Strange Bedfellows

As bedtime approaches and my old lady doxie, Minnie, by my side, I am hit with a question....when did dogs get people status??? We have had Minnie since 2005. I rescued her from the pound. Well actually she found me. As I walked up and down the aisles of the shelter, she practically had a fit and was literally screaming, "Pick me, pick me!" She was dancing around on her hind legs and I kept walking past her to a very calm black male dachshund. I had a short conversation with him and told him I would be back tomorrow after I discussed him coming to live with us with my husband. The discussion went something like this....Me: "There is a cute boy doxie at the pound and I want him." Louis: "No, we don't need another dog." Then I begged and he finally gave in. The next day I returned and went to his cage and walked right past Minnie....she was still dancing and so happy to see me. I thought who would want that hyper dog? When I approached my boy, I reached down to pet him through the cage. He snapped at me and thus ended my undying love for him. Minnie was the only other doxie at the shelter and I really wanted this breed since my last dachshund succumbed to a suburban coyote. So since that pretty fall day in 2005, we have become best friends. She ended up being a very calm dog and her best trick is sitting up on her hind legs and she moves her front paws up and down like she is begging. I think it is so cute....Louis is not impressed. Well anyway back to bedtime. Since Minnie came home, she has slept at the end of our bed and since that first night Louis ask, "Why does that dog have to sleep in our bed???" I don't have an answer other than I want her to. (I failed to mention Minnie has COPD, a lung disorder that gives her a cough like a 76 year old smoker, but I love her anyway.) Just to make me feel less weird, I looked up stats on dogs sleeping in beds with owners. 62% of small dogs get the good life, 41% of medium dogs share the covers and 62% of large dogs hog the bed. This has reached epidemic proportions!

When I was a kid, our dogs always slept outside cause they were considered animals back then. I remember looking out at them in the rain and begging my parents to let them in. I was told "no way...they're soaking wet!" At least most of the time they had a doghouse. A doghouse is a little shelter that people used to have in their backyards for their dogs and sometimes husbands too. I don't think my dogs like the rain. When I put Minnie outside to do her business and it's raining, she looks at me like I'm crazy and then runs for a hedge for shelter. 

Jiggy from Beverly Hills

Today there are dog sitters, dog whisperers, and dog clothing designers. We shop for gluten free, corn free, and fat free dog food.  It's a no no to give table scraps and by no means don't give your dog a raisin or a chicken bone or he'll die instantly. We spend tons of money on doggie vitamins, prescriptions and grooming....all this for a critter who eats his own poop. My friend, Gina, once had a dog, Chip, who loved a fine dining experience. He would sit quietly at the head of her humongous dining table when we were having dinner. He never dined with us, just enjoyed the good dinner conversation. On the other hand, my sister's dog, Ronnie, prefers a nice cheeseburger from Carl's Junior or maybe a quesadilla from Del Taco. My brother-in-law has no qualms about making a special trip through the drive-thru.

We all love to spoil our dogs. Take them to the Westin and they will be treated to a posh "Heavenly" doggie bed. I saw an ad on the Internet for designer elevated dog beds. The slogan read, "Earns you brownie points and keeps your dog loyal to you." I thought a doggie biscuit did that. My daughter's dog, Scout, goes to doggie daycare and even comes home with a report card....I bet a better one than my son at that age!

Dog owners are also known to give their pet cute nicknames. I call my dog Minnie Moo or Moo Moo. My best friend, Diane, has a cute pooch named Stanley and she calls him NuNu...maybe I got Moo Moo from NuNu...gosh when I actually see this in print it gets even sillier. NuNu, I mean Stanley, is no regular dog. You can find his cute pic at the local Trader Joe's in the dog food aisle...even Stanley is hip and shops at Trader's! Yep, these funny nicknames are starting to sound like baby talk and with baby talk comes grand kid status, I mean the doggie kind.  Check out your friend's phone and I bet you'll see a few pics of their beloved hound. Yeah, dogs are living the good life these days. Our friends, the Bentley's have a lab that uses their gorgeous pool on hot summer afternoons. Greg comes home from a long day at work and sees the dog floating in the pool. Greg feels like if his dog could talk he would say, "Hey Greg, bring me a beer...would ya???"


I could go on and on about my friend's dogs...they all have people status. I do however, know a couple who swore off dogs several years back and are not ashamed of it. I guess it was Christmas Eve and the kiddies' stockings were filled with candy. Their cute little dog raided the stockings when everyone was in bed. When they awoke Christmas morning to see what Santa left, they found a surprise...rainbow barf all over their white carpet from the ingested Skittles the dog got into the night before. Since that time, they decided that a dog is an animal and a kid is a kid and don't mix the two.

Children's author, Shel Silverstein, wrote one of my favorite books, Lafcadio. It is the story of a lion who eats a hunter then picks up the hunter's gun. He learns to shoot the gun and becomes a famous sharp shooter known throughout the world. He starts to wear smoking jackets, goes to a barber, enjoys a good cigar and loves marshmallows. He even returns to Africa to hunt lion. When he comes face to face with a lion, he realizes that he has turned almost human and doesn't like it....he just wants to be a lion again. I wonder if our dogs are sick of the people expectation we put on them...the clothes, the spa treatments, the organic food. Maybe they just want to lie in the sun, eat something weird they find in the yard and chase their tail. Have we created a Lafcadio syndrome in our dogs? Wow, now they probably need to go to doggie therapy. As I ponder this, it's time for me and my old lady to hit the sack. Louis for the millionth time will ask, "Does that dog have to sleep in our bed?" and I will just look at him while I cover Minnie up with her blanket! I know this same ritual is going on in lots of homes tonight. Everyone needs a good night sleep cause it off to doggie yoga in the morning. (wink!)

Minnie Moo

kyle

Brian and buddies before Homecoming 2007...Kyle is far right 

I think some of our best friendships take root during our youth.  We are more transparent during that  time and the walls and fronts we put up as adults haven't quite formed yet. We laugh about the same things, don't stress about political or religious viewpoints and our only worry is our complexion. I was the type of kid who had a few really close friends...never was the popular girl. My daughter, Kristin, had plenty of friends but somehow during her youth, we escaped all the girl drama and the friends she brought around were golden. My son, Brian, had tons of friends during high school. It seemed like with every inch he grew, he gained ten more friends....probably because he played football and with that sport comes cheerleaders and friends of cheerleaders. Even though he really enjoyed football, I think he enjoyed the guys on the team even more.  One of the friends Brian met through football was a great guy named Kyle. He was tall, athletic, smart, good looking, extremely funny and a great conversationalist. Kyle could talk himself out of any situation because he was so charming and everybody loved him. I always thought that one day he would make a great President or actor...or an actor who plays a president. When Brian got hurt right before senior year, and could no longer play football, Kyle hung close. He visited Brian all the time and would come and kidnap him from the rehab hospital and wheel him across the street to a burger joint for a grilled cheese and a coke. A few months later was Senior Night for his football team. Each senior was honored and ran through a gauntlet of players and cheerleaders when their name was announced. Of course Brian was unable to run but sweet Kyle, pushed him all the way through. I hate crying but that did me in. Kyle continued to be the kid who picked up Brian for school dances and took him everywhere.  The great thing about Kyle was that their relationship really didn't change after Brian got hurt.  BI (before injury) Kyle and Brian did all kinds of crazy things together and that never changed.  I really appreciated Kyle, not just because he was great to my son, but because he was a quality human being. He would crash on our couch for days, have long philosophical conversations with my husband and me and make us laugh like no other.

Last year, on this day, I found out that Kyle was killed in a tragic car accident. It seemed unreal cause guys like Kyle don't die. He was filled with too much life and goodness to go away from us so suddenly. We all walked around in a fog for several days. Kyle is missed by so many people. He had friends by the dozens and a family that was crazy about him. His sweet mother, Donna, gathered some of his closest friends together last August and gave each of them a bracelet that contained some of Kyle's ashes. Brian wears his around his neck so Kyle is close by even today.

Brian's recovery has been so successful for lots of reasons but I think all of his loving friends who never saw him any different played a huge role in his success. They still show up, and do things together....things that 21 year old boys (men?) do. Kyle will be forever 21 and I know Heaven is a much more interesting place now that he is living there. On the other hand, our lives are a little dimmer cause Kyle was utter sunshine and lit up any room he entered. We really miss you Kyle! 

 Who is the sunshine in your life? Who would be your legs if your's didn't work? Who would take you to get a grilled cheese? We all need someone in our lives like Kyle...it makes the journey so much sweeter! 

Kyle and Brian at the park before Brian was injured

The Power of a HIgh Five

Jeff hamming it up for the camera

With my love affair I have with Google, I had to find out who started the high five. It was started by a man named Lamont Sleets, Jr. He played college basketball for Murray State University in Kentucky between 1979 and 1984 and he reportedly created "one of the most contagious gestures in sports and maybe, for that matter, American life." His dad served in Vietnam in the 5th Infantry, a unit nicknamed The Five. When his dad's buddies would hang out at the house, they would greet each other with arms straight up and grunt, "FIVE." Little Lamont would love to jump up and slap his little hand against theirs and yell, "Hi Five!" Years later, Sleets started using this with his team mates and the rest is history.


I was never much of a "high fiver" until I had kids. It's a cute thing to teach your toddler and once your kids enter the team sport's world, high fives are generously given. I know the high five has recently evolved into "knucks" but I think the high five still wins out. It is internationally known as a celebration code for "good job" or "are you with me?" or "let's do this" or "winning." I've witnessed tons of high fives and even given some but the most important high five happened four and a half years ago and I think about it almost everyday.


When my son, Brian, dove into a sandbar in August 2007 and broke his neck, he was staying at the beach with close friends. He was rushed to a hospital five minutes away and by the time we arrived, 30 or so friends were in the waiting room. His surgery took three excruciating hours and all the while, more friends were making the hour drive down to the beach, just to be with us. One of those folks, was Jeff. Jeff is a physical therapist and a dear friend. I  remember one time, late in the evening, Brian hurt something and we went over to Jeff's house and he worked on Brian on his kitchen table. Jeff has been so good to Brian and our family. He has patched up Brian and put him back together more times than I can remember. 


After surgery, a nurse came out and told us Brian was on his way to ICU. We asked if we could see him. She said, yes but that Brian was not conscious and wouldn't even know we were there....we didn't care. So at that point, about 40 of the most wonderful people we know, gathered around Brian's gurney. He had tubes coming out of his face and he was hooked up to monitors, IVs and could have had the starring role on HOUSE. Jeff asked the nurse if he could have a minute and pray for Brian. She looked disinterested and told us that he wouldn't be able to hear the prayer. Jeff prayed anyway. I can't remember what he said but after "Amen" he asked Brian to give him a high five and you know what? That boy who was lying there lifeless on that gurney, turned his head toward Jeff, opened his eyes, and reached up and gave Jeff a high five. Jeff had an astonished look on his face and said that was incredible because with Brian's level of injury, he shouldn't have been able to raise his arm. At that point, just eight hours after Brian was injured, I knew he was going to be alright. That simple high five turned into an incredible promise of hope and recovery. 


Once again, Jeff was the "PT whisperer" and impacted Brian's life. He didn't stop there. Jeff had a "stealth" exercise regimen for Brian where he would sneak into his rehab hospital room late at night and work out a weak, recovering Brian. He even taught  my brother-in-law the routine and they would take turns coming in. Jeff continues to fix broken stuff that Brian brings him. Yesterday we visited for a bruised big toe that Brian managed to break in some mysterious way.

Hillside running team welcoming us to the finish line

Jeff's latest high five was at the finish line at a half marathon a few weeks ago. He beat me by about a day and a half. When I saw him and the other Hillside runners, I knew I was almost home. When he reached out and gave me a high five, it meant the world to me. Can it be that a little gesture like a high five can have such a lasting impact? I guess if it comes from a friend who has your back and wants the best for you it can. So Lamont, this high five is for you! Thanks for creating something that with one slap can sum up everything I just wrote here.
Who needs a high five from you today?




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Awake My Soul

Awake My Soul 

by Mumford  and Sons

How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know
My weakness I feel I must finally show
Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all
But lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall 
Lend me your eyes I can change what you see 
But your soul you must keep, totally free 
Awake my soul, Awake my soul 
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die 
And where you invest your love, you invest your life 
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die 
And where you invest your love, you invest your life 
Awake my soul, Awake my soul, Awake my soul 
For you were made to meet your maker

I really love this Mumford and Sons song. It's a folk song with great heart and deep meaning. I was first introduced to it last fall when Rich Stearns, President of World Vision, spoke at our church about the need of clean water in Africa. I liked it so much, that I put it on my running mix since I was training for a half marathon for Team World Vision. Every time that song played it reminded me that we are called to do something bigger than ourselves. The marathon came and went but the song stayed with me.

Our pastor just did a series on seasons of the heart that we all go through and how they are manifested in our lives. Spring...a time of re-birth, summer....when everything is going your way and you get a glimpse of just how great Heaven will be one day, autumn...a time of harvest of the things and relationships we have sown in our lives and the dreaded winter when everything is cold and dead. But we learned some cool things about winter. Even though the landscape can be covered in frost, there is still stuff going on under all that snow. It is a time of hunkering down, a time of focus of things to come, a time to depend on God to help you through the situation that brought on winter in the first place and most importantly, I learned it can be a rich place to learn just what you're made of. When my son, Brian, was injured and broke his neck in 2007, winter came to our home (that story will have to be a series of post). I had always considered myself a positive and extremely optimistic person but whenever I was alone I would say to myself, "I could just cry" but since I hate crying, I rarely did. My day would be humming along but this little black cloud, okay, sometimes a thunderhead, would follow me everywhere. I thought I would be in winter until Brian walked again but spring came anyway last year. I can't put my finger on one thing. There were lots of good things that happened. Brian continued to make physical recovery and regained tons of independence and my daughter, Kristin, moved out and started her life after a year of searching for a great job. Also, I decided to get healthy and start to look outside myself and committed to start living life as an "epic adventure" as author Donald Miller writes.


The first verse of Awake my Soul...wow really hits home. I've  been a believer my whole life but the world was telling me "lies" and I was starting to believe them. My heart was fickle, my eyes woozy and trying to focus from being hit upside the head with the traumatic injury of my boy. The stanza "the weakness I feel, I must finally show"...gosh I hate that. Here I am, admitting that I am weak. I think weak goes with that crying thing. I just don't do sad very well. I am always in a hurry for the sad to be over and the laughing to begin.


I do believe that "where you invest your love, you invest your life." You can tell what is really important to someone by observing how they spend their time. I can waste so much time. On some days, one would think I own stock in face book or maybe think I get a dollar for everything I google...what a royal waste of time (but just let me add here that face book and google are still on my list of fun stuff). I've decided to love on the people I've met through Brian's injury and to be an encouragement to them. This is going to be a LONG journey and we have met so many wonderful people through all of this. Finally, the line, "you were made to meet your maker" tells of a loving God who created us, and desperately wants a relationship with us...we were made for that!


So AWAKE MY SOUL! Let me be wide awake with the knowledge that spring does follow winter and what was once dead is now alive!