Dooma Video

In Memory

Today we lost a close friend in Otis. This summer his health had been digressing steadily. The fleas were an obvious factor and when we took him to the vet we discovered a tapeworm and other intestinal parasites. We had him treated for all of those but he continued to lose weight in spite our efforts. Last week was his final dose of tapeworm meds but there was no sign of improvement. The last few days we could really tell he was dying. We thought he might have gotten into some mouse poison, but after talking to the vet, he said that wasn't a factor. He had lost his appetite, and paid no attention to what was going on around him. So finally this morning, when he could barely walk a couple of steps. We took him in to see what, if anything, we could do. The vet found a tumor the size of a softball in his abdomen and said that his liver had shut down completely. The painful decision was then made to let him go to sleep for the last time.

We took him home and buried him under the pine tree in our back yard. We covered the bottom of his grave with his favorite petunia plant that he always slept in. As we were burying him, the noon church bells were ringing. It was as good a funeral as you could expect a dog to have.

Sarah had Otis 6 months before we even started dating. She took him everywhere with her, even when she wasn't supposed to. For over a year, that was her only roommate. He has been a great dog, and had just as much attitude as Sarah. We will miss his playful prancing, his wagging that would begin at his rib cage, and his exasperated grunts. Below are several pictures of Otis.

I would like for any of you who knew Otis (espectially Sarah's family and my mom) to share any memories or nice thoughts about him.

More pics from the park

The picture at the top of the Contentment post is from our trip to Jackson. We went to pick up the studio pictures of our family (one of these days we will actually send them out). But for now, here are some of the other pictures from the trip.

Family Life Lessons: 3- Contentment

I have noticed a behavioral peculiarity in my son Jude. If I put him in his play pen with a toy, he quickly becomes discontented. However, if I pick him up and sit him in my lap with the same toy, he gets a new-found interest in the toy and plays with it for a much longer time before getting restless. In times like these, he isn't looking to me for entertainment, for talking or singing. Just the fact that he is in my lap allows him the comfort and contentment to enjoy the little he has.

For those of you who are slow in realizing biblical truths through everyday life, let me spell this out.

When David wrote, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." He did not mean that God will provide everything that you want, he meant that when you are in God's lap, you want little else.

If you are discontent, I submit to you that this has nothing to do with whether or not you have your hands full of stuff, but whether or not you are fully in God's hands.

Family Life Lessons: 2- Too Much of a Good Thing!?

I have striven to be a good husband in many ways. Recently, I cleaned the living room like it hasn't been cleaned in a long time, I'm talking about down on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor with Murphy's oil Soap. Likewise, I have been increasing my efforts in the kitchen. Now that Sarah is working 2-3 12 hour shifts a week, I have washed the dishes more than I have in the past and have explored new recipes to satisfy her ravenous hunger especially on her work days. I have on occasion packed her lunch, I have consistently been walking Jude every morning in the Snugli, but recently, I have gone too far. We have a Netflix account and the only internet access we have is at my office. I have been trying to order movies that she will like in addition to the type of movies I tend to enjoy. She has truly enjoyed the Anne of Green Gables book series several times through, so, I thought she would appreciate watching Anne of Green Gables (as a brief respite from our current trek through the Heroes series). So, we watched Anne of Green Gables over the past two nights, during which, I have to admit, I did tear up a little. On top of all these things at home, I have a good relationship with my mom, and get along better with the women of our church than the men.

With all of that running through her mind, last night Sarah asked me, "Are you gay?"

In light of that query, I am changing my ways. I am going to load up our Netflix queue with the entire Die Hard, Terminator, Rocky, series'. I am going to start a diet that consists primarily of steak and Ranch Style Beans, and let the farting begin (that's right Mom, farting, not passing gas). I will no longer flush the toilet or put the seat down. I am going to leave my holey underwear all over the house and order all of Dish network's NFL and ESPN channel's. If I do any decorating, it will be with sports memorabilia. I am going to hunt as much as I can this season and mount their decapitated heads all over the house. I might even get that singing fish thing mounted in our house. I am going to start dipping, well, I'm not sure I can follow up on that one, but I will at least carry a can around in my back pocket. This is the new Drew.

Family Life Lessons: 1- You reap what you sow

The father who indulges their child by letting him play with the stream of water flowing from a fountain or water hose while holding him; should be prepared for a difficult time if he decides to hold said child while attempting to use the urinal.

Family Life Lessons: Introduction

I have decided to begin posting lessons I have learned through the God given school of Family. These are probably more for my benefit than for any one else's, though I hope you enjoy them and post any comments on that particular lesson or a similar lesson you have been taught through your perspective schools.

As you can see, I will continue to display at least one photo per post for those of you who are here for the pictures, not the words.

Fleas (cont.)

We have found plenty of evidence that we are inflicting heavy casualties on the fleas (the best of which is when we swept the porch and piled up the dead bodies. It was like the beaches of Normandy, but instead of tragic, the sight was quite inspiring.), however, anytime we walk around outside, inevitably several fleas will jump on our legs and try to attach.
In other news, Jude is definitely getting ready to crawl. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks, but his primary mode of transportation is currently the log roll, a move which he has mastered in the last week or so.

That's all I have to say about that.

Squealing

First food

Fleas

While this is not a real picture, It gives you a good idea of what Jude would look like if we sat him on the ground near the dog house

We are currently in a battle against a horde of fleas that have infested our yard. Right now I think the fleas are winning through sheer numbers, but I think the tide is turning in our favor. We have besieged them and deprived them of any food (by poisoning the mice and treating the dogs thoroughly). We have also spread insecticide all over their territory. We are inflicting heavy casualties but have not lost any of our own yet, but like I said...their numbers are overwhelming.