I wasn’t going to start the week off with anything except a “dolly” post, but I have to share this with you…My sister sent a blog post to me the other day and it’s just so sweet I had to pass it on to you all. It made me teary eyed again because my hubby just discovered something VERY special that I can hardly believe. Scruffy, our Schnauzer of 11 years died just about 3 months ago and my hubby was terribly heartsick and so lonely for his buddy, so our daughter began looking for a new puppy for him. She wanted to get one for him for Father’s Day. He was a little resistant at first, but she found one about 2 hours away from us and while I was in Pennsylvania at my nieces wedding, they went and picked him up. Remy (short for Remmington) has been settling in quite nicely and my hubby is enjoying him very much.
The other day he was looking at the papers for Remy and getting ready to file them away. He noticed something and was all choked up when he shared it with me. Scruffy died on March 15th and believe it or not, Remy was BORN on March 15th! It’s like the Lord had it all planned out…isn’t that just incredible??? No wonder all the other puppies Rebecca showed him got a “nay” from him each time… it just wasn’t the “right” puppy!
Anyway, this is the post from “The Beginning of Wisdom” blog on Thursday, June 11, 2015. It was entitled “for these, thy gifts.”
I didn’t want them.
It wasn’t just them, I didn’t want any pets. With a house full of small children, the thought of taking care of one more living thing was more than I could face. The hermit crabs had been bad enough.
It wasn’t a thousand nagging requests from the kids that did me in, it was their resigned acceptance. On a visit to their Grammie’s house to see her new litter of pug puppies, they were stalwart. They cradled them, they giggled delightedly, they stroked their little round tummies and twirled their little curly tails. But not one asked if we could take a puppy home. Not a single completely-transparent-kid-hint was offered. Not even a mildly pleading facial expression. Mom doesn’t like dogs. Case closed.
Covered in the downy fluff of puppies cute enough to break the Internet, not one child asked. It was official: I was a terrible mother. The kind of mother whose “yes” was as peculiar as a solar eclipse, but whose “no” was as predictable as sundown.
Tess and Tilly looking spiffy, Christmas 2014
We brought home two. Two! Based on our child-to-puppy ratio, it seemed like the only safe course. We had more love to give than one puppy could absorb. So Tilly and Tess came to live at our house, and I began the decade-long discovery of the absolute joy of saying “yes” to pet ownership. I doubt there are two more photographed dogs in all the world. They have been dressed in doll clothes, Halloween costumes, wigs and Christmas sweaters. Good grief, no – we didn’t buy them outfits – people kept giving them to us. It was like the whole world was conspiring to make me say and do things I had sworn I would never do.
For ten years, those two comical faces have brought more moments of sheer joy and laughter to our home than I can count. Bred to be lapdogs, their favorite activity has been to loll around on a cushion on the fireplace hearth, bedecked in rolls of fur-upholstered fat, eyes closed to drunken slits. We nicknamed them Gluttony and Sloth. Their constant snoring has formed the white noise underlying the sound track of our home. Their liberal and eager affection has been our welcome at every homecoming.
Last night, Tilly drew a last ragged breath and grew still. The fireplace hearth framed her as it had so often before. Twelve to sixteen years – that was what Google returned the day I checked life expectancy for the breed, the day before they came to live at my house, when I was still trying to talk myself into it. Not ten, twelve to sixteen.
“A dog is all the work of a child, but it doesn’t take care of you in your old age.” My mantra prior to the Day of the Incredible Double Yes. Me, always eager to preach a sermon no one needs to hear. Things I said that sounded good at the time.
Had she been work? I don’t remember that part. I won’t remember that part. But I will certainly remember the rest. I wonder – how many other gifts have I rejected as a burden and an inconvenience, the recipients of my hasty No? I thought she would be a threat to my comfort. In classic last-shall-be-first fashion, she became a source of it. I did not expect the joy of having her; I did not expect the grief of saying goodbye. The grief, or the gratitude. Thank you, Father, for these Thy gifts.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
In His hand is the life of every living thing.
Ten years of a good dog. The Creator numbers my days, and he numbered hers as well. His goodness takes so many forms. Sometimes, delightfully, that form has a wagging tail. Farewell, little friend – we feel your loss keenly.
O God, for all creatures great and small, for this small creature we have cherished, we give Thee thanks.
For the gifts you have granted at our childlike request, we give Thee thanks.
And for the gifts we did not want, for the veto of our No, this day we give Thee thanks, O God.
If you’d like to read more of Jen’s blog posts, click HERE .
I hope you enjoyed her story. It touched my heart…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I can’t believe that Remy was born on the day Scruffy died! Maybe Remy is Scruffy reincarnated!!! What a happy coincidence that is!
We put to sleep 3 of our cats, unfortunately, and I am not doing it again. It just tears my heart out, but never say never! We’ll see.
That blog was another tear-jerker! I have always had a dog, cat, bird, gerbil, chickens, and whatever else as a pet, and love animals, but right now we have none, except for the birds, squirrels and whatever else is running around outside!
HI Linda,
Isn’t that just the neatest thing that one died and one was born on the same day? It makes the whole thing even more special than just picking out a puppy and hoping he turns out to be the one to fill the void…
We had to put down our black lab Sophie, and I had never seen my hubby sob the way he did with his face buried in a towel. I know how hard it must have been for you to put down your 3 little kitties… I’m sorry…
How are the squirrels doing anyway? Are they still in your flower pots? Hope not…
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh the squirrels……………….there must have been a bumper crop of baby squirrels this past year, because they are all over the place! They are pretty much out of the flower pots, but they do get in my window box every now and then. I guess that is old stuff for them now. However, they dig holes in the yard like nobody’s business!
Oh, my goodness….. you have brought the tears this morning. But good tears. I will show your post to the hubby because he still has not gotten over the loss of our “little boy in a dog suit”, Henry Woodrow. The best doggy in the world. Gone from us after 13.5 years on December 13, 2008. A crushing day in out lives.
We have two rescue cats now who run the house but can’t catch mice. Yet they have taken a place in his heart I did not think was possible to fill with another pet. And since they are in charge of who comes and goes here they voted for no dogs including visitors as she did not want to live under the bed forever. Such drama… with cats !!!!
HI Jeannie,
I didn’t mean to make anyone cry, but it is a tear-jerker of a story isn’t it? Your poor hubby and his loss of Henry Woodrow…I love that name!
My younger sister (the one who sent me the blog post I featured today) and her hubby lost their dear Watson, a white toy poodle, after 18 years… they were torn up for weeks… and then one day a little black stray kitty happened upon their front porch and found his new home. They have 2 cats now and are loving them to bits.
Thanks Jeannie,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you, Jeanne.
HI Jevne,
I’m guessing by your short comment…you were touched by the story? Hope so…
Blessings, Jeanne
Jen’s blog is beautiful. I can’t say enough about the wonderful devoted pets in my life. It does my heart good to hear the stories other people tell about their children in fur and those people who belong to the various foster pet groups. When I get frustrated with our doggie, who isn’t really a doggie, I try to remember the pets who are neglected and who are still hoping to have a forever home and I am ashamed.
What a blessed story about Remy’s birth date. Thank you for sharing both.
HI Paula,
I’m glad you enjoyed today’s post…even though it was mostly someone else’s. Pets really do have special places in our hearts, don’t they?
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
What a tear jerker this morning, but one that any true pet lover can relate to. I, too, believe that the Lord had Remy all picked out for you. You just had to find him. Now a day that would have been incredibly sad can be replaced by some joy. 🙂
I have had a dog or now cats since I was seven , so that is now forty years of pets.
I can’t imagine my life without them. Our one kitty is a former feral that I worked with for two years and now has become the ultimate lap cat. The other was a backyard kitten and is my special baby. I loved our two Yorkies dearly, but the Collie/Samoyed Mix who arrived on the driveway was the best dog in the world we had her for thirteen years. I still miss her so keenly five years later.
Hi Laura,
It’s wonderful to think that it was all orchestrated by the Lord… it makes Remy even more special than he already seems to be.
Yes, they do leave such a void when they are gone…don’t they?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us all.
Blessings, Jeanne
OMGosh…that dog was destined to be your new family member! How special that Remy was born on that day. He is such a cutie.
Have a good week!
Thanks so much Kathie,
Yes, I think he was meant for us. He’s bringing such joy to my hubby!
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I had a comment all written out this morning and poof, it disappeared. I think one of my fingers hit the control or command key when I hit another key. I didn’t have time to retype, so I am here now.
Everyone has put into words so well how I feel too. Remy was just for you; no doubt about it. Love hearing these kinds of stories; they are too incredible to be mere coincidences. I enjoyed Jen’s blog post too, so glad she realized how animals can add so much to life while her children were still young. I cannot imagine living without my fur babies.
Hope you are all recovered from the sale.
HI Cindy,
Don’t you just hate it when that happens. I especially hate it when I’ve got a listing prepared and do something to erase the whole thing and have to start over! UGH!
There are so many blogs out there…it would be nice to read them all each day but that would be impossible. I haven’t even made it over to yours in a few days, even though when the red white and blue dress popped up I had to give it a look…
I’m getting there… but tomorrow I am hosting a bridal shower in my gazebo outside. I hope the rain stays away or we’ll have to go to Plan B and have it inside. I’m hoping the Cicada’s don’t scare these girls to pieces either.
After the shower, I’m free I think… I still have a to do list a mile long but that’s the last of the things I had on my plate at a scheduled time. YAY! I see some sewing in my future!
Thanks Cindy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jen’s post gave me a giggle (referring to Tess and Tillie as “Gluttony and Sloth”, but also it was such a tender story.
We have had two dogs, our little Molly Jane (part dachshund), who was born under our neighbor girl’s bed, and Rex Tristan (shepherd/husky mix), who Ron rescued from having to go to the pound. Rex was about 4 when we got him, and we had him about 5 years, I think–finally that dratted hip dysplasia struck, and he was falling down the stairs instead of walking down them. Molly was 15 when she got sick and had to be put to sleep. Both wonderful dogs.
And, yes, our dogs, like my dolls, had middle names!! LOL
HI Charlotte,
I thought those nicknames for Jen’s dogs was too cute as well. There are so many wonderful stories related to our pets, aren’t there?
So sweet of you to share yours.
Blessings, Jeanne