger come and do it. THANK YOU ART!

While my MIL & FIL stayed with the kids and got them dinner I went and picked up Stacey who accompanied me for morale support to the vets office. While my naturally tendency is to not “need” help in situations like this I am so glad that Stacey was there for a shoulder to cry on – and help me laugh some too. THANKS STACEY!

The kids are quite heartbroken. I’m not sure Natalie understand the finality of it because she’s said things like “if Snickers dies” or “when Snickers dies” still. Both, of course, want to know if Snickers will be in heaven so they can see her again. That one is a sticky issue (and a topic of theological debate at our house). I’ve tried to keep them focused on the happy memories we have of her and the funny stories. I told them we’d put together a scrapbook of Snickers too.

Mark happened to call me on Skype in the midst of all of this so I was able to tell him. He felt bad that I was having to deal with it on my own but we both know it was probably better. God’s timing is always best!

I am so thankful for family and friends that are there for us in times like these. What a huge blessing!