One of these Days...

Hi friends.  I'm still here, even though Fizzy is gone.  I still read your diaries, even if I don't comment on them.  One of these days I'll get around to making a new blog for Fern.  But I just can't do it right now.  I've come here so many times to start one, and I just can't.  My heart is still so heavy.  I don't cry every day.  Not every single day, but more days than not.  The magnitude and enormity of my loss just hits me SO HARD sometimes, and it's hard to breathe.  I miss him so much...

Fern's doing great.  She's a little hellion, but I love her.  She has so much personality and spunk.  So here's a few pictures until I can pull myself together to start her own blog.

Me and Fern the day we got her!

First hair trim!

 

She's starting to get bigger!

She has some, um, interesting extracurricular activities...

Fern at 5 1/2 months old

A Tribute

My dearest Fizzy,

I miss you so much.  There aren't enough words in the English language to express how deeply sad I am.  Some days the grief is so overwhelming I can't breathe.  Fern helps, but it's YOU I'm missing.  It's YOU I want here with me.

I'll never forget the day we drove out to the farm to pick a puppy.  Daddy's parents were paying for us to get one.  When we got there, there were about 5 puppies running around the barn.  The lady picked you up and handed you to me, and you licked my nose, then pooped on my shirt.  I immediately said "I want this one!"  Daddy said "But he just pooped on your shirt!" And I said "I don't care, he's the one!"

We didn't bring you home that day.  You were too young, and we were going on vacation and didn't want to board you right away, so the lady said you could stay on the farm until we were ready.  We drove back from Hilton Head for 14 hours.  Once we walked into the house, we looked at each other, and as tired as we were, we both said "Let's go get our puppy!"  We were SO excited to have you come home with us!  You slept on my chest the whole way back.  You were so tiny and little and sweet.

I don't remember much of the bad stuff you did when you were a puppy.  I remember you destroyed a lot of shoes and books, but the rest is all good.  How you'd flop on your back when someone came into the house to get belly rubs.  How you were so proud of yourself when you finally managed to walk up the stairs by yourself.  How you would snuggle in with me on the couch when I had to take a nap because you had me up all night.  God you were a cute puppy.

As you got older and calmed down, you turned into the sweetest, most loving dog.  You never did play with toys much.  You were more interested in love and kisses and snuggles.  You could kiss our faces for hours if we let you.  Sometimes my face would start to get raw, you'd kiss so much!  You hated hugs. GOD how you hated hugs, but you were perfectly content to sit on someone's lap and get ear rubs while you kissed the other hand. 

You were the first dog ever allowed in my parent's house.  My mom never liked dogs much, and my dad didn't want them in the house.  I finally convinced them to let you come over, and something magical happened.  Grammy ended up falling in love with you.  Pap Pap pretended he didn't like you, but you know that's not true.  You'd jump up into his lap and use your head to fling his hand on your ears, because you knew he gave the best ear scritches.   And just like that, you became the family dog.  We brought you over every time we went to Grammy and Pap Pap's house.

The bladder stones were the first of your health issues.  God that surgery was awful.  You were so miserable, and I was miserable with you.  I slept on the floor with you because you were in so much pain.  It wasn't the last time I did it, either.  I hope you know how much we took care of you.  I fought for you, even when other people told me I was wasting my money.  I never felt like I wasted my money on you.  You were my best friend.  I would have done anything to keep you with me for as long as possible.

I made you a promise when you got diagnosed with congestive heart failure.  I promised I would do as much as I could for you for as long as you could hold on.  And when it was time, I'd be there with you.  I confess, Fizz, when you were in the hospital that day, I agonized for about 2 hours what to do.  I wanted to be selfish.  I wanted you HERE at HOME.  But I remembered my promise.  And I stayed with you.  I'm sorry Daddy couldn't stay, Fizz.  He just couldn't handle it.  Forgive him, ok?  He's much more sensitive than people think.

There will never be another dog like you.  You were my first dog.  Well, we had dogs when I was little but they were hunting dogs and we weren't allowed to play with them.  You were my first pet dog.  And you were worth every bit of pain I'm in right now.  It's been a week, almost to the hour, and I've missed you every single minute of every day.  You truly were my best friend, and you helped me through some of the hardest times of my life.  I don't know that I could have survived some of them without you to cling to.  I hope you know how much we loved you.  I'm so sorry I had to let you go. 

Thanks for sending Fern.  I'm trying hard to love her, but right now I'm still in too much pain from losing you.  Plus I conveniently forgot how much work a puppy is.  I'm not replacing you.  No dog could ever do that.  You'll forever be in my heart, and someday I'll see you again.  I know I will.  And you'll be able to breathe, and eat as much cheese and ham as you want, and we'll snuggle and kiss for eternity.  Until then, I'll just have to muddle through. 

You have fun up there.  Keep the other dogs in check.  You were always so good at that.  You are so loved, Fizzy, and you will be forever.

Love,
Momma

Meet Fern!

I'm very happy to introduce the newest member of the Hunter household, Fern! She'll be coming home on Monday! She'll never replace Fizzy. No one ever could. But we need a new baby to love, and here she is!

Fern will probably eventually have her own blog once I hear her voice.

I know some people think it's too soon.  That we should wait until we've properly grieved.  But we can't.  A house truly isn't a home without a dog, and this doesn't lessen my love for Fizzy, because God knows how much we adored him.  Fern will help heal our hearts, but Fizzy is permanently wedged in there.

It's with an extremely heavy heart that I let you all know that we let Fizzy go today. He was the sweetest most loving Pooh I could have ever asked for. Run free and breath easy Fizzy. I'll see you again.

I'm Doin Ok!

I'm doing ok, pals.  I went back to the vet lady on Friday, and she's real happy with how I looked and how I was acting.  Way more energy for this old man!  The vet said that's cause the blood is flowing good again BOL!  Momma just has to keep taking data on my breathing, which she says is no big deal.  She already obsessively watches me pee and pooh, why not breathing, too?  Such fun hobbies Momma has.  Anywoof, keep the prayers coming, though, pals, just in case.

"Take me home, Momma!  The vet lady is nice, but home is nicer!  No one sticks things in your pooper!"

Long Time No Bark!

It's been a while since I've updated, pals.  Life gets busy sometimes, and we forget to say hi.  I got some bad news last week.  Looks like I have a problem with my heart, and the vet says I'm in the early stages of congestive heart failure.  Momma and Daddy were pretty upset, but I started my medicines, and I'm starting to feel much better.  It didn't help that I fell off the bed and couldn't really move for a few days!!  But really, pals, I'm feeling pretty good, so don't worry too much.  I go back to the vet on Friday to get some more pictures of my heart and they gotta check to make sure my liver is ok from the medicines.

Speaking of medicines, GUESS WHAT?!?!  The vet told Momma I could take my pills in CHEESE!!!!  CHEESE, pals, CHEESE!!!!!!  Cheese is my most favorite food in the whole entire world!!!!  Oh boy, pals, I had some nice mild mozzarella for a few days, and now today I got a nice medium cheddar!  YUM!!!  So if anything good has come out of this, it's that I finally get to eat CHEESE again!!!  BOL!!

So Sad

Fizzy's Momma here.  Today I learned that one of Fizzy's best good Dogster friends has gone to the Bridge.  Ebony Ursula Gonzalez was one of his first friends, and later became his Valentine.  Her sisfur, Rinky, went to the Bridge a few years ago, then Ceeley came to live with her.  Ceeley went to the Bridge a few weeks ago.  And now Ebby.  Her mom, Lulu, is in a bad place right now.  Her heart is so full of grief.  Please keep them in your prayers.

Ebby, I never got to meet you in real life, but your pictures and diary entries always brought a smile to my face.  During some of my darkest moments, I would go to your page and see your big smile, and it would help pull me from the abyss.  I know you're so happy to be back with Ceeley and Paw Paw and especially your beloved Rinky.  We'll miss you down here.  Until we meet in heaven...

Everyone Is So Lazy...

Everyone in the house has been feeling real lazy lately, pals.  Well, cept Daddy, who works a lot more now BOL!  It's ok, he gets over time monies when he works more than 40 hours in a week.  But me and Momma have spent our summer being real lazy, lots of sleeping in and snuggling and just laying around.

But guess what?!  Momma got that promotion she was talking about a while ago!!!  She gets to work with all the kids in the school now, and she gets more monies to do it, too!  She said it's her dream job, and that things are finally starting to go our way!

I'm still waiting for that new toy, by the way...

Life is Good!!

Life has been really good here, pals!  Daddy really loves his new job (he's always been a tech geek, and now he gets PAID to geek out every day!) and Momma's been able to check the account of the monies without freaking out.  She actually leaked a little when Daddy got his first pay check!  She says she can FINALLY put money away for a rainy day!  Which is weird, because EVERY day has been rainy here this summer, so I don't know what she's planning on doing with the monies.  I hope there's a new toy in there for me somewhere...

:)

Daddy starts his new job on Monday, pals!  He has to wear special clothes, and get this!  They're giving him $300 to buy them!!  Momma says it's all so overwhelmingly exciting!

AND!!  Guess what else!  Momma might be getting a promotion next school year!  She doesn't know too much about it yet, but it would be more money!  And from the little she does know about it, it sounds like her dream job, cause she'd get to work with every kid in the school!!  Keep your fingers crossed!

See, pals, prayers and good thoughts really DO work.  Momma and Daddy went from being nearly bankrupt to having all of these exciting opportunities happening.  Momma wants you all to know, that once Daddy gets his first real paycheck, she plans on paying it forward to all of those in need, since all you pals who helped us out...well, Momma is leaking while she types this, cause you all can't possibly know how you saved us when we needed it the most.  So after Momma treats herself to a manicure and pedicure (which would be the first thing she's bought JUST for herself in years...YEARS I tell you), she plans on giving to those in need as often as possible.  Cause she knows how it feels to be saved, and she wants to pass that on to others.

Oh, AFTER she buys me a few new toys.  She doesn't know about that part yet.  And I haven't had a new Nylabone in about 74989128748710 years....just saying, Momma....

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Daddy got the job!!!  Daddy got the job!!!!

Update on Daddy

So some of you pals may have noticed we haven't said much about Daddy and has job interview.  That's cause the lady was supposed to call on Wednesday and she never did.  Daddy's been calling and calling her, leaving message after message...she never called back.  Tonight Daddy got an email from her saying she had accidentally put it on her schedule for this week, and she would like to call him tomorrow for an interview.  Daddy wrote back and said to call after 3.  Keep your fingers crossed, pals.  Momma and Daddy were both a mess last week when she didn't call, so Momma's not getting her hopes up too high, but we'll see!  Keep praying!

*deep breaths*

Tomorrow is Daddy third interview with the Verizon place, pals.  It's the big one, the one with the Human Resources person.  Please, pals, PLEASE, say a prayer for us that Daddy gets the job.  We don't know if we would find out tomorrow or not, but Momma is starting to get kinda nervous.  OK, REALLY nervous.  Thanks, pals.

Eeeek!

Daddy has a third interview with Verizon next Wednesday, pals!!  Momma is climbing on the ceiling AND the roof, she's so nervous!!  Keep praying, pals, it's WORKING!!

Also, thank you Zaidie and Mrs. Zaidie and Mr. Zaidie!!  Momma dunno how to send personal messages on this Blogger thing BOL!!

Oh Please Oh Please Oh PLEASE!

Daddy had a job interview today, pals.  It's to sell the cell phones at Verizon Wireless, and even though Daddy is a teacher now, he used to sell the cell phones a long time ago.  It would be more money for us, and plus there's the chances of bonuses and commissions and raises and promotions.  He said the interview went really well, and now he has to wait for someone from HR to call him to do a phone interview.  It could take up to a week, so of course Momma is going all crazy waiting for them to call.

Pals, PLEASE, if you can take a moment, please say a prayer for us.  Momma says Daddy having a new better paying job would make all of our lives so much better.  Then we would NEVER have to ask our pals for help ever EVER again.  Daddy is sorta sad at the thought of leaving teaching, but he says something has to change, and Momma makes more money at teaching cause she's been at her school for 84750238758 years.  Plus she likes teaching more than him anyhow.

Pray Daddy gets the job, pals.  Please.  Momma believes in the power of prayer, and she's been praying pretty much non-stop since Friday when Daddy got the call to come in for an interview.  We love you, pals, so very very much.  Thanks!

Thank You.

Dear Friends of Fizzy,

I'm very happy to report that my car is paid for and I can go pick it up tomorrow after school.  Thanks to some very generous people (I won't name names, as most people donated anonymously...but YOU know who you are) I'm able to get my prescriptions and Fizzy's medicine and dog food, too.  I didn't like asking for help, but I'm glad I did.  I have some breathing room now to work on getting my mortgage and student loan caught up (I was smart about those and actually called before things got too bad).  I'll be poor for, well....forever lol, but I'm no longer living in terror and wondering what new fresh hell each day is going to bring.  Jeff has a job interview next week, so keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer that it will bring good news.

I appreciate the money donations, but I wanted to make sure to also thank folks for prayers and kind words.  I know not everyone can help monetarily (because let's face it, very rarely can I donate money to anyone), but prayers and kind words really do make a difference.  Sometimes, when a person is down and can't find a way out, all it might take is a kind word or two from someone to lift your spirits.  So thank you all for that.

Thank you all.  For everything.  I've met some of the most amazing people through Dogster.  I wish Dogster wasn't such a mess, but at least we still have each other.

Love always,
Chrissy

*sigh*

Dear Friends of Fizzy,

I'm deeply embarrassed to do this, but I've fallen on significantly hard times.  My house is almost in foreclosure, my car got repossessed, my student loans are in default, and I can't afford to buy Fizzy food or pay for my prescriptions for my diabetes.  Food for myself isn't even on the list of necessities right now.  I set up a fundraising site in the hopes that I can get my car back, but I only have 21 days to do so.  If you're able, in any way, to donate...god I'm bawling my eyes out just typing this.  Me and Jeff work SO HARD at what we do, and yet we get paid so little money.  Jeff's been searching for a new job for a while now, but no such luck.  Please, do NOT feel obligated to donate.  Please share the fundraiser to anyone you know who might be able to help.  And please, if nothing else, PLEASE pray for us.

Please Help if You Can!

I love you all so much.  Please know I would never ever ask for help if I truly didn't need it.  Thanks for reading.

*sigh*

Two more pups have gone to the Bridge, pals, both on the same day.  Duncan from the D Dogs (you schnauzer pups probably remember him) and Biscotte both went to the Bridge on Monday.  Neither pups have bloggies here, but I bet a lot of you know them from Dogster.  Please keep the pups and their families in your prayers.

Thanks MJF!

Pals, MJF made this for me for my birthday, and look!  I got my own bunnies now to make as much tasty bunny pooh as I can eat!!  Hooray!!!  Thanks MJF!!

Happy Birthday to MEEEEE!!!!

It's my birthday, pals!!  I'm 11 years young!  Momma keeps singing this song to me:

"Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
You look like my Pooh Fry
And you smell like one, too!"

Hey!  I like my pooh smell, Momma!!  The bunnies leave me presents and I HAVE to eat them!  It would be very rude not to!

It's my birthday and I'll eat pooh if I want to!