happy ending

Haul out the kleenex. . .as if we needed another testimony to the loyalty and love of dogs. 

monday's mutt

In Loving Memory

China Gibson-Eckle

1993-2009

"A person who has never owned a dog has missed a wonderful part of life."  ~ Bob Barker

happiness

I've spent most of this week whining and complaining. . . about getting up for conference calls at 5:30am and 6:30am. . .up before the roosters. . .not even the dogs get up that early. . .I'm tired. . .my ear hurts. . .why do people schedule 6am AND 4:30 pm meetings (seriously though, that is just wrong). . .my shoulder hurts. . .blah, blah, blah.  Then I read NieNie's blog and was reminded that I need to be gracious and look for the positive in the face of adversity.  So I'm decided to write about everything that makes me happy.  So here goes. . .

Happiness Is. . .

• Maeve and Maude
• the fact that I actually have a job
• my home                                                
• sunny days 
• my sister Sarah
• true friends
• coffee
• yoga 
• phone calls from Taylor
• birds eating out of my bird feeder 
• bluebirds nesting in my bluebird house
• trader joe's  fresh salsa
• Ugg slippers
• the internet
• my new iTouch
• Lake Michigan
• massages at Celestial Soul (though I need to go more often)
• wind chimes
• shopping on Etsy
• watching the face of someone who opens up a gift from me
• fresh snow
• good red wine
• extra room americanos
• goldfish who survive winter in my pond
• a clean house (that I didn't have to clean)
• sunsets
• authentic Italian thin crust pizza
• white cake with vanilla frosting
• summers in Northern Michigan
• Friends re-runs
• clean sheets

gratitude

I promise I'll try to have this be the last sad post (for a while anyway. . .no guarantees on future posts), but in all the heartache of the last few days I've learned a lot about loyalty and compassion and true friendship. . .and that family bonds go beyond blood relatives.

From my neighbors who came over the night Mac died to help me. . .and help me emotionally, and feed me the next day when I wasn't ready to face the world. . .to my sister who called me at 3am because she knew I was awake and sad beyond words. . .to my neighbors when I lived in Japan who grieved like they had lost their own dog. . .to my friends who came over just to hug me and brought me plants that I could keep forever to remember my sweet boy. . .to all my friends who truly understand that losing my beloved pet is like losing a piece of my soul. . .and  to my 13-year-old nephew who said. . ."we will get through this" and sent me the most heartfelt poem about losing a family member.  

Mac's life taught me about unwavering friendship, loyalty and sweet souls.  It seems appropriate that his death does of the same.  And as the inspiring poem All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten reminds me. . .

. . . it is still true, no matter how old you are, it is best to hold hands and stick together. 

I am grateful to all my friends and family who held my hand and comforted my heart.