What I Learned in September...

It is wedding week in our family! Relatives have begun arriving, my oldest kiddos fly into SeaTac tonight, we drive over to Spokane tomorrow, and in three days my #3 child will morph into a married man!

I've had wedding-on-the-brain, but I did learn a few things in September and I'm linking up with Emily of Chatting at the Sky.

1. Nordrom customer service is the BEST! 
I knew it was good, but I got treated with above and beyond kind service. After two alterations on my "mother of the groom" dress, was still choking me. A wonderful sales associate named Kat, personally stopped at another store on her way to work, brought me a new dress, and had her favorite seamstress tweak it just a tad. The dress drama is over, and I am SOLD on Nordstrom service.

2. I agree with Michael Jordan; tags are annoying!
Tags can be bothersome. I almost wore my new sweater yesterday with the tag dangling from under my sleeve. Please notify me if you ever notice me out in public with a tag showing. The most annoying "tag" though, is the one on my cheek. It's a dermatologist term, but this thing on my cheek is called a tag. Apparently I should blame hormones. I refer to it as the ugly, annoying thing that I wanted my doctor to remove before the wedding but I forgot to call insurance to get pre-approved so the stupid little witch-looking thing will be at the wedding. (Yes, that was a run-on sentence, and yes, I'm praying the photographer uses photo-shop!)

3. I thought EVERYONE knew the "I see the moon" song.
We spent the evening of the Lunar Eclipse with our Life Group (church couples small group.) We won't see another one until 2033. I will be 74 years old... I will think back to the evening I spent with friends talking about God, studying the story of Joseph, praying, and looking in awe at the beautiful moon over Puget Sound. I asked my girlfriends if they sang "I see the moon" to their littles and NO ONE had heard of it! It was a "classic" in my childhood and I sang it to my four children. I couldn't find the exact version on you tube; I've been singing the wrong lyrics for 29 years! Sorry kids! Here is the lullaby and it is really sweet. My lyrics have an extra verse: "It seems to me that God above, created you for me to love. He picked you out from all the rest, because He knew I'd love you the best!"

4. History often repeats itself. 
I had Mono at my middle sister's wedding. My daughter just got diagnosed with Mono and she's in her brother's wedding. Oh, and did I mention she's supposed to sing and play guitar? She flies here from Nashville tonight. Please shoot up some prayers that she's no longer contagious, that she feels better, and that she can sing!

Five years ago when my oldest son got married, the soon-to-be groom was anemic and pale as a ghost. He weaved up at the front as a groomsman and almost fainted. Thankfully his Aunt Chris noticed and got him water, pretzels, and helped him sit down. My youngest has had some fainting issues lately and she's also a bridesmaid. We like excitement in our family...

5. I'm not "losing" a son, I'm gaining another wonderful daughter! 
This boy son of mine who is the groom; he is pretty special. I've been a bit melancholy thinking I am no longer his #1 girl. Silly me. I am and will always be his "Mama" and he has enough love to share with both of us!

Now I get to see him tenderly care for his beautiful wife and continue to grow as a man after God's own heart. And...I will have another beautiful, talented, loving daughter to enjoy spending time with. Win, Win!

 "This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." Genesis 2:24

That's all for now! When I blog next my son and his new bride will be honeymooning in Hawaii and I'll be recovering and reminiscing about the fabulous celebration of two lives becoming one.

In His Grip, 
Jane

Sydney and I Are Still Sorry

Dear Pet Mom of the Black Lab,

Yes, I’m still feeling terrible about what happened on Monday morning. I wouldn’t have been walking down Stinson Street with my dog if the big mowing machine hadn’t been in the way over on the Cushman Trail. I had to turn around and go a different route. I was thinking about my two daughters' birthdays and enjoying a Podcast. 

I saw you and your black Lab coming toward us up the hill. Did you see me pull my dog's leash in tight so we could get past you? I thought we’d be able to sneak by with maybe a growl but I NEVER expected her to snap at your Lab and get fur in her teeth. I’m not sure who was more surprised and shocked; you or me! I have four amazing children who are now all young adults and somehow we made it through the toddler years with no biting incidents .

I totally understand why you were angry. You love your dog and he/she was a “senior” so you are extra protective. I would be very upset if another dog tried to bite mine...

I really need to tell you more than the hand full of ridiculous words that sort of came out of my mouth while you were inspecting your dog to make sure Sydney hadn’t drawn blood...

My dog has never hurt another animal (at least not on a walk when I’ve been with her) and never been aggressive to a person.

Sydney loves people. She lays at my feet, she’s quiet as a mouse when friends come over and she’s my “baby” now that I’m an empty-nester. She’s practically perfect in every way (just like Mary Poppins) except for the shedding and barking at squirrels. 

We adopted her from a Yakima Rescue spot called “Wags to Riches.” I saw her face online and fell in love. (Our beloved yellow lab had passed away a year before.) Sydney is the first non-Lab dog we've ever owned. She's a breed called Australian Kelpie. Once of her traits is she is a herder/protector. To her, I am sort of like "The First Lady of the United States" and she is my secret service body guard.

We don’t know a lot about Sydney’s history, but living in a place with lots of dogs waiting to be adopted can’t have been easy or fun. She probably had to fight to show she was strong. She still has nightmares... Maybe she was often scared of other dogs so she acts aggressive as a way to stay brave?... Her past doesn't excuse her bad behavior, but it does explain it a bit.

When my dog tried to bite yours I was SO angry at her and yet... as a human parent I understand that sometimes kids do rotten things. (We’re all sinners, sometimes we regret our actions and well... dogs will be dogs.)

You probably think I’m a rotten Pet Parent just because my dog snapped. I “snap” sometimes and most people have forgiven me. My husband and I walk Sydney most days, and we'll keep working on socialization. I’m booking her a play date next week at Bed, Bark, and Beyond so she can spend the day around other dogs and re-learn how to co-exist without being aggressive. The caregiver, Justin, is very patient.

If we end up on the same sidewalk someday, I hope you can give us a second chance. Sydney says she's sorry!

Yours Sincerely, 

Sydney’s “Mom”

P.S. I’m including some photos. I thought they might show you how sweet our Sydney can be when she doesn't "feel" threatened or feel like she must protect me.

 The day we adopted Sydney in 2012.

Enjoying the sunshine on our deck.

She gets along with her brother, Tigger the cat.