I had posted on Facebook that the song L had played for the Offeratory was not a Christmas Song. The last time that I had heard this song in our church was played at our wedding.
L had written the songs many years ago and played it for me while we were dating. I really, really liked the song and decided to use that one and another one for our wedding. I had to have everything just right when I was young!
So we had that song play for our young taper lighters (our nephews). They were both 12 at the time and my nephew wasn't sure about lighting the tapers. We had them come down from the wings of the church (with that song that L had pre-recorded) and they lit the tapers with that song playing in the background. I remember this watching a video of our wedding. After D (my nephew) was done lighting them and K, Larry's nephew they walked down the center of the aisle and D gave this look like, "Well, i did it." It was funny.
My Bridesmaids and Groomsmen and flower girl came down the aisle with another song L had composed and pre-recorded. It was non-traditional but very nice nonetheless.
So when L played this yesterday in church, I tear came from my eyes. I knew he was playing this for me...for us.
I looked around to see if anyone at church was at my wedding. My MIL and another couple on the front row would have heard this song. So I asked MIL if she remembered the song and she said, "No, I thought it was a Christmas song."
It wasn't. It was a song in our wedding. And it means a lot to me. :)
Monday, December 14, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Jr. High Basketball gyms
Here I am for my monthly blog...or so it seems that it has become monthly instead of everyday. I nearly forgot my sign in, it had been that long since I wrote anything. I have plenty to write about but not much time these days it seems.
I have been traveling and going to J's games in various little towns. So I decided to blog about the gym, a sort of best of and worst of list. Here goes:
Best lighted gym in the league: Harper Grade school
Best bench seating: Garden Plain (very soft seats)
Best gym to watch a game: Conway Springs (the visitors sit on one side and the home folks on the other side. It makes for less arguements).
Best refreshments: Garden Plain (it smelled pretty good in there, they serve nachos among other things.
Best location near restaurants: Cheney Grade School. There is a Subway across the street.
Best ref: Kent Stonebraker.
Worst lighted gym: Anthony Grade School, with second runner up Garden Plain. Pretty dark lighting, guess they are saving on energy.
Worst bleachers: Cheney Grade School. It's the old school stuff, you better hope you don't trip up the bleachers or you'd really injure yourself.
Worst fans: Belle Plaine. They complained at every call and had the audacity to sit up with the Harper fans. We nearly had a fight in the stands.
Furthest place to travel: Douglass.
At Conway Springs they charge people $3 dollars to get into the game. It is a junior high school game, people! It should be free! They are the only ones who charge besides either Bluestem or Douglass. If they want to charge people to go to a HS game fine, but not a JH game.
I can't add in Belle Plaine, Bluestem, Douglass or Wichita Independent because I haven't been there.
I have been traveling and going to J's games in various little towns. So I decided to blog about the gym, a sort of best of and worst of list. Here goes:
Best lighted gym in the league: Harper Grade school
Best bench seating: Garden Plain (very soft seats)
Best gym to watch a game: Conway Springs (the visitors sit on one side and the home folks on the other side. It makes for less arguements).
Best refreshments: Garden Plain (it smelled pretty good in there, they serve nachos among other things.
Best location near restaurants: Cheney Grade School. There is a Subway across the street.
Best ref: Kent Stonebraker.
Worst lighted gym: Anthony Grade School, with second runner up Garden Plain. Pretty dark lighting, guess they are saving on energy.
Worst bleachers: Cheney Grade School. It's the old school stuff, you better hope you don't trip up the bleachers or you'd really injure yourself.
Worst fans: Belle Plaine. They complained at every call and had the audacity to sit up with the Harper fans. We nearly had a fight in the stands.
Furthest place to travel: Douglass.
At Conway Springs they charge people $3 dollars to get into the game. It is a junior high school game, people! It should be free! They are the only ones who charge besides either Bluestem or Douglass. If they want to charge people to go to a HS game fine, but not a JH game.
I can't add in Belle Plaine, Bluestem, Douglass or Wichita Independent because I haven't been there.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Bye Bye Birdie, CHS style
It had been a while since I attended a musical in a high school. I think the last one was of my cousin Steve in a production of "South Pacific," back in the 70's. So seeing this one last night was a real treat. I knew most of the kids in this production because of my daughter's association with each of them.
In the musical that I had been too their was always a full orchestra. Here, they had a digital keyboard and a trap drum set. It worked though. The pianist was just the best as well as the music teacher, Mr. K.
As the curtain opened squekily (someone needs to add oil to the rods), we are introduced to the lead character Albert Peterson, portrayed by Jameson R. He gives the audience a brief introduction of the story: The setting was in the 1950's and it was about a singer who was entering the army. This is loosely based about when Elvis Presley went into the army.
Rose Alvarez, was portrayed by Alexis T., who sang and danced wonderfully throughout the play. We are then introduced to the chorus of girls who are talking on the phone about Hugo and Kim. Lexi B. (whom I call my other daughter, ;) ) portrayed Ursula. Other ones Melinda S. and Jessi M. (both who were on the tennis team) filled in for the other parts. Their singing was impecable! Their dance moves were well rehearsed.
Then the audience is introduced to the Harry McAfee family. As performed by J-Rod, Mariah M., Karlie M., and introducing seventh grade student Lane V. Harry McAfee exercising his parental rights as a protective father was quite funny! He constantly told his little son "will you shut up?" The audience just roared with laughter and Lane nearly broke his character when he was laughing too at "Harry."
Conrad Birdie appeared on the scence wearing a gold shirt. Portrayed by Brogy G., he was the perfect superstar. Once when waking up he took a swig of 7-up and produced a loud burp. Little kids in the audience laughed loudly. Brogy could act as well as sing and dance.
I was impressed with Randolph McAfee, Harry's young son, as portrayed by Lane V. He had a high voice and could sing on tune. He was perfect for the part.
There was a dance number featuring Alexis T., and most of the guys in the singers. They all wore "fez hats," and watched her as she danced on the table, around the table and under the table.
Mae Peterson, Albert's mother, always worried constantly about him and didn't like Rose. She was portrayed by Jacklynn A. I was just laughing when she dropped to the floor to put her head in the oven.
Other instances that were funny was when the kids were "smoking," and Albert Peterson said something about them not smoking until they were 14. The references to drinking everyone was laughing as well.
The song between Albert Peterson and a "sad" girl was really good. "Put on a Happy Face," as Jameson R., sang and "danced." The sad girl, Bethany S., could really dance. You could tell she was a dance student.
The rest of the chorus and their costumes were awesome. The girls wore poodle skirts and updo 50's hair styles. The guys wearing white t-shirts and slicked back hair. It was a wonderful production put on by the Singers of CHS.
The curtain call came and flowers were thrown. The entire audience were on their feet at the end. Good job Mr. K and Singers. We need more production such as these. Bravo!! Two thumbs up indeed!!
In the musical that I had been too their was always a full orchestra. Here, they had a digital keyboard and a trap drum set. It worked though. The pianist was just the best as well as the music teacher, Mr. K.
As the curtain opened squekily (someone needs to add oil to the rods), we are introduced to the lead character Albert Peterson, portrayed by Jameson R. He gives the audience a brief introduction of the story: The setting was in the 1950's and it was about a singer who was entering the army. This is loosely based about when Elvis Presley went into the army.
Rose Alvarez, was portrayed by Alexis T., who sang and danced wonderfully throughout the play. We are then introduced to the chorus of girls who are talking on the phone about Hugo and Kim. Lexi B. (whom I call my other daughter, ;) ) portrayed Ursula. Other ones Melinda S. and Jessi M. (both who were on the tennis team) filled in for the other parts. Their singing was impecable! Their dance moves were well rehearsed.
Then the audience is introduced to the Harry McAfee family. As performed by J-Rod, Mariah M., Karlie M., and introducing seventh grade student Lane V. Harry McAfee exercising his parental rights as a protective father was quite funny! He constantly told his little son "will you shut up?" The audience just roared with laughter and Lane nearly broke his character when he was laughing too at "Harry."
Conrad Birdie appeared on the scence wearing a gold shirt. Portrayed by Brogy G., he was the perfect superstar. Once when waking up he took a swig of 7-up and produced a loud burp. Little kids in the audience laughed loudly. Brogy could act as well as sing and dance.
I was impressed with Randolph McAfee, Harry's young son, as portrayed by Lane V. He had a high voice and could sing on tune. He was perfect for the part.
There was a dance number featuring Alexis T., and most of the guys in the singers. They all wore "fez hats," and watched her as she danced on the table, around the table and under the table.
Mae Peterson, Albert's mother, always worried constantly about him and didn't like Rose. She was portrayed by Jacklynn A. I was just laughing when she dropped to the floor to put her head in the oven.
Other instances that were funny was when the kids were "smoking," and Albert Peterson said something about them not smoking until they were 14. The references to drinking everyone was laughing as well.
The song between Albert Peterson and a "sad" girl was really good. "Put on a Happy Face," as Jameson R., sang and "danced." The sad girl, Bethany S., could really dance. You could tell she was a dance student.
The rest of the chorus and their costumes were awesome. The girls wore poodle skirts and updo 50's hair styles. The guys wearing white t-shirts and slicked back hair. It was a wonderful production put on by the Singers of CHS.
The curtain call came and flowers were thrown. The entire audience were on their feet at the end. Good job Mr. K and Singers. We need more production such as these. Bravo!! Two thumbs up indeed!!
Friday, October 23, 2009
School again!
I guess this is my blog for ranting about school.
I am particularly angry at a certain HS course in particular a teacher.
I would think that if someone turned in anything they would get "some" credit for turning it in. Receiving an F in a said project should probably be thrown out and there would be a reteaching of that particular unit. Not just one kid received that F but several in the group did. They turned in the project but yet got the same grade as if they didn't turn it in.
What's the point of doing these assignments? Does it reflect on how well the teacher teaches or how the student isn't getting it? If teacher's were concerned about their students learning then I still believe in a re-teaching of such subject matter.
Some teachers deserve an F themselves if they can't get their subject across to their students. Pretty sad when teachers don't care for their students.
I am particularly angry at a certain HS course in particular a teacher.
I would think that if someone turned in anything they would get "some" credit for turning it in. Receiving an F in a said project should probably be thrown out and there would be a reteaching of that particular unit. Not just one kid received that F but several in the group did. They turned in the project but yet got the same grade as if they didn't turn it in.
What's the point of doing these assignments? Does it reflect on how well the teacher teaches or how the student isn't getting it? If teacher's were concerned about their students learning then I still believe in a re-teaching of such subject matter.
Some teachers deserve an F themselves if they can't get their subject across to their students. Pretty sad when teachers don't care for their students.
Monday, September 28, 2009
School
This is probably going to be one of these posts that won't be up very long. But bare with me.
Back in the day when I was going to high school some thirty years plus ago, we had some subjects that were required to graduate from HS then we could go on to college. Some classes were tough and others were easy easy. You just knew which ones to stay away from. Since my GPA was nothing to shout about during most of my HS years I wasn't too worried about my grades. I was just an average student. If I didn't do well in let's say, math, it wasn't the end of the world. The main thing is that I passed with a D. I was lucky though, back then, as the math requirements weren't as strict as they now! For that matter, neither was science nor English. I got by and I did go to college. I found college a lot easier than HS. Our requirements in HS was 2 years of math; 2 years of science; 4 years of English; 2 or 3 credits of Social Studies; and the rest elective. It was an elective to take typing (which is the equivalent to keyboarding a required subject).
Now fast forward and the requirements change: 3 years of Math; 3 years of Science; 4 years of English; and 3 credits of Social Studies.
Math: In my day I could get by on General Math and Algebra.
2009: You need Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 and if you like it you can take Calc or Trig.
Science: In my day, it was a block science in my freshman year (9 weeks on Geology, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics); in my sophomore year I had to take Biology.
2009: Intro to Science; Biology; and Chemistry.
When I took Chemistry in the 9 week block it was simple. This Chemistry is equivalent to college Chemistry.
English: For me it was relatively simple and I opted to take a creative writing class to boot. In my junior year we wrote and researched on a certain topic.
2009: It's more about quizzes than actual writing and research (so far).
Social Studies: For me I had Civics in 9th grade; American History in my junior year; Government, in my senior year and I opted to take World History.
2009: Social Studies survey (required), American History (required), and Government (required). I do know of a student who opted to take Social Issues and World History as well.
Now my question is did kids in my time fare better in school than kids nowadays? We had a lot less pressure when I was going to school. Now in order to succeed the classes are way tougher and a lot of students just can't keep up with the rigorous studies of some classes. Is it the failure of the student or is it the failure of the teacher?
I would think if a student wasn't catching on at all about a certain subject then a re-teaching of such subject should be required. You simply don't give up on a student just because they aren't getting it. If it takes them several tries to master a certain test you don't say "Well! Too bad, that's an F for effort. You can't take this test again to improve. I've given up that you'll ever be good in this subject."
If you were any kind of a "teacher," you would teach this student (break it down in a way where the light would go on in their minds until they did get it).
Then, when does it become the fault of the student for not understanding the subject matter? How as parents can we help our children to suceed?
I have many questions and not a whole lot of answers regarding the education of my children.
It is amazing how different each child in the same family is different. One likes math and the other is more verbal. Are the schools nowadays geared to those who favor math as opposed to the verbal student? Is this the way of society?
Back in the day when I was going to high school some thirty years plus ago, we had some subjects that were required to graduate from HS then we could go on to college. Some classes were tough and others were easy easy. You just knew which ones to stay away from. Since my GPA was nothing to shout about during most of my HS years I wasn't too worried about my grades. I was just an average student. If I didn't do well in let's say, math, it wasn't the end of the world. The main thing is that I passed with a D. I was lucky though, back then, as the math requirements weren't as strict as they now! For that matter, neither was science nor English. I got by and I did go to college. I found college a lot easier than HS. Our requirements in HS was 2 years of math; 2 years of science; 4 years of English; 2 or 3 credits of Social Studies; and the rest elective. It was an elective to take typing (which is the equivalent to keyboarding a required subject).
Now fast forward and the requirements change: 3 years of Math; 3 years of Science; 4 years of English; and 3 credits of Social Studies.
Math: In my day I could get by on General Math and Algebra.
2009: You need Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 and if you like it you can take Calc or Trig.
Science: In my day, it was a block science in my freshman year (9 weeks on Geology, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics); in my sophomore year I had to take Biology.
2009: Intro to Science; Biology; and Chemistry.
When I took Chemistry in the 9 week block it was simple. This Chemistry is equivalent to college Chemistry.
English: For me it was relatively simple and I opted to take a creative writing class to boot. In my junior year we wrote and researched on a certain topic.
2009: It's more about quizzes than actual writing and research (so far).
Social Studies: For me I had Civics in 9th grade; American History in my junior year; Government, in my senior year and I opted to take World History.
2009: Social Studies survey (required), American History (required), and Government (required). I do know of a student who opted to take Social Issues and World History as well.
Now my question is did kids in my time fare better in school than kids nowadays? We had a lot less pressure when I was going to school. Now in order to succeed the classes are way tougher and a lot of students just can't keep up with the rigorous studies of some classes. Is it the failure of the student or is it the failure of the teacher?
I would think if a student wasn't catching on at all about a certain subject then a re-teaching of such subject should be required. You simply don't give up on a student just because they aren't getting it. If it takes them several tries to master a certain test you don't say "Well! Too bad, that's an F for effort. You can't take this test again to improve. I've given up that you'll ever be good in this subject."
If you were any kind of a "teacher," you would teach this student (break it down in a way where the light would go on in their minds until they did get it).
Then, when does it become the fault of the student for not understanding the subject matter? How as parents can we help our children to suceed?
I have many questions and not a whole lot of answers regarding the education of my children.
It is amazing how different each child in the same family is different. One likes math and the other is more verbal. Are the schools nowadays geared to those who favor math as opposed to the verbal student? Is this the way of society?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
College Recruitment
Back in the dark ages (70's) when I was going to HS, we as juniors (maybe) and seniors (most definitely) had to know where and if we were going to college.
In my fall of my senior year I was taking my ACT test. I had no idea how to prepare for an ACT test but knew it was required in order to get into college. So I randomly filled out the colleges I thought I would go to. I had no preparation in advance. I looked down the Kansas list and put down three colleges Juco, KU, and K-state. (why I chose K-state as a possibility, I'll never know!). I just took the test on what I knew from being in high school. I do remember wanting to finish quickly in order to watch the "World Series," on television afterwards. I was heavy into baseball back in those days.
Later on I got the results, and they were AWFUL!! I couldn't take the test more than once. That is I didn't. I ended up going to my first choice for three semesters; a teacher's college for a semester; and then back to my alma mater for 3 years.
Now fast forward thirty one years after I graduated from college....
Kids are recruited from colleges all over the country. They contact the kids by email, text messaging, postcards, and phone calls. It's amazing how these colleges advertise just to get the kid's attention and their parents attention.
Students now and do take the ACT test more than once in their lifetime, and that is an improvement in itself. A low ACT score would disqualify you for scholarships and taking the test numerous times will certainly raise the score helping you qualify for more financial aid. I for one, am happy to see this change come about. But the parent must foot the bill for the student to take the test over and over again just to get a good score. In the long run, it is worth it.
I was aware of how much college's wanted students in a seminar that I attended at my alma mater when S was a year old. They talked about recruitment of students and how to get financial aid. I soaked that up and had prepared S and J to become great students. I wanted them to visit college campus' early in their life so that they could get used to the environment.
We have visited KU when they were young kids in strollers. We would make the trek just to drive on the campus and to dream what it would be like to be a student there. When S completed her freshman year at HS, we went up to KU for Jayhawk days. We attended last year's session as well.
A representative from the university talked to students and their parents about classes; financial aid; and traditions at the school. Then we took a walking tour of the campus. Could we picture our S at this school? This past year, S talked to a recruiter about the J-School and we were quite impressed with this school.
Then we branched out to look at another school, my alma mater. They offered a lot of the courses that S likes. They thought it was early that she was looking at her potential college. I didn't think that as we had been getting cards from L's alma mater for the past few years. S met with one of the teachers at my alma mater and she was quite impressed as we were.
Colleges offers kids nowadays, a potential scholarship of $1,000 if they go to their school; to Ipods; and to t-shirts. They visit at the high school with juniors and seniors and offer up their best pitch to the student. The way they go after the average student is probably how colleges went/or goes after blue-chip athletes.
So now we have more campus visits lined up in the next year. Where could S see herself in the next few years? Who could offer us a great financial aid package? What school does she see herself thriving at? Public or private? Private schools are most appealing because of the type of students they recruit and small class size. But the downside of a private college is the cost. And so public schools start to look better because it is less of a pain in the pocket.
Do kids choose where they go to college because of where their friends from HS are planning to go? Or do they step out in faith, and go somewhere where they know no one and meet new friends? Do they choose a small private college, or a huge university setting? They should choose where they feel the most comfortable living I think.
When it was my "choice," which actually turned out to be my parents choice as they were footing the bill, I chose Juco. It was in my town and I could stay at home. My friends went there and I met new friends there too. I had small classes and could actually study what I wanted to major in (then) right off. I didn't have to wait two years to get to do my major (like I would have to wait at a large university). While there I changed my major twice and wanted to teach. So I went to ESU, not quite a KU, but larger than the college I ended up at. While at ESU, I found that the teachers were not friendly and didn't care about you as a student. I was a number. It was difficult to meet good friends there. To this day, I am not friends with people who went to ESU the same time that I did.
So while I was out at ESU, my parents suggested my Alma Mater, S.C. I took a campus visit sitting in a typical History class seeing how I would like going there. I loved it! S.C. was a good fit. I have lifelong friends from there. I didn't know anyone there as a student, but because the class size was small and it is a Christian college I think that was where God called me to be.
It will be exciting to see which college S can see herself thriving in. But in the meantime, colleges will be sending postcards, emails, texting, and setting up times to meet with us as parents. It is so different than 30 years ago!
In my fall of my senior year I was taking my ACT test. I had no idea how to prepare for an ACT test but knew it was required in order to get into college. So I randomly filled out the colleges I thought I would go to. I had no preparation in advance. I looked down the Kansas list and put down three colleges Juco, KU, and K-state. (why I chose K-state as a possibility, I'll never know!). I just took the test on what I knew from being in high school. I do remember wanting to finish quickly in order to watch the "World Series," on television afterwards. I was heavy into baseball back in those days.
Later on I got the results, and they were AWFUL!! I couldn't take the test more than once. That is I didn't. I ended up going to my first choice for three semesters; a teacher's college for a semester; and then back to my alma mater for 3 years.
Now fast forward thirty one years after I graduated from college....
Kids are recruited from colleges all over the country. They contact the kids by email, text messaging, postcards, and phone calls. It's amazing how these colleges advertise just to get the kid's attention and their parents attention.
Students now and do take the ACT test more than once in their lifetime, and that is an improvement in itself. A low ACT score would disqualify you for scholarships and taking the test numerous times will certainly raise the score helping you qualify for more financial aid. I for one, am happy to see this change come about. But the parent must foot the bill for the student to take the test over and over again just to get a good score. In the long run, it is worth it.
I was aware of how much college's wanted students in a seminar that I attended at my alma mater when S was a year old. They talked about recruitment of students and how to get financial aid. I soaked that up and had prepared S and J to become great students. I wanted them to visit college campus' early in their life so that they could get used to the environment.
We have visited KU when they were young kids in strollers. We would make the trek just to drive on the campus and to dream what it would be like to be a student there. When S completed her freshman year at HS, we went up to KU for Jayhawk days. We attended last year's session as well.
A representative from the university talked to students and their parents about classes; financial aid; and traditions at the school. Then we took a walking tour of the campus. Could we picture our S at this school? This past year, S talked to a recruiter about the J-School and we were quite impressed with this school.
Then we branched out to look at another school, my alma mater. They offered a lot of the courses that S likes. They thought it was early that she was looking at her potential college. I didn't think that as we had been getting cards from L's alma mater for the past few years. S met with one of the teachers at my alma mater and she was quite impressed as we were.
Colleges offers kids nowadays, a potential scholarship of $1,000 if they go to their school; to Ipods; and to t-shirts. They visit at the high school with juniors and seniors and offer up their best pitch to the student. The way they go after the average student is probably how colleges went/or goes after blue-chip athletes.
So now we have more campus visits lined up in the next year. Where could S see herself in the next few years? Who could offer us a great financial aid package? What school does she see herself thriving at? Public or private? Private schools are most appealing because of the type of students they recruit and small class size. But the downside of a private college is the cost. And so public schools start to look better because it is less of a pain in the pocket.
Do kids choose where they go to college because of where their friends from HS are planning to go? Or do they step out in faith, and go somewhere where they know no one and meet new friends? Do they choose a small private college, or a huge university setting? They should choose where they feel the most comfortable living I think.
When it was my "choice," which actually turned out to be my parents choice as they were footing the bill, I chose Juco. It was in my town and I could stay at home. My friends went there and I met new friends there too. I had small classes and could actually study what I wanted to major in (then) right off. I didn't have to wait two years to get to do my major (like I would have to wait at a large university). While there I changed my major twice and wanted to teach. So I went to ESU, not quite a KU, but larger than the college I ended up at. While at ESU, I found that the teachers were not friendly and didn't care about you as a student. I was a number. It was difficult to meet good friends there. To this day, I am not friends with people who went to ESU the same time that I did.
So while I was out at ESU, my parents suggested my Alma Mater, S.C. I took a campus visit sitting in a typical History class seeing how I would like going there. I loved it! S.C. was a good fit. I have lifelong friends from there. I didn't know anyone there as a student, but because the class size was small and it is a Christian college I think that was where God called me to be.
It will be exciting to see which college S can see herself thriving in. But in the meantime, colleges will be sending postcards, emails, texting, and setting up times to meet with us as parents. It is so different than 30 years ago!
Dogs and family
While on FB recently, I read a post by one of my FB friends who talked about their dog being in the vet hospital clinic. My thoughts immediately came to surface.
After our first dog had died we had adopted a dog in Wichita very quickly. We brought her home and gave her a new name. After a while we grew tired of the dog and she was placed in adoption again. She just wasn't like family.
Then we adopted another dog from Petsmart. She was a lovely dog (or so we thought). We took her to the vet to have her fixed but to only find out that she was pregnant with many puppies. So we had to pay for vet fees to fix her and not bring that many puppies in the world. After her operation she began to snap at us and our relatives. My MIL feared that our son who was quite young at the time, would be bitten by the dog. So once again we gave that dog up for adoption.
I started looking on the Internet for the exact dog that we wanted. I found one in Newton. So we remarked how much this one looked exactly like our first dog. We loved this dog but she had a problem, she was a barker! The neighbors didn't take kindly to her at all!! One day we had noticed that, Sugar seemed off-color. She wasn't eating and had thrown up several times. I guess back then I wasn't smart enough to know that this dog was seriously ill. I kept thinking the dog would get better. She did not. I kept thinking if only I would have taken her to the vet earlier what would have happened? A day later after all this sickness, I called her only to find her lifeless body in the dog house. It broke my heart. All I could think about is that someone killed her. To this day, I have no idea what exactly happened. My vet couldn't explain it either.
Then we got a puppy from the vet. We thought this dog would turn out to be great. He was not! He was a cute little puppy and the kids all liked him but as he grew older he got more dangerous. After a year we had had it with this dog and gave him back to the vet. Meanwhile, the vet had this very big dog! The kids fell in love with her. She was fixed and she was in need of a home. She was a collie. I wasn't sure how L would take have a big dog but he was going to have to get used to it. The fate of the puppy that we returned was short lived. He tried to bite a worker at the clinic and "devil dog," was put to sleep.
So we had the collie for eight short years. In a life of a collie that was a long time for her, in our eyes it was very short. But then we look back at how old J was when we got her until her death. It was a long time even in people years. She was such a loving dog. I always remember her with tears as she used to lay her head on my chest and I would look into her brown eyes. She was in love and I with her. To this day, I think of her and still cry. In her old age, she stopped eating and taking in water. We would go out to her pen, petting her. Finally one day, I just couldn't take it anymore and decided she should be put out of her misery (mostly our misery).
At the time the dog had died, I was taking care of my friends lively little indoor dog. I considered adopting her as her family was gone most of the time, but I just couldn't see us with a small dog. We went a few months without a dog, but it just wasn't the same.
We went back out to Wichita and found several dogs that were up for adoption. I had my eye on a black lab while J had his eyes on a white blonde lab who was about a 1 1/2 years old. The age was right for me and we got to know him before we took him home. We had to teach him not to jump on us and worked with him to understand the word "sit." We changed his name from a college name to a KU player name. Finally a year and a half has passed and M is finally become one of the family. He no longer jumps on us and sort of knows the word sit...only if I say it about 20 times and have a biscuit in my hand. No longer does he have a blank stare at us. He is excited when we see him and I'm excited to see him. He is one of the family. I hope to have him longer than 8 years.
This time 8 years will seem like a long time when comparing it in people years. Children will become young adults. Amazing how time flies in only 8 years.
After our first dog had died we had adopted a dog in Wichita very quickly. We brought her home and gave her a new name. After a while we grew tired of the dog and she was placed in adoption again. She just wasn't like family.
Then we adopted another dog from Petsmart. She was a lovely dog (or so we thought). We took her to the vet to have her fixed but to only find out that she was pregnant with many puppies. So we had to pay for vet fees to fix her and not bring that many puppies in the world. After her operation she began to snap at us and our relatives. My MIL feared that our son who was quite young at the time, would be bitten by the dog. So once again we gave that dog up for adoption.
I started looking on the Internet for the exact dog that we wanted. I found one in Newton. So we remarked how much this one looked exactly like our first dog. We loved this dog but she had a problem, she was a barker! The neighbors didn't take kindly to her at all!! One day we had noticed that, Sugar seemed off-color. She wasn't eating and had thrown up several times. I guess back then I wasn't smart enough to know that this dog was seriously ill. I kept thinking the dog would get better. She did not. I kept thinking if only I would have taken her to the vet earlier what would have happened? A day later after all this sickness, I called her only to find her lifeless body in the dog house. It broke my heart. All I could think about is that someone killed her. To this day, I have no idea what exactly happened. My vet couldn't explain it either.
Then we got a puppy from the vet. We thought this dog would turn out to be great. He was not! He was a cute little puppy and the kids all liked him but as he grew older he got more dangerous. After a year we had had it with this dog and gave him back to the vet. Meanwhile, the vet had this very big dog! The kids fell in love with her. She was fixed and she was in need of a home. She was a collie. I wasn't sure how L would take have a big dog but he was going to have to get used to it. The fate of the puppy that we returned was short lived. He tried to bite a worker at the clinic and "devil dog," was put to sleep.
So we had the collie for eight short years. In a life of a collie that was a long time for her, in our eyes it was very short. But then we look back at how old J was when we got her until her death. It was a long time even in people years. She was such a loving dog. I always remember her with tears as she used to lay her head on my chest and I would look into her brown eyes. She was in love and I with her. To this day, I think of her and still cry. In her old age, she stopped eating and taking in water. We would go out to her pen, petting her. Finally one day, I just couldn't take it anymore and decided she should be put out of her misery (mostly our misery).
At the time the dog had died, I was taking care of my friends lively little indoor dog. I considered adopting her as her family was gone most of the time, but I just couldn't see us with a small dog. We went a few months without a dog, but it just wasn't the same.
We went back out to Wichita and found several dogs that were up for adoption. I had my eye on a black lab while J had his eyes on a white blonde lab who was about a 1 1/2 years old. The age was right for me and we got to know him before we took him home. We had to teach him not to jump on us and worked with him to understand the word "sit." We changed his name from a college name to a KU player name. Finally a year and a half has passed and M is finally become one of the family. He no longer jumps on us and sort of knows the word sit...only if I say it about 20 times and have a biscuit in my hand. No longer does he have a blank stare at us. He is excited when we see him and I'm excited to see him. He is one of the family. I hope to have him longer than 8 years.
This time 8 years will seem like a long time when comparing it in people years. Children will become young adults. Amazing how time flies in only 8 years.
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