R.I.P My Sweet JR

I am writing on only a few hours of sleep but I feel and have this over powering sensation to write my feelings. What I am writing about has been actually over the 15 years or so......my family is loosing our precious lab JR. For the last few years we have known he was very old and this time would soon be coming but it has come to soon.
I remember it is as if it were yesterday.......It was summer time and Justin, "my first boyfriend" called and told me his puppy had finally had her puppies and there was a black one just for me to give to my brother, who was wanting a "black lab to hunt with". I was so excited I rode my bike ( a few blocks) over to his house to see the puppies. I had to hurry though cause we were leaving for Scott City cause I was playing softball that night. I picked out JR, he was a male and the only black one that was born. Months later we were able to bring JR home and Austin had a brand new puppy!
This was 15 years ago! We were a "dog family" actually we were an all animal family. Justin in also gave me cat...haha I'll always remember that too! As the years went by JR grew, and grew, and grew some more. He was the largest, biggest dog in all of Dighton. He was the most love able, sweetest, caring and gentle dog ever. He was very protective of our house and of our family. He had a loud and very deep bark that actually scared people. We knew he wouldn't hurt a fly! He went hunting every time with Austin and my dad, he was there with us through high school and then as we went on to college. He was always there! The night my dad had his heart attack he actually woke me up before my dad even came into the house. It was like he knew. He was a very very smart dog. The the day came where my parents decided to move out of Dighton and to the city of Wichita. To start a new business. How would JR react to this was the first thing we all thought of? Would he adjust to "city life" okay? He did and he loved it here as much as we have.
In Dighton, my dad would always go to the Kwik Shop for a donut and coffee and well he would take JR along with him. He did not ride like a normal dog....have any of the Morris dogs been normal? No, my dad put him from the time he was little to the time when he was 230 pounds and huge, right in the passenger front seat of his pickup, and off they went to the Kwik Shop. Where dad got his donut and coffee and he always came out with a hot dog in the bun with ketchup for JR. This was an everyday thing. Of course where I grew up everyone knows everyone and so they all knew in the afternoon Bear would be coming with JR for a hot dog. That silly tradition carried over when they moved here to Wichita....up until a year ago dad and JR went to QT and got their fixes.
So, for the last couple months we have seen drastic changes in our sweet JR. I myself tried not to think about it cause it was not real to me if I did not think about it. Then your phone rings and you get that call..... yesterday I had a doctors appointment so I left work early. Went to the doctor and then went to work out. It was early so I finished working out earlier then normal. As I was almost home my brother calls me and says I should go over to mom and dads that JR is not good. Last Monday before we left for Lawrence for the KU game we got the news that he had Thyroid Cancer. And pretty much his whole body was cancer. But amazingly his heart was still so strong for his age the Vet could not believe it. His heart would be the last thing to go. I came home, got Carver and for 5 hours yesterday we sat with him. My parents were not going to put him down unless he started suffering so the vet gave my dad some pills that would make him "comfortable" and to where he could feel no pain and he could go at home with us. Well, the pills the first time did not work and I witnessed my dog have four seizers. It was the most horrible, saddest thing I have ever seen in my life. I'll never be able to get those images out of my head. I was not going to leave but they made me.
I have lost both sets of my grandparents, several friends, cousins, my father-in-law and three dogs.....and human or animal it all hurts the same way. It hurts so damn bad! So, in the end what do we understand. Well, I LOVE dogs and I will continue to have them in my life and someday in my children's life. My experiences and the things I remember from growing up with all my dogs are my best memories. They bring us so much happiness and then like anything we have to say good bye. I have watched my parents and my brother suffer through this for the last three days and it is so hard. So, today a decision will be made by our family and either one is the right one I believe. God Bless Jr and his 15 amazing years as a Morris. You will be missed!

Not to much new with us....... Just thought I better post something since I haven't since December....sorry! Things here in Wichita are good. We are staying busy with work. We have been going to KU basketball games here and there. We love it and always have so much fun when we go. We went to the Big Monday night game on the 14th)KU/OK & took my parents. They had not been to a game since I went to school there so they were pretty excited to go back! We had a blast & ending up meeting up with a few of my parents really good friends Dighton at one of my favorite bars in Lawrence & had a blast! Of course, the game was so much fun & to be there with my parents made it even more special. We are hoping to get to at least one more but we have so many things going on I don't know if we will get to or not. We are busy planning summer vacation, booking flights for that in July (we are hoping) depending on another pizza store opening & then as of right now we already have 6 weddings....I love wedding season but it seems like every summer we have 6-10 weddings and it makes our summers go by so fast. But one of them is my best friend from high school & they are getting married out in SaraSota Florida so that one will be a great time!!!! We are planning the trip with another one of my best friends from high school. So to get to go out there with her, spend four days in Florida for a great reason, is something we are really looking forward to in May! Other then that I am just waiting for the warm weather to get here already & be able to be outside again soon. I hope things are good with everyone out there & life is treating you all well. Oh, I wanted to say to that my childhood friend Leslie & her newborn son are doing better & he is out of the hospital. He had a pretty rough first week or two in the new world. So glad he is doing better Les & I will continue to think of your family!

Well, another Christmas season is past & my family sure had a nice one. Mom, Austin & I drove out to Dighton (our hometown) for four days to spend with my Aunt & Uncle who still live there & my cousins. It was nice to go back, see friends that I hadn't seen in a long time and spend the days just lounging around being with family & of course eating!! Being back is always great & there will always be something about a persons home town that is very special. I have so many many wonderful memories there, as well as some that are not so good....haha But, as I went out with a few friends from my class that I have known since pre-school we talked, caught up with what was going on in each of our lives, I realized just how special my hometown & my memories from there really are. Carver & my dad drove out to Dighton Christmas Eve morning. We all went to candle light church service at the church I grew up going to. Christmas Eve night & attending the church service Christmas Eve night with all our family was & still is one of my best memories of Christmas. It was always so special & so magical on that night. This was the first time we have been back there since Carver & I have been married so to take him there & share that with him was very special to me. Of course we get to open presents too!! This year we did a white elephant gift exchange which was a lot of fun!! Christmas morning we woke to my 10 year old cousin getting the presents she had asked for!! Also, she pulled her tooth the night before so she also had a visit from the tooth fairy too!! We had another gift exchange that morning and it was really nice. We ate lunch and then it was time to hit the road & head back to the city we all love, Wichita. I need the city life!!!!! We were having Christmas at my parents house so we needed to get back. We went there & had prolly one of the nicest Christmas's I've ever had!!! My dad made us all martini's, we had great food, more martini's, lots of gifts, played a few games, relaxed & laughed & laughed!! It was a wonderful wonderful Christmas!! But ours is not over just yet.....we are heading out to Carver's home town (Quinter) next weekend to be with his family. So back out to Western Kansas again!! I love spending time with carver's family, we always have so much fun together!! So, with the end of 2007 almost here it has been a pretty great year. I just feel so blessed to have had such a wonderful year & can only hope & pray that 2008 is just as wonderful!!!

Hustel & Bustle Of The Holiday Season

The last few days before Christmas are upon us and the insane rush has started to affect me. Carver and I went out last Sunday afternoon and we went to several stores. We had fun laughing, picking gifts out, toys for our nieces and nephew, and just taking our time. It went so smoothly in fact I looked at Carver and said" I can't believe how easy we are getting everything and how we are finding exactly what we want." Well, I spoke wayyyyy to soon. Thought we had everything and we were finished. We went home, sat by the fire, I wrapping gifts, Carver watching football and then we came to realize....we had forgot this, and well maybe we should go back and get that, and lets get that one thing we say too....ughhhhhh So, now I have to go back to the mall tonight and finish up! On top of that, I am needing to make my famous sugar cookies with frosting. Every year since I was in high school I have made sugar cookies with my Grandma Morris's "secret" recipe. I was waiting this year to make them cause I usually make them the week before Christmas and then they are all gone. So, I figured I would wait a few days before so we would have some to eat on Christmas.....I'm running out of time now!!! My mom loves watching me and helping decorate so we decided she would come over tomorrow night and we would make them together.Ok, so the cookies are covered.....This year, for the first time since my Grandma Betty passed away we are going back to my hometown to have Christmas. It is going to be a really special time for my family but emotional as well. We are all really looking forward to it. Spending Christmas with my cousins is how I grew up, special traditions we looked forward to every year, and just being together was what was so important to all of us. It all kind of stopped when we lost our grandma. We also all grew up, my family moved away from the small town and we all have our own families now. So, this will be a very special Christmas in Dighton. But have I packed yet.....not one single thing. And if you know me, then you know I am an over packing, organized crazy woman!! And we are leaving around noon on Friday. So I am worried about that too!!! I love this time of year and now as I am sitting here, drinking my Starbucks latte I am thinking how much the running around and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season I actually like. It keeps you going and makes the days shorter up to the 25Th!! So, I will run to the mall over my lunch break, see what I can get done in an hour, get my hair and nails done after work, go home wrap more gifts, make sugar cookies tomorrow night, pack, and leave Friday.......whoohoooo I am really going to enjoy when Friday arrives! Hope all of you are having as much fun running around as I am this holiday season. Don't forget to stop, look around, count your blessings this Christmas and have a very Merry one!! Happy Holidays!!

Starting to feel like Christmas

I spent all day yesterday folding our Christmas letter, putting the pictures in the envelopes, addressing envelopes, and putting stamps on them! I still have several I need to do yet though. Every year our list grows with more and more people!! I love getting Christmas cards from our friends and family. I love reading what everyone has been up too for the last year and the new and exciting things in their lives. I went out and did a little shopping on Saturday. It was total madness!!!!! There were so many people, it was not even fun!! My mom and I always do our shopping together. It is something I have always done with her and I look forward to shopping for Christmas with her during the holidays!! I have only got a few things bought so I still have a lot to do. This year we be with my family. It will be the first time since my Grandma Betty passed aways that we will be back in my hometown for Christmas. The last time we were back for Christmas there was when she passed away 6 days later. I expect it to be an emotional time with my family. But we are all looking forward to it. It will just be a lot different that's for sure.

Turkey Day!

Well, Thanksgiving is a few days away......& I am running around like a crazy person trying to get things ready to leave to go to my mother-in-laws in Quinter. Laundry, packing, getting the puppies things ready to go to my parents, re-packing cause Carver takes clothes out of his suite case & making food to take. I am sitting her at work & all these thoughts of things I still need to do and get done before we leave are running around in my head....so work has pretty much stopped for the day...lol I love the holidays & it always gets me to thinking about being younger & all the fantastic memories I have of Thanksgiving. There is always one memory that will always haunt me though. In 2001 my dad had massive heart attack that almost took his life the day after Thanksgiving. From that day forward I always told myself I would treasure every holiday with my family and friends as if it would be our last. I have done just that. I lost my my grandma Betty New Years Eve night too. Every holiday, everyday like, like it is the last! Thanksgiving is a special time because of what happened that year, & every year that is the number one thing I am always most thankful for. I am so thankful that my dad recovered & is still with us today. So, we will head to Q~Town tomorrow when I get off work. When we get there carver's sisters, his mom, little brother, our nieces & nephew will be waiting for us, we will have some drinks, make a few plates of nachos , laugh & enjoy being together. I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving & create many wonderful memories as we will do the same. God Bless & love you all. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Getting ready for the Holidays!!

Well, my family thinks I have officially lost my mind....I got out all my Christmas Decorations this weekend!!!! I absolutely love Christmas!!!! Not only is decorating my most favorite thing to do anyways, but decorating for Christmas is something I love to do and I have since I was little! I have everything out & scattered through the entire house. Carver helped me bring everything up from the basement in between commercials of the college football games. I know most people wait till the day after Thanksgiving to get their Christmas stuff out but I first of all am not most people & second, my house is very big so by the time I get it all out, decorated the way I want it & we are able to enjoy it for a few weeks then it is time to take it all down. So.....why not be able to enjoy it a little longer and take my time in putting it all up :-) We are putting up the tree tonight and the other big things I can't do by myself. We have special traditions that we started our first Christmas together and we do them every year on the night we put the tree up. So I am really looking forward to tonight. It is hard to believe it is almost that time!! I hope you all are starting to get in the Holiday spirit too. Thanksgiving is just around the corner!!! My mom & I spent all day Saturday shopping. It was INSANE at the mall.....already!!! So much that there were a few stores we just could not get into and left.....haha I love shopping for Christmas gifts but that was just so crazy! But you can bet we will be right back out there in a few weeks!!