Indiana Christmas 2009

We loaded up the Pathfinder and headed to Indiana for Christmas this year. It was odd not having Mindy along for the ride and Evelyn asked where she was. I had to remind her that Mindy was with Jesus and she would celebrate Christmas with Him. That was a hard moment. On Christmas Eve, Evelyn set out cookies and milk for Santa. The next morning, she checked to see if he had come and eaten the cookies--it was precious! She gleefully opened all her presents. She loved the baby dolls, washing machine, vaccuum cleaner, and her new board games. The drive home was a bit treacherous as a winter storm blew in that Sunday. We encountered several cars that had slid off the interstate and even came to a standstill as there had been a serious accident blocking one lane of traffic. Fortunately, the weather eventually let up and road conditions improved the closer we got to home. Now to unpack everything and put it all away--oh what fun!

Christmas Time

We know it is a bit early, but with a pending winter storm threatening to change our travel plans; we celebrated Christmas at home tonight. Evelyn had a blast opening presents and couldn't wait to use all of them! From the stocking to her last present, she giggled and oohed at everything. As I type, her and Daddy are playing with a Playdo Octopus thing that we bought for her. Though her sheer joy of opening presents made us smile, we couldn't help but notice the void in the room as Mindy wasn't there to open her stocking from Santa Dog. We are celebrating with a mixture of emotions this year--grief for the loss of Mindy, joy for the moments with Evelyn, and thankfulness for the love we have of our family and friends.

Goodbye Mindy

At 5:00 p.m. this evening, Rob and I said goodbye to our wonderful 12 1/2 yr. old black lab, Mindy. She has been a part of our lives ever since Rob and I began dating. Mindy was just weaned when we purchased her from a breeder in KY. I remember the ride back to Rob's apartment and how Mindy sat perfectly in my lap. We called her our "pretty princess" and adored her. As I moved away to TN after college, she was my companion. She protected us, gave us joy, and above all unconditionally loved us. Since late October, Mindy's health began to fail. She began suffering from arthritis and Cushing's disease. As of late, she began to have accidents in the house, bleed for no reason, and eat very little. Our vet, Dr. Miller, said it was time to say good-bye to her. We didn't want her to suffer anymore. It has been the hardest thing for us. Mindy went peacefully in Rob's arms while I kissed her good-bye. Our home seems empty now and our grief is great. There will never be a more loving and wonderful pet than our beloved Mindy.