Dear Miss Teacher,
Look, I understand that the paper was on food safety, but I’m thinking he should get partial credit for this. Why waste time with hygiene when there is a sandwich involved?
Forget your troubles; come read about mine
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EmailIf you read my last post, you know that Thursday was a really sad day for us. So was Friday, and Saturday, and Sunday. My son actually said, “Our house doesn’t even feel like a home anymore.” We’re getting there though. We have cried a little less each day.
In addition to sadness, there have been glimmers of good. It started when we took a walk just a couple of hours after we put Blue down. I took this photo and noted that it had been gray and cloudy all day until we decided to take a walk to Blue’s favorite pond.
The next day, I was looking at the picture again, when I suddenly saw Blue in the clouds.
See her? With her tennis ball and shark fin angel wing? My friend, Melisa, who once wrote a book for children about the loss of a pet, told me that I would start seeing signs everywhere.
On Friday, my daughter’s teacher was telling a story about a book she had just read. She was moved to tears by the death of the main character’s 14 year old dog.
That same evening, my husband was watching a fishing show. He fishes, but he never watches fishing shows. Well, that’s not true, we both watch Deadliest Catch, but not really for the fishing; more for the train wreck of chain-smoking, crab-boat crews. Anyway, he was watching this fishing show that kept making reference to catching something called a “Blue Dog.”
And, in church yesterday, the homily was about being reunited with those you love; all of us restored, whole and without pain.
Thank you, Blue. I hope you keep sending us messages.
Also, if you could keep those messages off of the bottom of my shoe, I would be really grateful.
A few days ago, I lifted our old dog, Blue, off the floor and as she hobbled across the living room, my nine year old son stood watch.
Our 14 year old Labrador has had bad hips for awhile, but recently one of her front legs went out and she’s had a tough time walking at all. After she and I had slowly passed through our porch, I let her out of the back door and turned to find my son standing there with tears in his eyes.
Before I could say anything he said, “Mom, my eyes are kind of watery.”
I knelt down and grabbed his shoulders. “What’s the matter, buddy?”
He replied, “Well, I’m sad for two reasons. Blue is hurting and she’s old, so I know that means she’s going to die soon.”
I nodded. “Yes, but after she dies she’s going to run and chase squirrels and bunnies again, just like she used to.”
His eyes widened, then he stuck his fingers under his glasses and wiped his tears away. Suddenly, a smile crept over his face and he said, “Wow! She’s going to have a blast in heaven!”
We love you, Blue and we’re wishing you tons of tennis balls and mailmen. Saying goodbye to you was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I wouldn’t trade you being part of our family for anything.
Blue 4/17/98 – 4/26/12
My nine year old son is good at making fast-friends, especially with adult women who tend to think he’s younger than he is. His personality combined with the stature of a five year old give off an aura of charm and vulnerability that men three times his age wish they could evoke.
He’s slick, I tell you. I took him to Urgent Care on Saturday and in under 30 minutes he had been given three different frozen treats by three different nurses and then he got one for the road. He worked the rooms so well they were practically throwing Flavor-Ice at him
So, I have to admit that his behavior was shocking when Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman, came to town last week. If you don’t know Ree, she is a NY Times best-selling author, host of her own Food Network show, amazing photographer, home-schooler and blogger. She’s also smart, funny, pretty, generous and kind. I hate her a little bit.
Oh, okay…that’s not true. I hate her a lot. Oh, okay…that’s not true either. I love her! And. So. Does. My. Kid.
Although I assured my son that she is a friend of mine and a regular person through-and-through, when I told him she was in town for a book signing and he was going to get a chance to meet her, he got a little star-struck.
Honestly, I should have known. He loves Ree’s Food Network show so much that he actually talks to her as if she is in the corner of our living room. He smiles at the screen, he giggles, he swoons. On the day of their meeting, he came out of school yelling about going to see her and said that he was going to run from the car and give her a hug. When we arrived at the book store, he hurried to the back room where she was waiting…
And, then he hid behind my leg.
He slowly crept out, but wouldn’t dare look at her. I don’t know if he was smitten or scared, because the only other time I’ve seen him look like this was on a first grade field trip to the zoo when his teacher told him not to make eye contact with the gorillas.
But, Ree knew how to bring out the flirt in him. “Aw shucks, Ree!”
When he finally decided that he was ready for a hug, he prepared for it by creating a decent distance between the two of them, then running and jumping into her arms. That’s my boy. Dramatic much?
I bet if she had Flavor-Ice, she would have been tossing it in his direction.
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