MY LITTLE GIRL, BRAT

I woke up this morning and thought it was going to be just another day.

A day working on the Creepy Doll room, of doing laundry, of fiddling around in the studio, of playing fetch with Sister and spending time with my mom.
Then I got "the news".

Christmas morning 2010

It happens to all of us at least once in our life.

News that drops you to your knees.

It's happened to me more than once, but, this time was different.

It involved my "child". 

'Brat', as I've called her since she was a child, is our daughter "in name".

In fact, I made up an adoption decree, framed it, and gave it to her for Christmas this year.

We adore her.

I adore her and love her like one of my own children.

Heck, she is one of my children.

Though I had known her throughout her childhood,

it was when she was in high school and worked for me in my art studio

that I got to know her best and became more involved in her life.

Day before T.G., circa 2004

I even taught her how to make her first cherry pie.

She has recently become engaged to the most wonderful  young man, Will.

I love him and am so excited that he's marrying such a wonderful girl!

This morning was when everything in my world stopped.

Brat's sister, Taylor, called me for her.

Brat's a first year teacher/coach in Austin, Texas,

and on her way to work today the roads were very icy.

She lost control of her car on one of those icy roads.

She headed across the center line into oncoming traffic.

No one was hurt badly

except Brittany.

She has a lacerated liver

and has shattered her pelvis on the right side.

I've been on my knees all day in my head.

Praying, texting, praying, calling, praying, taking calls.

Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God.

I trust you with everything in my life.

Most of all with my kids

and I know that you have Brittany in your loving hands.

I know that you're taking care of her

and will continue to do so.

But, oh, Jesus, can you please take care of me?

Can you please take care of all of us that love her?

My middle son, Blake, and Brat have been best friends

since high school.

Hardly a day goes by that they don't text each other.

Blake's a groomsman in her wedding.

And he drove to the hospital this afternoon

carrying his sleeping bag.

He's going to stay with her and sleep on the floor of her room.

I couldn't get there today.

Our roads are so icy.

No way I could make it to north Austin.

Tonight's supposed to be the coldest day of the year.

I hope to be able to go up on Friday and stay through Saturday.

I'll leave mom here to take care of Frank

and I'll sit with Brat and hold her hand and read to her

and tell her how much I love her.

And, all the while I'll be praying; continuing to pray.

Will you pray with me?

Please?

Brat

Did you notice that this post had photos and that they aren't sideways?

That you didn't have to go to Flickr to see the photos that went along with the post?

How about that?

I had a virus.

Yeah. And, I have a really good virus protector.

It snuck in kinda like a teenager getting home after curfew.

I was happy to pay the $75.00 it cost to get rid of it and my appendage back. *sigh*

Thanks for stickin' with me as I post oh, so sporadically.

I love y'all a lot,

Jan

I'VE HAD A BABY!

Well, okay, I didn't exactly have a baby...
What I did have, what I do have is a new puppy!

Excuse me?
What??
I said that I would rescue any dog, but no more puppies??
No 'mam, not me, too old for a puppy, too much work, noppers.
Give me a house trained mutt that needs a home and I'm there.

Then God introduced me to one of my dearest friends, Pam Warden, a (licensed - woohoo!!) artist with an amazing gift and a heart unlike anyone I know.
So, her dogs, a Yorkie and a Cairn, get married and have puppies.
She sends me pictures, I fall in love and claim "that one!".

When I drive up to my mom's in Michigan after Christmas, I make a detour through Madison, Wisconsin, to meet Pam and John, her husband, and snag the newest member of our 'kennel'.

5 weeks old

We had a great evening and breakfast the next morning. They were in Madison for an art show and because they drove through blizzard-like weather to get down to Madison, we didn't have as much time to spend together. But, it being the first time that Pam and I had met in person (we had been emailing and talking on the phone for what seems like forever) it was a wonderful time! We noticed that we both tended to talk at the same time and I told her it was because neither of us stopped talking.

See that one sharp tooth?? She has FOUR of those - we call them razors.

When I picked her up she was this wee little thing and she couldn't have weighed more than two pounds. Cutest thing you ever saw 'ceptin' for my boys.

Beautiful little girl in pink (is there any other color??)

It's been amazing watching her change color since I picked her up. When I got her, she was pretty much a little black girl. Now, she's getting that Yorkie coloring on her legs, neck, face, and, well, okay, her behind. That means it always looks like she just took a poop and got it all over herself when I look at her from behind real quick. It makes my heart skip a beat thinking that she's had yet another accident. Then, I realize that it's just her coloring.

Well, sometimes it's not just her coloring. Sometimes I can smell that it's not just her coloring.

8 weeks old and I'm totally smitten!

Did I mention that just God and I knew about this new addition to our family at this point? Just wondering if I had mentioned that I was planning on surprising the Tank with our new puppy. No?? Well, that was the plan, so when it was time to leave for home with my mom in tow I also had mom's darling Maltese, Sophie, in tow, but also the new puppy for our very long trip home. I must say that the first hour and a half in the car with puppy in the kennel in the backseat of my convertible and me in the front seat wasn't very pleasant for anyone within hearing distance (and it wasn't me screaming - it was HER!) But, after that initial period she settled down and the rest of the trip was great.

I was really, really glad she got over her separation anxiety because I was NOT looking to have another appendage - my laptop's enough.

Finally home and finding peace in chewing on a throw-away box instead of mommmy's *bloody* hand.

She is settling into ranch life just like you would expect a puppy to.

She bugs Ben until he shows his teeth though he's now too old to growl (Ben's a dog).

She plays with Killer and Baxter which lasts about 5 seconds until they run for the couch *because she can't reach it*.

And, she is making Maytag, the cat that thinks she is a dog, neurotic. She will not leave her alone and the poor kitty doesn't have any claws in her front paws. (However, if I WAS Maytag, I'd swat the heck outta that puppy - I think it'd just take one time...)

Oh, and by the way, boys, this is your little sister. hahaha

As you can see, we are starting to look alike - both laughing a LOT!

I haven't told y'all her name, have I?

Her name is Sister.

Sister Mary Tina after my precious friend, Tina Wright.

Oh, and she's Catholic.

Blessings, y'all, from the kennel!    

I love you!!

Jan

     

                                                            

P.S. The Tank went to hug and kiss me when I walked in when we got home and I was holding a wiggling Sister behind my back and when he reached his arms around me for his hug he felt her.

His reaction?

"Uh, oh, I KNOW what that is!!" hahaha - he loves her and wasn't a bit surprised:)

WE'VE ADOPTED YET ANOTHER ONE...

Yes, it's true, we now have five rescue pets - four dogs and one cat.

Our newest addition to our menagerie is GIGI *called "GI"*, a bichon frische.

And, yes, she's *believe it or not* a "rescue dog".

Here's picture no. 1 of her Preciousness! Is she a doll, or what? Such a sweetie!

Her "parents" are going overseas and can't take her with them so, to make a long story short, which for me is a real stretch, we adopted her through the rescue dog organization I belong to.

She loves to take naps on the ottoman under the window in the sitting area of my bedroom. She and Baxter fight over it.

She's 9 years old, in relatively good health and so, so precious.

She sleeps at the foot of our bed on her pillow with a twin sheet bunched up around her so she can burrow. (Hey, she's not burrowing in my bed)

Her very favorite place to be is attached to my hip, but I draw the line, so she props herself on MY ottoman leaving me about 12 inches for both legs! She'll just curl up there and sleep while I blog. Pretty stinkin' cute.Now that you've met the newest member of our flock and you feel compelled to send money to help with vet bills, grooming bills, flea meds, heart worm pills and dog and cat food, feel free.

And, as usual, I thank my loyal readers for taking the time to read about the latest happenings in my very exciting life! Next post is about the June/July giveaway - check back because it's a BIG one.

xoxo, Jan