Hot dogs, baked beans, fabulous dips and chips… cool dip in the pool, talking with friends in lounge chairs, watching kids laughing together with school friends they haven’t seen all summer… loud banging fireworks in the street, glowing sparklers, moms trying to make sure no one blows off their fingers… the joys of the 4th of July .  Too bad its only once a year.  Hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating!!

The category at I Heart Faces this week has a strange twist of irony for me.  We have the sweetest dog I have ever known, and I have known many dogs.  She has 3 legs — she has been that way since she was a little puppy, running after our chocolate lab and swimming like she didn’t know any differently.  She has never so much as snipped at anyone, including our 3 children as they tugged on her and played in her food when they were babies.  My husband and I have been talking about our 14 year old yellow lab for a few months now, wondering how much longer she would make it, wondering if she is completely miserable… We had another conversation the other day, and I behaved as usual — as he talked of the tumors she has around her stomach and how dementia seems to be setting in, I kept changing the subject – acted like if I didn’t talk about it, we wouldn’t have to.  Unfortunately, I knew the reality of the situation, and today my husband let me know that the appointment was made.  In the past, we have been a family with 3 dogs… by the end of the week we will be a family with no dogs.  I don’t even know what that is like.  So I took photos of Gretchen tonight, realizing I don’t even have that many pictures of her, and how much I want to remember her sweet face.  Gretchie, you are an amazingly strong sweetheart and have given us so much love.  Thank you, pretty girl.  We will not be the same without you.

“God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.”   — Billy Graham