Fairytale vs. History

The Christmas story is often treated like a fairytale.  As if it didn't truly happen on this earth, but, rather, as if it were made up of fictional characters telling a well-known story.  But it's not the same as Santa and Rudolph.  These characters walked this earth, experienced these events and it changed our lives eternally.

Gathering Around the Tree

One of my favorite things of the Christmas season is having the Christmas tree all lit up.  I so enjoy the evenings with all of us together in the den with the softly glowing tree.

At one point yesterday afternoon, I was cuddled up under my electric throw blanket (I'm going to be living under that thing this winter) and drifted off to sleep while Hunt was watching football and Chloe was curled up at my feet.  I woke up to find that the sun had set (that happens by 4:30pm up here!), the tree was bathing the den in a warmth of twinkle lights, football was playing in the background, Hunt was stretched out and had nodded off, and Chloe was deep asleep next to us.  It was a perfect Christmas moment in my mind.  All three Andersons warm, cozy, relaxed and napping near the tree together.

In other news about our tree and its lights: I'll give you one guess as to where Chloe decided to take a nibble on a strand and managed to pluck one bulb right off...

Interesting twist on the story of the nativity.  How would it have played out if FB had been around at that time?

Thanks Mom for sharing - enjoyed it!

Living in Arlington

When we lived in D.C. one thing is loved about going to work every day was passing Arlington Cemetery during my drive.  And, on the mornings I was motivated, I would walk/run the mile down the road to the Iwo Jima memorial right next to the cemetery.  It was inspiring.  Especially on the Thursday evenings that the Marine color guard would be out in full dress to take down the flag at sunset.

It made my chest swell with patriotic pride, as well as silently remember the cost of freedom.  That freedom has never been free, and that our brave soldiers lay down their lives to keep us free.

The seasons were beautiful to watch as they passed through Arlington.  The colorful leaves of autumn, the stillness of winter with Christmas wreaths laid on the gravestones, and the lacy new breath of life with Dogwood trees blooming in the spring.

I miss the daily reminder of America's greatest military strength, her soldiers.

One Year going on Fifty...

Bringing Home Fur Baby

Our fur baby arrived on Saturday afternoon on a flight from Oklahoma from the wonderful home of Vicki at the Turner Dog Ranch.  We picked her up at the American Airline cargo area, where her cage was waiting in a gloomy and cavernous warehouse.  We stepped up to the door of her pet taxi and she was a quiet little ball of fur looking up at us with enormous eyes.  We spoke softly to her and she tentatively licked the fingers we stuck through the screen.  She didn't make a peep as we carried the cage outside to the grass near our car to unload and and meet her.  

I helped her out and picked up her trembling little body and held her tight.  I was worried that she was traumatized by her flight and being away from her mama.  But as soon as I put her down on the ground to give her some water, she became a different puppy.  She was all wiggles and wagging tail.  She bounded around, greeting me and Hunt, exploring the ground and still not making a sound.  

What a scared little face!

The real little miss finally appeared!

Hunt trying to tell her where to go...it didn't really translate.

Still a little nervous at being held up in the air.

Hunt the proud new daddy - the Boston skyline is in the background

A little out-of-sorts at the beginning of the ride home.

Right after we got home she snuggled up next to Hunt and promptly fell asleep.

Watching the Clemson game - she climbed up and cuddled with me on the recliner.

Loving her new toy that Hunt picked up.

We might have taken a nap together on Sunday afternoon - and didn't want to get up when I did.  Turns out that Tempurpedic pillows are perfect for puppies...

Look at how that Tempurpedic curve supports her belly so well.  I love her little frogged-out legs.

And her freckles on her belly.  That she likes to show us often.

Got a little chilly and needed a good, cuddly blanket.

Look at those eyelashes!

Promptly after I took the above picture she whimpered, got up and crawled over to hide her face in Hunt's side.  She'll need to get used to being in front of the camera around here!

Give me kisses!

OK, just a little smooch.

Fun little work buddy loves to sleep at my feet...making it hard to move my chair, but such a cute view when I look down.  It's definitely a huge adjustment to get used to taking her out regularly, making sure she doesn't have the opportunity to have an accident, and then keeping her occupied when she's wanting to play.  Most of the day, she's napping peacefully at my feet.  That and learning how to run up the multiple flights of stairs to our apartment...and the fact that she doesn't like to be in the cold and rain-soaked grass.  Getting her to go to the bathroom in the snow looks like it's going to be a challenge...

And no, we haven't picked a name yet.  Lord help us if He ever blesses us with children.  At least we'd have nine months to make that decision.

Adding to Our Family

Hunt and I are proud to announce that we are adding a new member to our family!

She is arriving this Saturday, is 9 weeks old and weighs only 3.5 lbs.  And she is of the furry persuasion, so no real babies around here yet!

She is a mix between a Bichon and a Shih Tzu.  The mix is often called a Teddy Bear or a Zuchon.  I just call her cute.

Speaking of calling her...we need to figure out her name!

The breeder has named her Chloe, but we are considering a different name for her.

I would love to have your input on what little miss cuteness should be called:.  Here are a few options which I posted in a poll.  And, of course, other suggestions are welcome!

• Mimsie
• Dixie
• Minnie
• Jilly
• Cookie
• Peachy (or Peaches)
• Chloe

In the meantime I am devouring Ceasar Milan's book: How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond.

We can't wait...or maybe that's just me...Hunt is still getting used to the idea that he agreed to...

Little Miss Molly Bear

A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water-logged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if your rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?

- from "Marley and Me"

From a detached perspective I find it slightly amazing how we take animals into our homes and hearts and they become an integral part of our families. We receive such joy and pleasure from their little furry face meeting us at the door, greeting us with yips and running in circles every single day. They don't have an "off" day. Ever. They love nothing more than to be with you, play with you, cuddle with you, and are perfectly happy to keep you company while you do nothing interesting at all. 

Molly is my family's dog, and she came into our family back in 2003. Mom decided one day that we needed to go ahead and get a dog since we had lost my childhood dog about 3 years earlier. I was fresh out of college, working my first professional job while still living at home, saving up for going out on my own. So I was there when we picked her up from the breeder, for the puppy-breath, when she was so little she could fit in my robe pocket, for vets visits and house-breaking, middle-of-the-night crying and general cuteness.

When she was very little she hated to be apart from us and in her crate during the evening. One night I woke up and couldn't figure out why I was awake. Then I heard a pitiful little howl and opened my door to find that Molly's cage had magically appeared in front of my door. I was groggy and weak-willed at that moment and reached down to let her out and bring her into bed with me. I never questioned why her cage was where it wasn't supposed to be. Before I could get her out my brother and father leapt out into the hallway and yelled at me to STOP! before I could harm their training efforts. Turns out that they were up all night dealing with her incessant crying and decided to bring me in on the fun since I was sleeping soundly. But they didn't want me undoing all of their work at letting her "cry it out."

In her favorite spot - Dad's lap

When I moved into my own apartment a year later, it was hard leaving her behind...but it always made it that much better to drive up the highway to have a little teddy bear of a dog running razoo's in the living room just because I had shown up.

In 2005 my mom and dad moved to Pennsylvania with a job transfer. Shortly after, Dad got very sick and was battling cancer. The decision was made for me to take Molly and keep her with me until things got better. Thankfully they did, and Dad is now 5+ years cancer free.

That year I had with Molly was so sweet and fun - she was my buddy, my constant companion, the one who was there to greet me after bad dates, to crawl on top of my clean clothes and in my vacated sheets to get cozy, to keep my kitchen floor clean, to walk around Chastain park, to go catatonic (or dog-atonic) whenever I put a sweater on her, to cuddle on the couch when I missed my family, when I went through the drama of a company lay-off, to start my day off right with an excited full-body wiggle and wagging of the tail followed by burrowing into my bed when she realized I was finally FINALLY! awake.

She is a source of joy, entertainment and fun for my family. She and Dad have their games of keep-away and "golf." Just say the word golf around that dog and she goes nutty. It consists of Dad chipping and driving in an empty school yard while she sprints around chasing after the golf balls and exploring the same tract of land where she has already sniffed every inch.

Every morning she and my Dad share a routine.  They wake up early and she cozies up in his lap during his quiet time.  Then it's time to make the coffee and toast the bread...and she always asks –and expects– to get a few of those tasty toast corners and will remind Dad of that if he seems to be holding back.  (I don't know what it is, but Molly loves bread. And hates carrots. Will give them a couple chomps and then spit them out. Unfortunately she doesn't have the same sense when it comes to chocolate.)  Then she races upstairs as the advance party to go say "good morning" as my Dad starts going up the stairs bearing coffee and breakfast for my Mom.  She zooms into the bathroom to check-in, say hi and then sit patiently, hoping for even more toast.

Though it embarrasses Mom to no end, Molly likes to sit in a chair at the end of the table while Mom and Dad have a meal.  She doesn't make a peep, she just wants to be a part of the action.

She loves to sit in your lap when she's riding in the car with you. This was easier when she was a baby and she would circle up in a tight ball on my lap and not even touch the steering wheel.

a rare moment of truce with Kaiser...

She's not a fan a doggie sweaters, baths, hair dryers (after the bath), Brad's dog Kaiser, going out when it's cold and raining, and whatever lives under the back deck.

She is the baby of the family. And she got sick.

A year ago she started having seizures. And after a few scary nights of seizures all night long, they finally came under control with medication. But her body stopped making red blood cells.  Completely. And she didn't responded to medication to help her body regain its lost ground. The vet tried to switch her epilepsy meds to see if that will help, but my parents were told that it was fatal and to enjoy their final days with her.

We said goodbye to sweet Molly in May, but every time I returned to this post to finish it, I would well up with tears and couldn't bring myself to think about her.

And as silly as we feel for being grown adults so attached to a little animal...losing Molly ripped our hearts out. We didn't want her to be in pain. A year ago we cried and told the Lord that we wanted more time with her, that we weren't ready to say goodbye to our sweet little girl. And thankfully, we had over a year more of her cuddly self in our family. We didn't want to put her through unrealistic measures to try to keep her here. But we just couldn't imagine what life would be like without her at the house.

And is different.  It is quieter...less playful...just...less. It was difficult to go home and not have her beside herself running in circles that at long last I had walked through the door again.

I hurt the most for my parents who have lost such a sweet and loving companion. Who should have had twice as much time as they had with her.

It's hard for me to imagine that as one of our most precious earthly treasures that our Lord wouldn't give her to us as a heavenly treasure when we finally go home to be with him...but that is just a hopeful wish of what I want to be true and not based on anything in Scripture.

Sweet little Miss Molly, fun little Molly Bear...I love and miss you so much. You were a furry gift from God that we got to enjoy for too short a time.

This is Your Life Molly Merkel

I just couldn't resist sharing some of sweet little Molly's pictures...such a wonderful dog with a biiig personality.  Miss her so much.

She came home to us right before Christmas...so tiny

That unfinished treat is only half of a regular treat...she just couldn't manage to eat it all!

Best Christmas gift!

When she was still ok with wearing sweaters...and looking adorable in them.

"Yes?"

Playing with chickie...she always showed it who was boss

Playing with Brad

Tug-of-war with Maggie

"I do not like travel kennels Sam I Am."

"I will cuddle with whoever I want to - I see no barriers."

The walk in Chastain Park wore her out completely.

She would sit at my apartment window and watch the wildlife in the forrest.

So cute!

"Yes? You need to make the bed?  You sure?"

"I will support your Tigers...but I will not be happy while wearing this jersey."

"If I try a little harder I might be able to fit this whole doggie bagel in my mouth."

Sneaking Molly into the hotel room - she wanted her own bed.

"No Anne, you should totally play for a double word score on this one."

She loved her Aunt Karen.

Helping me figure out which ornaments to put on the tree

"First, I am not happy about this jersey. 

Second, I will prevent Brad from leaving by sitting on his bag."

"Waddya get Mom?"

"I am humiliated."

Looking regal while striking a pose on Easter.

Making sure the neighborhood was safe...

"I'll get you squirrel. One day, you just wait, I'll get you."

It's completely normal to have a dog take a seat at the table, right?

"Giiiiive me the ice cream...giiive it to meeee."

Brad helping Molly have her first ocean swim...

Which was quickly over.

Good thing Katie was there to help corral the crazy girl running around on the beach!

And then to add insult to injury - getting the sand off her fur.

Nothing a good rub down and cuddle can't fix.

Hanging with Papa and Maggie.

"Daddy, why do you have me up here on the counter?!?"

"I am hugging you because I want to squeeze you to death for putting this vest on me."

"I love Kirsten!"

In a prime position during gift opening.

And then worn out by all the excitement.

"Give me all your Christmas gifts and I'll let you live."

Perfect after Christmas-gift-opening snuggle.

Hanging out with her toy

"Come to me delicious cake...come to me..."

"I can almost taste it!"

"What you lookin' at?"

Christmas fleece toy

"I will cuddle anytime, anywhere, with anyone."

"I do not like that Roomba and I will not look at you to emphasize that."

"He's mine Kaiser.  All mine."

"Wait for me guys!"

I loved watching tv with her like this.

"Just ignore the fuzzy creature at your feet.  Just take me with you."

If you ever noticed Molly was missing...this was a good place to start looking.

"Why would you put a doggie Snuggie on me?  WHY?"

"If I don't look at him, he doesn't exist."

"I'm comfy.  What?  You don't sleep with all your toys?"

"Can't. Get. Comfortable."

"I'm keeping watch over the exhausted bride during the wedding festivities."

"Time to get up.  Pssst.  Time to get up..."

"Gimme my Christmas present new guy!"

"Hello?  You awake yet?  I brought you a breakfast bone."

"Fine, I guess I'll just go back to sleep too."