puppy love

Sometimes Hope comes wrapped in tan and black fur, with floppy ears, a big lolling tongue, a long wagging tail and the name, Blue. 

We bought our first dog yesterday.
A 14 week old German Shepherd puppy.
My husband has wanted a German Shepherd since before we were married. 
That’s been over 14 1/2 years ago now. 
We needed something happy and hopeful.
A dog is both. 
He helps us look past May, when the chemo treatments end. 
He helps us think about the day that my husband is done with all these doctors and surgeries and make plans for a cancer free future.
We just knew he was our dog. 
From a google search my husband did on Monday, and the pictures of him playing with a kitten that were e-mailed to us later that day. 
A brief talk with the breeder on Tuesday to set up the appointment to meet him on Saturday. 
Thankful for a second call on Friday, before someone else came to meet him Friday afternoon. 
Gave us a chance to put a deposit down, to say aloud and with certainty, he’s going to be our dog. 
A visit with my parents, grandfather and cousins on Friday night and Saturday morning in Southern Illinois. 
Then on to meet our dog and bring him home. 
Oh, how we love him. 
He fits into our family just right. 
Keeping us all more on the go, more unplugged and more together, than we’ve been of late. 
My husband is talking about renaming him. 
The boys and I agree though, that Blue is just right too. 
Today is Day 2. 
So far so good.
Thank you for sharing our happy news. 
We are kicking off 2012 with Hope, and will be busy loving and chasing and training our new dog, Blue. 
Thank you for your continued prayers, as my husband gets hooked up to his third round of chemo on Tuesday. 
Unhooked on Thursday, which is when the nausea usually hits the hardest. 
We’ll keep in touch…and share puppy pictures too. 
Oh, he’s super great and wonderful and pretty as can be, handsome actually, as he’s a boy dog. 
The girls are getting more outnumbered all the time. 
One mom and one girl cat, who is Not Amused. 
One dad, two sons and one boy dog, our newest addition. 
Love,
Janean
P.S. We are so keeping his name…if I get to add any weight to my vote at all…and because I’m trouble enough to try to get you on my side to keep it as is. Happy Sunday! We’ve played all morning with our puppy and he’s sleeping in his kennel with the door open, in time for us to go to church in about 30 minutes. We’re going with a smile, always. But today’s is a little brighter, due to Puppy Love. 
NOTE: I originally posted this on Sunday, January 8, 2012, the day after we brought Blue home, on my husband’s Caring Bridge page. I’m posting it here today to explain where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing instead of Tumblr-ing. I’m A Dog Mom now. A Puppy Mom to be specific. We’re going for walks, playing with his rope toy AND doing the things that need done to take care of my family and household. Still figuring out how to do all that and write too…hoping to figure it out SOON. 

it is a crazy daisy kind of day
oldest son feverish and flu-ish
husband getting unhooked from 48 hours of chemo around noon
getting groceries in the six o’clock hour
that’s a.m.
I smile as I spy them in the bin
as I round the corner toward produce
the bin where all the half price bouquets go to wait
for the right shopper
the one who stops and takes a look
taking time to admire the varied assortment of grocery store flowers
oodles of crazy daisies
figuring it is $3.49 well spent
they are the first thing I put in my cart
even though they are never on the list
I head home by seven
as the sky begins to brighten
they are arranged in a vase on the kitchen counter
it is a clear vase, but they turn the water purple
I love that
coffee is done brewing
husband is out the door
time to get breakfast
not sure what is after that
sinking into home today
reading my new book from the library
making it up as we go along
yes, it is a crazy daisy kind of day here

December 13, 2011: Love is…

Love is saying this morning, “I’ll take the boys to school and then go to Meijer,” because you know I’m trying to finish some artwork for a one day show tomorrow that I’m simultaneously excited, nervous and freaked out about, even though you re-start chemo today and have your own set of nerves about that. 

today is the day

today is the day

that chemo starts again

not for me

for him

I am writing about burnt toast

and brightly colored socks

because it’s easier

to be chatty

about breakfast

and strands of cotton

than the unknown force

that six months of chemo

will be in my husband’s body

we all feel the apprehension

inside this house

we go together

at 12:30 p.m.

today is the day

Ugh. 

© Turquoise Tangles