Life Updates

So, we have a new dog.  Yes, that makes two for a self proclaimed non-pet person.  My friends and family know that  Finley (our yorkie) changed me.  When she arrived at Christmas in 2017, she stole all of our hearts.  She is basically human.  Then last week, we added Smokey to the family.  You know there is a story – we did not just randomly decide we needed another dog because we would never decide that.  We actually don’t need anything else to take care of,  our plates stay pretty full.  Anywho, Brad did some work for friends that own rental properties.  A couple of weeks ago, he was communicating with the property owner about the job and she apologized for her tardiness in returning his call and explained that the resident at that particular property had passed away.  Brad instantly remembered the elderly man and also rememberd his beautiful dog.  Brad immediately asked what happened to the dog.  The property owner said that a neighbor currently had him but she was not sure that he wanted to keep him long term and then she asked THE question.  She said to Brad “would you be interested?”  He replied that he would definitely want to get him if there were no other takers and the pound was the only option.

There were no other takers and so last Tuesday morning, Brad pulled up to our house with the dog.  He already had a name and is the most beautiful blue pit bull I have ever seen.  So there you have it, Brad is a softie and now we have a yorkie and a pit bull because you know, we are extreme people so having a giant dog and a really tiny dog is no biggie.  And the truth is that Smokey is the most gentle, well behaved dog I have ever encountered.  He has made us realize just how bad Finley really is:)  I have only heard him bark once and that is when he heard Fin barking and couldn’t see her and thought she was in trouble.  Smokey is super chill and loves Brad so much.  He is beginning to warm up to the rest of us too, even the loud little dog.

Last Tuesday night we went out to eat and as usual we crated Finley in her small crate that stays in Bella’s room and we got the big crate out of the attic that had belongd to our former dog.  We put Smokey in the crate and went to dinner.  We were gone for about two hours.  When we got home and stepped on the the front porch, Smokey met us at the door.  He got himself out of the crate and sauntered up to the front door like “what’s up?”  We are guessing he had never been crated and he was clearly saying to us “nobody puts Smokey in a crate.”  Just like nobody puts Baby in a corner, Smokey don’t go in a crate apparently.  Jesus take the wheel.

In other news, my sweet BG is getting baptized.  It was a sweet conversation and one I was so thankful to have because down here in the bible belt if your kid reaches age  10.5 or 11 and has not been baptized yet, you start worrying about their soul.  Anywho, she and I talked and then I kept forgetting to tell the Pastor.  Then two weeks ago, our Pastor stood on stage and announced that the next baptisim date would be March 10th.  I got chills all over my body because that date is already significant in our family.  March 10th is the same day Lawson got baptized six years ago while his Daddy was at No Longer Bound finding healing and freedom.  Such a God wink that my kids will share that date and such a stark contrast between the man my husband was then and the man he is now.  Thank you, Jesus for your goodness and faithfulness.

Speaking of Lawson, he is 13 soon to be 14 and fininshing up the second half of his seventh grade year.  Things look a little different than we would have ever imagined but there has been such clarity with each step we have taken forward in this new direction.  As of mid-December, Lawson left traditional school and in January we began a home school curriculum.  It has not been easy but it is better than our previous situation and we are confident that it is the best option for him during this season.  Law is happier than ever and we are adjusting to our new normal.  I encourage all the Mommas out there to be an advocate for your kid.  You know better than most what they need to thrive and when they are not receiving it, you have to act.  No one else loves them like you do and no one else is as concerned about their future as you  are, so do what you need to do.  Even if it is daunting and feels hard.  As Glennon Melton always says “we can do hard things.”

There is never a shortage of things going on in our house & sometimes it makes me tired but I know that God built me for every single thing I am going to face in this life and I know he handpicked me to be Lawson’s mom and to be Bella’s mom & He will continue to equip me all along the way even on the days when it feelsl like I am screwing up.  Grace.  It is a wonderful thing and if we all showed a little more towards one another,  I am  convinced that the world would be a different, kinder place.

Enjoy these pics of the crate demolition and the pic of dog #2.  Take care until next time and God bless!

Jodi