TORI!!! THAT’S my diet right there!!!!! I didn’t know it was some kind of fancy “syndrome”!!!!

I’ve been watching The Dog Whisperer lately, hoping to find some scrap of hope for Tatum. I love Cesar! I wish he had been around when I was raising my kids—–I would have known the importance of being the “alpha dog”! Recently, for the show, he has chosen three puppies of three different breeds and spends a number of programs teaching those puppies to be PERFECT family pets! And already, I see that we have made a huge mistake from the “get-go”. (Delighted, that’s a slang phrase meaning ‘from the start’.) He said he choses the most subdued, The quietest, the most docile puppy of the litter——-they have the best chance of being an excellent family pet. We, on the other hand, chose the fiestiest, the most rambunctuous, the most excitable puppy of the bunch!!!! And now—–we’re paying for it! All the other puppies were “going” on a puppy pad in the corner of the room. But Tatum went out in the middle of the floor and did his business——and we thought he was a rugged individualist! We thought that was cute! We were wrong.

Wanna hear something funny……..and endearing? My hubby did not want our granddaughter, who lives with us, to get a dog. He was dead set against it. Our kids were not allowed to have dogs, why should she? But I lobbied for her to get Tatum, her rescued beagle/terrier puppy, after talking to her counselor who said it was a good idea because ADHD/bipolar kids do well with pets—-it gives them someone else to care for, a sense of responsibility knowing that a living breathing creature is dependent on them alone, a reason to get up in the morning, and sometimes, a reason to live. And, being the excellent lobbyist that I am, she got the dog. But everytime Tatum messes on the floor, or jumps up on company, or runs down the street with us running after him yelling in vain for him to come back, or shreds a whole box of tissues, hubby rolls his eyes and gives us that “I told you so” look of disgust!

Well, today I had a long list of errands to run and I called him and asked him if he’d pick up something for his dinner on his way home. He said sure. Our granddaughter wasn’t home either because of a couple of doctor’s appointments, so I asked him if he’d let the dog out to do his business and then put him back in his crate until we got home. Later on, I called to tell him I’d be even later and I asked if he had let the dog out? He said yes, he did. And then he said he had gone to Culver’s (a local restaurant) for dinner………….and Tatum went with him. He bought Tatum popcorn chicken, then they stopped at the park in Birch Run and had a nice long walk!!!!! He bought him a big bag of bones to chew on while they were out, too. When we got home, he was in the recliner with tatum asleep on his lap. If you knew my husband, you’d be rolling on the floor right now laughing your head off! This is AMAZING! Tatum, wild and untamed though he is, is working some kind of spell on my stern and unflappable husband! ROFLOL

Tori, it is totally precious and we thank you for sharing it with us. I know it’s something you and Russ will treasure forever.

You could never bore us with anything you say or share with us. Bring it on!

Oh, my health, living situation, is still very challenging at the moment. I also have MANY meetings to attend this week, and winter just hit us like a ton of bricks. Very hard getting motivated to go outside, get things done in weather like this when one is under the weather. Also, this weekend, Saturday, will be the funeral for my cousin and her two boys who were gunned downed by their husband/father. So that’s in the air now as well. Pray would be appreciated. OK, now to go over the the other thread and explane the Jim Neighbors, Mark Lowry connection so GRITS can get some sleep again!!

Auburn60 – good to met another “weird” person – if that’s what we shall call ourselves – that is the adjective I continuously use when emailing Tori. Weird can be very fun! I think she likes weirdness to an extent, she sure doesn’t scare easily! good thing!

The photographs are beautiful, I think I would have got so misty eyed that I couldn’t see the screen anymore if I were you! I can get teary of photos of my kids that were taken yesterday (seriously), so I can’t imagine what state I will be get myself into in 10 + years time!

Linda – I know excatly where you are coming from. I’ve always liked kids – but not for more than a couple of hours at a time. There is no feeling like the uncontrollable, overwhelming and more than a little bit terrifying love you feel when you first hold your child. Then no. 2 comes along and it all starts over again. I had such a hard pregnancy third time round that I was concerned that the negative feelings I had towards the pregnancy would transfer to the baby – not a chance! Did I ever tell you all how great my kids are??

jonny, how are you doing ?

Wendy

In pictures I love to study the child changing from that “little-one” to seeing that first picture when you start to see them take on their own personality and actually seeing that character start to come to view in pictures. With out even knowing them (but taking in how you loving speak of your girls) you can almost see that in this collection of pictures.

Thanks for sharing your very special gift with us.

Did you ever dream, before they were born, how much you would love your girls? When I first became pregnant, I was worried because I didn’t particularly like other people’s children!!! I thought I might not love my own kids like I should. But after I first saw them, I was overcome with a love so deep that it hurt sometimes. Okay, a lot of times. I just wondered if you really liked kids before you had some? Or was it just me?

Beautiful photography! A TREASURE! Have her back to take some more pictures, will ya?

(Jonny, you are the best editor! However, in this case, it’s a southern thing– we say “never ever” instead of the double negative “never never”… It makes no sense, it’s just something we do!)

Peace!

Sorry ’bout your friend, too. That violin music had already set my mood for some release! Get on the pic!