What a week...and I am not even including work hustling

Cousins looking up train sets and rollercoasters

Basketball Asher

JUMP!

Luken, the day before...

This picture caused my heart to hurt when I saw it upload tonight.  It has been a week.  Last Saturday evening, Luken started acting really weird- not eating any of his homemade chicken and rice, he barely wanted to get up and go outside- which he normally LOVES, and he was just sooooo lethargic.  He was drinking lots, and definitely happy to see me whenever I came to pet and hug and brush him.  I knew something was wrong though.  So, we took him to the vet the soonest appointment, he was alert and happier then.  That was Tuesday.  Wednesday, Matt said he was "really, really tired" and we came home to him having died.  That was pretty awful.  Valerie was in tears, I was trying to shield Asher from seeing him (he just looked asleep) and I was in shock.  I picked him up, like a baby and laid him on the back porch overnight and tried to figure out what on earth happened.  In the mean time, I held Valerie like a baby too and Asher kept saying "what's wrong?! Where A-wex!?"

After about an hour, after I tearfully told Matt what had happened, Valerie and I were sitting in the kitchen, and Asher ran in.

Asher "He's HERE!"
Me "who"
Asher "A-wex! He's going up now!"
Me "Does he know we love him?"
Asher (nods head) "where iPad?"

Like it was the most normal thing in the world.  This is one of those glimpses we rarely get and it needed to be written.

Thursday, I had been exchanging lots of emails with a friend of mine who is a vet, the rescue, and her vet.  The vet we had taken him to was rude, to be honest, but after lots of advice, phone calls, and recommendations, we decided to take him to the state vet examiner here in town.  We needed to have him creamated and we wanted to find out what on earth happened.

Matt got a call- and the vet told us Luken died of a Hemangiosarcoma that originated in his liver, spread to his heart, spleen and kidneys.  There was nothing anyone could have done to know or prevent it.  The miracle of it all is that for his last month, he was absolutely adored and totally loved.  He knew that and surely felt the tears that we all have shed for him.  I am so glad we had him for his last month, yet the pain is great.  

The most remarkable series of events happened from there with out-pouring of love from the rescue, their vets and volunteers and a miracle named Misha.  Last night at this time, I felt no desire or inclination to get another dog, but events today have been remarkable, to say the least, and we have a new girl- Misha. We are so grateful for the lessons (and exercise we got every time Luken broke away from us) that we have learned from our sweet boy.  Also, that kindness and opening one's self to sharing raw emotion is ok.


Here is one of the emails I wrote to the rescue leader:

It has been a day.  Last night was the worst, we were all awake most of the night.  I kept listening for the jingle of his dog tag every time I walked downstairs, which was often.

We called his vet this morning, and to be blunt, she was really awful.  We will never use her ever again, and will be vocal about our terrible experience tempered with no understanding of what we have been through in the last 2 days.  Our great concern is that he was there and basically given a pat on the head, and he died the next day.  I do not blame a vet, but I certainly expected some professional integrity and we were met with smugness instead.

I work with an amazing DVM- she teaches microbiology here, and she runs the emergency vet clinic.  Like the person you spoke with last night, she told me that we may never know "why," but gave me some ideas about how to proceed. We took Luken to the state examiner today and he will be getting a thorough examination and necropsy there.  I am hopeful we find some answers, but so heart broken over the loss of our boy.  He was such an absolute joy and we were all totally in love.  A lot of my friends have been supportive, and the thing that gets me every time is when they say something like, " he spent his last weeks absolutely and totally loved. " That is true.  While we are heart-broken, it is because we loved and were loved so much.

I will definitely let you know what they find.  We were told we could expect preliminary results this evening.  Such a far cry from the way we were treated by the vet we saw in Timberville.  I am afraid that the vet thought we were being accusatory, when really, we were just really confused.

Anyway, that is what is going on there.

I am so sorry, I feel terrible that one of your babies died so soon after adoption.

Crystal 

This is Valerie and Misha

It's been great to see her smile and mean it

She's  a beauty, eh?  

Asher is happy too

And very curious

White Dog

One night, while reading Asher my favorite Children's book, we got to this page:

Asher smiled, he always likes the white dog.  Come to think of it, he looks a little like our dog, Luken.

Anyway, that was in October.

Since then Asher says often things like~

WOOK! DADDY! White dog CAR!

Mom!  WHITE DOG train !!

WOOK! SISSY! White dog house!!

Wisten! White dog bell tower!

ANNND... I LUB dis white dog dog!

As best we can tell, "white dog" means "AWESOME!"

2012- 13 days in

The number 13 scares me.  When I was on the track team, my number was 13 and someone told me it was unlucky.  Ever since then, I have been a little afraid of the number... silly, I know.

Anyway, I teach the 13th section of Genetics and today is Friday the thirteenth.  I always feel a little anxious- it is a personality flaw, for sure, but I am always so worried every Friday the 13th.  This was a good one though.  It marked the end of the first week of spring semester 2012.  This is an intense semester. I am teaching micro- on Weds/Friday (instead of the normal Mon/Weds), Genetics, and I am in charge of 13 sections (up from 5) of Genetics labs, and 5 micro sections (up form 4) AND, I am teaching a course that is 100% new to me.  Viral Discovery.  As I always find- yet it is always a nice surprise- I really love teaching new courses.  I am an embryologist and I like the work I normally do as a lab coordinator, but this viral discovery work is so much fun!

I now have my very own virus I will be working with.  It is in the refrigerator of a lab just waiting for further characterization.

This week, for me, was absolutely intense.  I literally was in rush/rush/rush mode all week.  My only break was yesterday (Thursday) when I had enough time to take pictures of the fly mutants we use for Genetics.

This week has been exhausting.

At home, we have been our busy selves as well.

Car repairs (twice in a week), Valerie is prepping for exams, Asher is busy, Luken has gotten sick twice (also in one week) and Matt could work tomorrow, but it is not required. I asked him to stay home because I need a break.  I never get to sit still until Asher is asleep and by then, I fall asleep too.

This weekend, I plan to go grocery shopping, get a haircut (since my last one was in August, and before that, it was December of 2010), make food for the week, and find some jeans for Asher.  He has one pair that fits.  This is not good.

Anyway, I am very motivated and inspired by my job.  I wish to impart on my students, a love for learning and that that love should never wane.  Neither should our quest to learn new things.  Why? Well, speaking from personal experience, it adds value and confidence to one's life.

I got a $5 (-20% = $4, regular price $40)  dress-up outfit for asher

He is a werewolf

Teal and purple eyeshadow for Valerie and candra.  Mabelline has these paint pot products for $5 that are really popular for Valerie and Candra.  They are very much like MAC paint pots (which are $25) and they are called Eye Tattoo.  The love them!

Merry Christmas, Everyone

This was the best Christmas ever.   I tend to get really stressed by Christmas with the gifts, the fanatacism of buy! buy!! BUY!!! and all that, but this year, i just decided to focus on family, memories, love and being grateful.  I am telling ya; it was truly just such a joy.
We started the month with an Advent Calendar with lots of family things to do- riding around at night looking for lights, singing Christmas carols, a trip to Starbuck's for (high-priced) hot chocolate- just stuff to do as a family.

It was all just such a joy, and we are blessed.

Matt was off 2 Saturdays- because he worked two 12 hour days those weeks, and we went to the Temple, and then we adopted Luken, our husky.

This last week, I was working EVERY DAY until Matt had to leave for work and there was no time to shop or any of that.  I did not get terribly stressed until the day turned to Christmas Eve and I realize our fridge was empty, our pantry was empty, and my gift-buying was seriously lacking.  Sooooo, I went to the grocery store, got some gift cards, and then decided that that was going to have to be ok.  And it was.

I also took engagement pictures for a former student of mine, and we went, as a family to my friend from work to her Christmas Eve church service + home for dinner.  Those were perfect in ushering the Spirit of gratitude for the birth of our Savior.

Happy couple

Valerie with my colleague's little girl and Asher after the Christmas Eve service

YAY for Christmas Eve jammies

Milk and Cookies for Santa

Asher was up till 2 am Christmas morning, so needless to say, Santa was getting a little cranky when he was finally able to stop over ;-)

We got up at 8, had amazing cinnamon rolls, opened presents, and went to church.  Afterward, Candra came back over, then we had a lunch of frozen pizza (actually really good!) and then went to dinner at our friend's home.  Again, such a nice time.  When we got back, we played a few Minute-to-Win-It games.

Breakfast

To Valerie from: Taylor Lautner, Justin Beiber and... the S'MORES :-) Oh, Santa...

Before the ransacking

Asher likes that Santa guy

Valerie opening such an awesome gift- I dont know how to use it, but I will learn this week!

Asher's favorite gift- a $3 frog with spiders inside from the Joke Shop at the Harry Potter Park

Matt's awesome sockies

Cookies for dinner with friends

 

Marshmallow toss- Matt won with 6 in 60 seconds into the target

 

Paired-up ornament transfer using no hands

Hula Hoop with glow stick competition

Santa's reindeer contest

Finally, it was Skype time with Matt's family.  It really was a blessed, wonderful day.  We are so grateful that God loves us so much that He sent His son that we would be able to find our way back to him.  What a gift.  What a glory, indeed.

Merry Christmas, Everyone.

Serendipity

I took a part time position teaching a night class, and on the first day, I was told about one of my students "she may have to put down her dog- who is a service animal.  If that happens, she may be sad."  That night, I met the very quiet, very cozy Sampson, who was carried around by his mom.  I knew from his response to my approach of him, that he was not well.

Sure enough, a few days later, my student called me- a follow up image showed his condition had not improved, and he had to be put asleep the next day.  I excused her from class, and could tell that she was going to have a very hard time.

One week later, I got to class, and my student was laying on the floor, crying.  She was in the throes of sadness.  She came into class.  We had a few videos to watch, and during the first, I hugged her and told her "it will really help you if you find another dog.  I went through this 5 years ago.  The only thing that helped my heart was getting a new dog."  That is true.  Luken and Mischa....

By the end of class, she was interactive, talking, and much, much better than when we started.

4 days later, my BFF, Tobhiyah told me she wanted me to help her get a new puppy in Ontario (Oregon).  We ended up doing a lot of things, but not having time for me to go with her to get a puppy.  She called me and told me that she drove up and picked up her puppy though- he was outside with his siblings, under a plywood shelter- in the very cold weather.  He is a short-haired chihuahua mix, and I could not stop thinking about how lucky this little puppy was, and how much my student would benefit from a puppy.

The next day, I had decided to try to entertain myself, and had a spent hours writing out Christmas cards.  I was to meet my friend Brittany for family pictures with her sons, and she was running late.  I told her to take her time, that I would stay warm in my car, and that was totally fine.  I was feeling overwhelmed with lots of feelings pertaining to hopes, dreams, holiday magic...

My phone rang.  It was my student.  She said she was a "mess" and needed me to tell her what she was responsible for for class.  Then she told me she would need to text, because she could not talk.

I asked her to listen to me.  I told her about the puppies, and that she needed to adopt one.  I told her they were in ontario, and that I would get her a phone number and photos if she was interested.  She said she was interested.

I called tobhiyah, and in a few minutes, I had a phone number and photos to send my student.  When I texted my student, she was already on the road to Oregon.  a few hours later, she messaged me that she had her puppy.  The next morning, she messaged again, the nightmares were better.

I have heard from her every day about the timing of this little puppy and how good/perfect/seamless she has fit into her life.  It is a true Christmas Miracle.