Josh Meets Puppy #1
Josh was out of town when we picked out the puppies. He got to meet them today. Will pick them up on August 19th.
Good bye, faithful friend.
Lots of sadness at our house today as we had to have our beloved dog Cleo put to sleep. She began having seizures that doctors and medicine were unable to control. We have shed lots of tears.
Cleo was such a gift from God. She came at a time when I was struggling intensely with depression. God used her to make me laugh and bring me out of the darkness. Thank you God for giving her to us.
She was so low maintenance. Food. Water. Walk. Snuggling. But especially the snuggling. She preferred this over everything else. She was a real-live stuffed animal.
And yes, I became “that person”, the one I always used to judge, who treats their dog like a baby. I regret that I never did get a bike trailer for her. She would have loved it, and so would have I. And it would have fit perfectly in Ojai.
Christy has never really been that into dogs. Oh, but she was into Cleo. They had a very special bond that was surprising to all of us. In many ways Cleo was “Mama’s Dog.”
The house seems empty right now. And quieter. She snored so loud we made her sleep in the hall at night in her own bed with our doors closed. I keep looking for her in that corner.
It is the end of a chapter in the life of our family. Tomorrow begins a new chapter. Right now it hurts. But we look forward to the new thing God has in store. He is good.
Cleo is the stuffed-animal on the right.
Cleo waits for Christy to come home.
Some Birthday Highlights
Birthday cake made for me by Anna.
My high school friend Jason who now lives in Georgia happened to be in Cadillac, MI (my hometown before we moved away 10 years ago.) He went this morning to the house where I used to live and where we had many driveway battles. He had a picture taken of himself on the court where we used to play some 25-30 years ago. He is reenacting one of my patented hook shot/running jumpers. One of my favorite things from today. Thanks Jason.
Am I Related to a 1980’s Polish Pop Star?
I do see some resemblance:
His bio is much more interesting than mine:
Andrzej Zaucha (singer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Andrzej Zaucha (Polish pronunciation: [andʐɛj zauxa]) (12 January 1949 – 10 October 1991) was a Polish singer (jazz, rock, jazz-rock, pop), actor.
Zaucha was born in Kraków. He was shot and killed there at the age of 42, by French film director, Yves Goulais, along with Goulais’s ex-wife Zuzanna Lesniak-Goulais, whom he suspected of having an affair with Zaucha.
After the performance at the Festival in Opole in 1988, has become one of the biggest stars of popular music in Poland [ 3].
Like the Apostle Paul, I want more than anything to know Christ (Phil. 3:10). I do not want to simply know about Him. I want to know Him-- personally, intimately, and experientially. It is not enough for me to hear about Him. I want to see Him with my own eyes.
With My Own Eyes 