THE CONDITION IS REMISSION!

Yesterday I was involved in the best news I’ve had since learning we were going to be great-grandparents for the 32^nd and 33^rd time!

Our good friend, sister in Christ and "adopted" daughter and I had an appointment with her oncologist to learn the results of the scan she had Monday. Dr. Partridge came in with a smile on her face.....good sign. She sat and asked Margie a lot of questions about her general health.....a little unsettling. She checked out the computer and then checked it out again........getting a bit scary at this point. Then.......BOOM! Very casually, but with a huge smile she let us know that the tumor on Margie’s lung that once threatened her life was no more....gone.....nada! She did tell us there are three very, very small spots on the lung that were there at the beginning and she’ll keep a close track of them, but they could be anything. She explained that many people living in our area have spots on their lungs.

 

My question at that point was, "So can we say she is cancer free?"

 

Reply, "I like to use ‘in remission’ until she has been clear for five years and then use the term ‘cancer free’."

 

But, she told me I could use Cancer Free and that’s what we prefer!

 

Margie and Dr. Partridge soon after the announcement.

 

Talk about joyful!!!! Dr. Partridge was definitely joyful and smiling from ear to ear. We walked out into the office area and the girls behind the desk were waiting for the news. I thought both of them were going to shout! They hugged us both and gladly had their picture made with Margie. We just had to go back to the treatment room and share the good news with the girls who have been such a big part of our lives since early June. They too were beyond excited. The only down-side was learning that one of the girls who has journeyed with us through the good times and the bad times is no longer with the center. She has gone back to her first love......working in labor and delivery! Although we are proud for her, we were sad to know she wasn’t around.

 

 

 

These two girls from the office (along with others) have been with us every step of the way.  Once, when Margie was at her sickest, I began sniffing as I left her for a few minutes.  The girl on the left, Naomi saw me and asked what was wrong.  Of course I "lost it" and she was so sweet to take me in her arms and give me the biggest hug ever.

 

 

Two of the sweet nurses who administered chemo.  The other who was a huge help is the one who has moved.  I always knew this, but this journey has reinforced it:  Nurses are the most caring and loving people in the world.  Love these girls and all the others at the OHC in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

 

 

 

As we walked......almost danced.....to the car we met a man wheeling his wife out to their car from treatment. We had never seen them before and I asked if she had just begun her treatment. She said this was her first day. As we talked, we found she has lung cancer and her treatment will be much like Margie’s. Margie took the time to talk with her, tell her a few things to expect and encouraged her to keep on keeping on. I truly believe we were put in the right place at the right time for this to happen. She is just beginning a long, hard journey, but she could see Margie and the results she has had and I believe that has given her hope.

 

To all of you who have made this journey with us......through your cards, your gifts, your deeds, your thoughts and your prayers I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I know Margie does as well. Her life, nor mine, will ever be the same because of the good that has come from this!

 

God is so good. God is so good. God is so good. He’s so good to me (us)!!!!



(I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures.  I won't make excuses as I really don't know the reason.  But they all show how happy everyone was to learn the good news!)

Cancer

Some of you know that I publish our church bulletin and have been doing so for many years.  I rarely proof read them but let Doyal do the "honors."  Good writers always proof their own work first, so you ask me why I don't do the same.  Here's why.......when I first read my work I am convinced it is shallow, very few people will be interested or get any benefit from it and it wasn't worth the effort.  You ask again....Then why do you bother?  Several reasons come to mind.  There are some things of interest in our bulletins such as the prayer list, Bible questions, a few "thoughts to ponder" etc.  My article, however is mainly written because I love to write.  I love to get my thoughts on paper and I always pray at least someone will get something beneficial from them. 

 

 

Several years ago we had a family who worshiped and worked with us for many years.   He always encouraged me.  Even if he didn't comment on the bulletin we knew he read it because he didn't begin participating in the worship until he finished the bulletin.  I knew he was a Bible student and valued his input.  When they moved on I missed the assurance that not only was the bulletin being read but it had value to at least one person.

 

 

This brother in Christ is now a dean at one of our Christian Universities and occasionally he will send a short email or private message on Facebook mentioning something in the bulletin.

 

 

The Lord knows when a person needs encouraging about one thing or another and it seems He sends that encouragement at just the right time.  I received such encouragement from my friend just the other day when I received the following:

 

 

I have meant to write you for a couple of days and I never do it when I am thinking about it, so I am doing it now. I wanted to compliment you for the Lawrenceburg bulletin article related to cancer. I think that is one of the most pertinent church bulletin articles I've ever read. I particularly think given the struggles people at Lawrenceburg are facing with cancer it was very useful.

 

 

Since it meant this much to him I thought maybe some of you might benefit from it as well.  It follows:

 

 

"CANCER

 

This article will begin with a "disclaimer." I am by no means a doctor, nurse or any part of the medical profession. As a mother of many children over the years however, I can detect a fever, a tummy ache, a broken bone (most of the time) and definitely an open wound! I have become more knowledgeable concerning medical issues, and especially cancer, during the past five and a half months. With this in mind I believe I have enough knowledge and experience to write this for you and me to ponder.

 

Cancer is not something any of us desire. It is no fun. The treatment can make one extremely sick and, at times, I am sure those being treated wonder if it might be better to accept the cancer than to go through the treatment. Radiation and chemotherapy take a toll on the body even though these treatments are also killing the cancer. Through aggressive treatment the white blood cells sometimes drop dangerously low. Also, blood transfusions, etc. must be administered in many cases. During all of this the patient needs to take in nutrition in order to build up the body. The hard, and sometimes seemingly impossible, part of this is that nothing tastes good. In fact, everything tastes awful and many things make one sick to the point of throwing up violently.

 

Is cancer a no-win situation? I think not! Our bodies are worth fighting for and especially when we use them to the glory of God.

 

I have learned many things during the past five and a half months. I have learned when things are depleted in the body they have to be replenished. The same is true with our spiritual bodies. There are times we are spiritually depleted and we need a "blood transfusion." This can come through encouragement from others, help in one way or another or by falling to our knees and handing all of our burdens over to God.

 

At other times we might not be completely depleted but in need of building our spiritual bodies back up. There are times we don’t’ want to "eat spiritual food." We are tired, depressed, discouraged, etc. but if we force ourselves to study God’s word, seek answers and accept what we find we can build ourselves up just as forcing our physical bodies to eat, even though we don’t feel like it. Perhaps the lessons we are learning from God’s word do not "taste" good. We don’t want to heed them and yet forcing ourselves will strengthen us spiritually.

 

Other great lessons I have learned are these:

 

1. Cancer brings people closer! I have gotten close to people I never knew....doctors, patients and especially nurses. But, in this particular case I have seen our little church family unite in ways I never dreamed of. This has truly been a blessing for many of us.

 

2. We should humble ourselves and learn to accept help graciously! We should not feel obligated to "pay back." Instead, a good idea would be to "pay it forward" in the future.

 

3. We should go into any situation with a smile on our faces (if at all possible) and a positive attitude. I have been told that one of the best ways to fight any health issue is with a positive attitude and I believe it.

 

4. We should share with those closest to us. If we are the one suffering find someone who will listen without being judgmental. Remember, "A burden shared is a burden halved."

 

5. We should be willing to listen to those who are suffering. Cry with them, laugh with them, hold them, love them!

 

And lastly.....I personally would like to thank our sweet sister, Margie for allowing me to make this journey with her. It has been one of the hardest journeys I have ever encountered. It has also been one of the most rewarding. I have experienced things I never imagined and met people with extreme courage and such upbeat attitudes. Thank you once again, my friend!"

 

 

This was inspired by  the influence our friend, Margie has had on all of our little Church Family here at Lawrenceburg.  You can read more about her in a precious post if you are interested. 

 

 

I would be remiss not to thank my dear friend for his continued encouragement.  Thank you, my friend!!!!

Growing Old Together and Still Learning

 

 

I’ve heard people say something about the disadvantages of growing old and others would reply, "But it beats the alternative." I think I have even responded in such a way. Recently I have pondered on that reply and come to the conclusion it isn’t true if you are prepared for the alternative. Just think.....for the obedient child of God the alternative to old age is spending eternity in Heaven with no aches and pains; no sorrows; no grief and every day with the Father! Nope, growing old doesn’t beat the alternative......but one can still enjoy growing old on this earth before being ushered into "the alternative."
 

We both have our ups and downs. I have to take medication for high blood pressure, have diverticulosis, irritable bowel Syndrome and a few other old age problems. Doyal has VERY LITTLE wrong with him. He does have a nasty rash that the dermatologist is baffled with and treating aggressively. But.....hey.....we are able to travel; go to the nursing home and visit the "young people" there (several younger than either of us); teach bible classes; preach (Doyal...not me!); text, take pictures, Skype, email, and Facetime (me, not Doyal) and we both still get out of bed each morning, dress ourselves and get on with our day.

 

 

The last paragraph segues nicely into a conversation we had the other day. We were discussing which leg we put in our pants first. Now you might ask why in the world two people our ages, who had been married for 60 years, 7 months and 2 days do not know that answer. I can’t tell you why. I suppose we were waiting to get to those "important" issues later in our marriage and this seemed as good a time as any to find out.

 

 

Here’s our conclusion. I put the wrong leg in first! I put my right leg in first. I also put on my socks (right first) and then my shoes (right first of course.) Doyal does the opposite. He has in recent years found out a few other strange things about me. I must be a tad ambidextrous as I unscrew bottle caps with my left hand. I also pour the water in the coffee maker opposite from him. And, I shuffle and deal cards left handed. Now, before you think I’m the only odd one in this household let me tell you more.

 

I suppose Doyal was putting his left leg in his pants as far back as our honeymoon but I only realized it just the other day.

I have been nagging Doyal for years to get a hearing aid. I learned several years ago that I mumble, the television sound was going bad, others didn’t speak up, etc. Finally I got him to go for a free test. It was determined that it wasn’t me, or the television, or others....but it was his ears! They could fix that problem easily with hearing aids......$6,000 worth! I said, "Do it!" He said, "No way." I accused him of being vain until he explained, in his thinking, "I am in my 80's and probably won’t live long enough to get full use out of them." With his health I wouldn’t put it past him to get to 100 + (and if I’m still around to nag, hound and thoroughly enjoy him, that would be fine with me.)

 

 

Between one of our ladies at church and me we talked him into getting one hearing aid from off the internet like the ones she had and found beneficial. This was only $375 and IT WORKS. Well, that is a bit of an understatement! It only works WHEN he wears it. I was nagging him the other day about not wearing it and do you know what he said? Of course you don’t. But, I’m going to tell you. He said he was afraid he would lose it! I have a "stash" in my very own little savings account and assured him if he would wear it all the time and then lost it I would buy him another. Looking over there at him now I realize I won’t have to be concerned about digging into my stash any time soon.

 

 

And while I’m sharing our inner-most secrets I’ll share this. Here awhile back he had to have a front tooth removed. He had four choices: 1. Leave it as it is....snaggled toothed. 2. Get a flipper for $375. 3. Have a bridge put in for a couple of thousand. 4. Have a permanent tooth "spiked in" for about $5,000. Joy of all joys!!!!! He didn’t chose the first option! I pushed for the fourth option and his reasoning was this: "I am in my 80's and probably won’t live long enough to get my money’s worth out of it. And, besides that, we have two grandchildren in college and two to start soon and that would help them if they needed it." You are asking now....don’t tell me you aren’t.....if he wears the flipper. I am happy to say that rarely does he go anywhere that he doesn’t remember to put it in.....but here at the house he’s like the cover of the Mad Comic book! And often smiles at me and says, "Me worry?"

 

Here is where I wanted to post the cutest picture ever of Doyal smiling ear to ear with his tooth out.  The vanity kicked in though and he refused to let me post that for the world to see......who am I kidding.....the world?  Well, at least some of the most important people in my world (YOU) will be reading this.  And, if you aren't reading it, well you aren't. :)

 

 

This rambling was only to let you know that the longer you are married, the more you know about each other and the more fun you can have together.
 

 

April 4, 1953

(Edited, November 7, 2013 after reading Claudia's comment.....Thanks Claudia......Yep, this picture was NOT taken in 1953 but sometimes in the 70's when we just drove through the area.  Some of the kids think we look like artists, writers, or some sort of creative geniuses in this picture.  I'll take that.)

 

Proverbs 5:18
May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
NIV

 

 

March 31, 2013, Four days before being married 60 years.

 

 

 

My prayer is that we can go hand-in-hand into the gates of Heaven when the time comes.

 

 



 

 

 

 

What Do You Think?

Just thought I’d share something with all my fans out there.....all few of you!
 

One of our great-granddaughters was delighted to let the Facebook world know that her Great-Daddy looked like the handsome Channing Tatum. I have to admit that I had to go online to find out who he was.....not her Great-Daddy, but Channing. The granddaughters, and now the great-granddaughters have all thought their Granddad/Great-Daddy was HOT/COOL/BAD/SWEET (whatever the latest term was for GOOD-LOOKING) as a young man. His lady thinks he still is as an 83-year-old mature fellow.
 

I think this will delight the granddaughters and great-granddaughters even more. Do you think Channing, Doyal and our grandson, Jordan look anything alike?
 

 

So, girls, it looks like you can expect more handsome "look-alikes" for generations to come!

 

 

 

 

 

And here is what Channing and Jordan can expect in a few more years!

 

 

Still handsome as ever, don't you think?

 

THE REST OF THE STORY

I promised that I would tell you "the rest of the story" and here it is..........

We officially let Mason adopt us on March 9, 2012 by taking him to the vet for the first time. I supposed he was convinced he was ours when we mutilated the poor little fellow by taking his manhood away forever a few weeks later. He didn’t seem terribly upset with us though and still continued to try and steal our hearts. I might add, he is doing a pretty good job of it too.

On his first visit to the vet I asked about his age and his breed. He was checked thoroughly and it was decided he was 6 to 8 months old at the time so we gave him an August birthday to share with our youngest daughter, Sharon. Dr. Karsteter, one of the four vets at the clinic, was sure about one thing; he was definitely Terrier mixed with something else, but didn’t guess what that mix was. Later, when he went for surgery, Dr. Adam Miller also said he was definitely Terrier and was sure an educated guess would be either Pug or Pekingese. Later Dr. Folke guessed Terrier and either Pug or Pekingnese. My guess (actually had I been a betting woman I would have placed money on it) was Pug/Terrier mix. I knew I was right........

　

UNTIL........I saw on TV where there is now DNA testing for dogs. Now, before you start judging an old woman who would spend money on such absurdities, let me assure you that we didn’t ask for help with the expenses, we didn’t take anything away from our giving to the Lord or others.....I just decided to do it for the shear pleasure of it. And.....maybe the old newspaper reporter’s curiosity just got the better of me. I talked with one of the vets and he assured me it was all on the up and up as they also did DNA testing and sent it off to one of the few labs in the nation who do this.

Out came the checkbook to the tune of $85.00 and soon a kit arrived in the mail. Doyal and I felt like we were on one of the CSI programs as we carefully took the samples, placed them in the container provided and sent it off to the lab.

 

It took a few weeks to get the results and we made good use of the time. I sent out an email to all of the family telling them we were having a contest. The ones who guessed his breed/breeds correctly would receive a prize. Here are the guesses:

Baby daughter, Sharon: #1. Terrier/Pug, #2 Brussels Griffon, #3 Affenpinscher (And she added: I read about Affenpinschers and he definitely has some of the looks and the disposition of them. It'll be interesting to find out, won't it?) You can see she wasn’t undecided at all!

Favorite "Dyer" grandson, Joshua sent the following: Boston Terrier + French Bulldog = Faux Frenchbo Bulldog or Boston Terrier + Pekingese = Bostinese (I learned some new words on this entry!)

Oldest son, Allen: Shizu and Pug

Oldest granddaughter, Jessica: Shizu and Pug (I need to give Allen and Jessica a spelling lesson for the first one....Shih Tzu!)

Oldest grandson, Neil: Ferret and Shetland Pony (I thought surely he’d get the prize with this guess!)

Middle daughter, Paula and her husband, Russ: Father, a Mexican Hairless and Mother, a Bull Mastiff. (If Neil’s guess didn’t win, I figured this would be the next closest.) The next day she sent the following; "Mine was a joke yesterday. He looks like he has some Terrier or Schnauzer in him."

Oldest "Ward", now Jarvis, granddaughter, Sarah: Westie and Pug

Youngest Ward granddaughter, Shelby: Yorkie/Pug ...... A few days later she had another guess..."Maybe "Pug/Pomeranian"

Youngest "Dyer", now Lowrance, granddaughter, Mandi: Brussel Griffin and Pug.

Oldest daughter, Claudia: Pug/Chihuahua

Youngest son, Frank: "Gotta go with Neil on this one"....and then the conversation went as such.... Neil: "I'm telling you guys, I got this one......Ferret / Shetland Pony"....Then Frank: "Neil .... Are you sure there isn't a little Guinea Pig in him????" Then Neil again: "Come on Uncle Frank, everyone knows that a Guinea Pig and a Shetland Pony can't mate! The Guinea Pig's cage is waaaay to small for the Shetland Pony to fit into!"

Oldest "Dyer", now Downs, granddaughter, Talsie: "Alright, I'll join in on the craziness. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think he is a pug at all. I think he got the ugly from somewhere else. ;) I will guess Shih Tzu/Terrier." (This wasn’t the first time he was called "ugly" and, poor kiddo, it probably won’t be the last. He looks much like a monkey and I often tell him he is so ugly he’s cute or so ugly only a mother could love him.)

Middle Ward, now Platt, granddaughter, Stephanie: "I think he is a Brussels Griffon/Pug mix. :) I know Mandi already guessed that...so if I can't guess the same, then I'll say Brussels Griffon/Chihuahua mix."

Now that you’ve seen the results of the guesses from the family why don’t YOU make your guess right now before you read any further. Let’s see if YOU can come up with the right mix. I’ll let you know that there are only two breeds in the mix and no one came up with the mix, although both breeds were mentioned. I’ll also let you know that I was shocked that at least one of Neil’s guesses is NOT in the mix. I thought for sure at least one of Mason’s parents would be a Shetland Pony!

We’ve named our pure breed dogs long, interesting (to me at least) names. Some of which were: Ebony King, our small black Chihuahua; Little Miss Annie Buttercup, the Cocker Spaniel I’ve told you about and Sweet Dixie Lailai, the Belle of Boaz, our precious Dixie. I decided Mason needed something regal so at first referred to him as Mason the Magnificent Mutt. Later, after destroying Doyal’s recliner, the arm of his desk chair and several baseboards, I thought a better name/description would be Mason the Mischievous Mutt! And come to find out he really isn’t a true mutt after all.........

Drum roll please...........

Going back three generations one side of his family are pure Shih Tzus and the other side pure Chihuahuas.......surprise, surprise, surprise!

Now you know "The Rest of the Story!"

 

 

Mason arrived in our home a cold, hungry mutt weighing around 7 or 8 pounds. Now, he has gained status by not being only a one-pure-breed dog, but a two-pure-breed dog if that makes sense.  And since that cold, February morning in 2012 here he is today all 12.5 pounds of sass!

 

 

A face only a mother could love!  He's loving being with just the two of us while his brother and sister are being groomed today.

 

Follow-Up as Promised

As promised in my last post I will let you know "what came around."

 

The last post was about my giving a two and a half-pound Cocker Spaniel to Doyal for our 38^th Anniversary after his saying that we didn’t need a dog. He soon found out we might not need Annie but she won his heart the night he arrived home to find her waiting to surprise him.

 

I never, in my wildest dreams, thought he would pull the same trick on me. Well......it wasn’t exactly the same trick, but I did get an unexpected surprise on my 77^th birthday! Imagine this (well, maybe it would be best not to imagine it).....On a very cold, 19 degree, Sunday morning, February 19, 2012 I stepped out of the shower as Doyal stepped into the bathroom with a little black fur ball against his chest. Here I am wrapped in a towel, looking at that little bundle. Doyal, acting a bit like a little boy bringing a new animal for his mother to give the okay to, explained. This was the same little fellow who had been showing up in our yard from time to time. We could never coax him close enough to see if he had identification. I had even reported him to the humane society earlier and they had found his owners and given them a warning. We hadn’t seen him in our yard since that time, but all day long the day before he was running around in the large open space across the busy highway from us.

 

                                                              

 

Here is Doyal with the little "pug looking" dog on that cold February, Sunday when he entered our family.

 

 

That Sunday morning Doyal took our sweetheart, Dixie and Frank and Rosemary’s dog, Lucky that we were keeping for them at the time, out for their morning walk. There in the front yard was the little black visitor. He was so cold and so hungry that Doyal had no problem picking him up and bringing him inside. We took turns warming him up and got him settled with the other two while we went to church. All afternoon we both played with him and cuddled him but had no intention of keeping him. Here we were at 77 and 82 with one dog of our own and dog sitting another (by the way, after going back "home" for a few weeks Lucky came back over here and begged us to take him...not really, but he was brought back and we inherited him). We needed another puppy no matter how cute and energetic he was like we needed an elephant!

 

 

 

These two pictures were taken of the same two "boys" at the same place exactly one year later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I called Monday morning early to the shelter to see if he had been reported missing. "Nope! " Called again in a day or so and asked...."No, and if they come to your house looking for him don’t give him up until you call us as we are going to give them a citation." Oh my, I wanted none of that! So, we just kept walking him in the front of our house for all to see and I kept looking for posters that he was missing. Nothing happened. So on March 9 we decided to get his shots. The vet told us he was legally ours since we had had him that long and no one had claimed him. And.....poor guy......a few weeks later we had him "fixed."

 

 

March 6, 2012 after his first professional grooming.

 

 

 

I had told Doyal when we got our Shih Tzu from the South and named her Dixie that if I ever got a Northern dog I would name it Mason and we’ll call it Macy. That’s how Mason got his name. No one in the family wanted to call him Macy though as that sounded like a girl. Now there are the three of them....Mason, Dixie and Lucky. We gave Mason our youngest daughter, Sharon’s birthday since the vet said he was between 7 and 8 months old. His birthday is August 26, 2011. Dixie’s birthday is April 23, 2009 and poor old, and I mean old, Lucky is now 14 years old!

 

 

 

Yep, this little fellow has a car seat just like his sister, Dixie.  the bad thing about it is that he escapes from the seat belt AND the harness.  That was $$$ down the drain!

 

 

 

 

Pretty boy makes himself comfortable on the back of our sofa.

 

 

He fits right in when it comes to sharing my breakfast each morning.

 

 

I haven't finished telling you all about Mason but will leave that till another time and that’ll be "the rest of the story."

What Goes Around, Comes Around

I suppose "what goes around comes around" as the old saying goes. It certainly did with us.

 

 

I had wanted a house dog for quite sometime and every time I mentioned getting one Doyal would have the excuse that he would be retiring "soon" and we would travel. A dog would not be a good idea as we couldn’t travel with one. That didn’t make a lot of sense to me as I figured a small dog would be an ideal traveling companion. But, being the good wife that I am, I put a dog on the back burner.....at least for a short while.

 

 

And then the question arose......"What in the world can I get the most wonderful man on earth for our 38^th anniversary" (this was in 1991).

 

 

Back then I always read the classified ads and, wouldn’t you know, right there in front of me was an ad for Cocker Spaniel puppies for sale. It must have been "meant to be", don’t you think? Well, maybe not, because remember I’d been wanting a house dog for awhile.

 

 

April 3, 1991 I drove miles and miles and picked out the cutest little puppy ever. She came home with me and was waiting under a towel on the kitchen table when Doyal came home from work the day before our anniversary. I was so excited and rushed him in to "open" his gift. Just as he got ready to lift the towel it moved!

"Is this a dog?" he inquired as he frowned and lifted the towel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These pictures were taken the night I brought Annie home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s all it took! Who couldn’t fall in love instantly with a fluffy two and a half pound, 7 week old, active puppy! Soon her name was Annie (named because she was an anniversary present.) She became his dog and continued as such until her death in 2008. A very long and happy life with a few glitches now and then. Someday I’ll tell you about her adventures with Clancy, our Golden Retriever, as well as other events in her life.

 

 

Clancy in the huge fur ball and Annie is the tiny blond pup introducing herself.  He accepted her right away and they had many adventures throughout Clancy's life.  He took her on several neighborhood jaunts before we found their escape route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Annie when she wasn't even a year old.  She loved the grandchildren and they loved to play with her.  You can see how much Stephanie enjoyed it as well.  By the way, Stephanie is expecting her first child, a little boy, in March.  I wonder if he will have as much fun with the dogs we have now as his mother did with Annie.

 

I have many more pictures of our sweet Annie but won't post them here.  She had a long and full life.  She traveled more miles than many humans.  Some of her trips took her to Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas and Oklahoma.  She survived much as well.  I think had she been able to speak she would have agreed her 17 years and 4 months on this earth were about the best any dog could ask for.

 

One of these days I might tell you about her last day on earth and her death and burial.

 

My next post will be all about the title of this post......"What Goes Around Comes Around."