Welcome 2012!

Happy happy New Year to each and every one of you!!

My six month break from blogging was the start of a six month break from "me" stuff.  I stopped blogging, writing, working in the sketchbook, spinning, knitting, scrapbooking, and crocheting.  I didn't stop reading books, but every other thing went by the wayside except the very much needed focus on other priorities. We even stopped our Sunday grandson / grandmother trips to the game store for role-playing games.

Sounds like things were pretty quiet, yes?  Well, during that time we:

• had our annual family vacation at the beach which was wonderful as always. We took the puppies, and they both loved the ocean. After three days, though, Jack Junior got very very ill. He cried out in pain, was unable to walk, had urinary problems, and slept rolled up in a tiny ball. Mr. Bryant took him home the very next morning to get pain medication from the vet, while I stayed and took pictures and loved the time with the fam.

  

• said goodbye to Ama as she went off to Portland. Mr. Bryant laid out her driving trip across the country, and we even found a cabin in Yellowstone for one of the nights of the trip. The drive took her to the Arch in St. Louis, Colorado to see friends, Yellowstone, Coeur d'Alene, and the Columbia River Gorge. 
• said Goodbye to Shannon and John and family as they went off to new adventures in Virginia.
• put all the puppies on a new diet. 
• watched the puppies grow like weeds!

• took Jack Junior to six vets and finally to NC State Veterinary School, where they diagnosed the infection that was crippling and killing him.  We got him started on a three to six month course of antibiotics and noticed immediate improvement in his condition.
• continued to take the puppies to Obedience Training. 

 

• flew the cats across the country to greet Ama in Portland.
• learned the incredible blessings of being members of the Leonberger Community. 

 

• had a fabulous family Thanksgiving in the mountains hosted by Mr. and Mrs. McFadden.

 

• had another wonderful Christmas hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Hanson.
• went to an amazing New Years dinner with our very dear friends.

In addition to all this, I interviewed for a new job or two, adjusted to a restructure at work, and did my best to support Mr. Bryant while HE adjusted to a restructure at work.

During all this time off from "me," I thought I was doing the right things, doing the things that needed to be done, paying primary attention to the other people in my life in the best way. But as I look back at the last half of the year, I can see that I was less centered, less thoughtful, and frankly, less confident.

I am grateful to have learned this lesson, which I think I really knew but allowed myself to conveniently forget.  Taking care of "me" is important, and changes how I interact with the world at every level.

I can't say that I am sorry to see 2011 go.  Although it wasn't the worst year it also wasn't the best.  And sometimes, that's exactly the inspiration needed to go forth and know this New Year better, man! (with a nod here to our friends, the Muppets!)

Here is to the most wonderful year yet.  Welcome 2012!

My Beautiful Beloved

We know which puppy is to be ours from the first litter!

CaraBella Mia, 7 weeks

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Mandolin Trails CaraBella Mia! Isn't she just the cutest thing you ever saw? :)

We had a time coming up with the name. Leonberger tradition required us to choose a name beginning with a "C" for her registered name (as is required for all the puppies in this particular litter). We ran through a bunch - Mandolin Trails Carolina Cadence (we would have called her Cady), Mandolin Trails Cream in my Coffee (we just loved this one, but couldn't get anywhere with it), Mandolin Trails Caramel Latte (we would have called her Cara), and several others. But it was pretty easy to settle on CaraBella Mia when we learned which girl would be ours.

Our breeder has told us that this little pup looks very much like her mother looked when she was tiny. They even nicknamed her "Mini Me" when they were playing with the pups. The mother is named Absolutely Arabella, and so we will call our little girl Bella, in honor of her momma (see here).

We go to Virginia to get Bella on December 11th and are pretty excited to bring her home. We understand that she is a very busy puppy, into everything, learning things first and fast, at the front of the line, bossing the other puppies around, talking nonstop. Very much the Queen Bee, and exactly as she should be!

We still have lots to do, so today means a trip to the pet store. This week we will measure some things and buy some gates. We might be rearranging some furniture. Fun, right?! Based on how Max and Gracie engage with Zuko when he comes to visit, I expect that they will be best friends in no time at all, but this is certainly going to be interesting and keep Mr. Bryant and I busy busy. We are planning out the first week with schedules and such, since I have to work out of the home - and even travel, dang it. But the following two weeks I am 100% home, as is Mr. Bryant. In the new year we should have a reasonably flexible schedule, which will be perfect. And in mid to late January, we will be bringing home our second puppy to be Bella's BFF!

Our little boy puppy is growing beautifully as well, you can see pictures here.

Sometimes it all just takes my breath away. Bella's picture was the first puppy picture that caught my eye on the Mandolin Trails web site, when she was only 8 days old.


I asked our breeder about her, but I never thought that she would come home with us. I didn't want a "pick of the litter." We don't plan to do conformation, we have no interest in breeding puppies - and perfect dogs (and cats!) need to breed so their characteristics are gifted back into the blood lines. We do plan to do obedience and would love to go to Companion Dog; maybe Rally - but a smart dog will really enjoy these activities, and doesn't need to be a "pick of the litter" from a breed standard perspective. So we just wanted a fabulous wonderful delightful smart loving pet. A pet that would be loving to the family, get along with other pet, love the kids, play lots. A pet that would be part of the family, really. Perfect for us. Bella looked so perfect to me in the pictures that I was sure she was going to someone that would show her, maybe even take her to Westminster.

But each time I looked at the next week of pictures, my eyes stopped at Bella. She made me smile. The breeder talked about her energy, how she was going to be a singer, how she talked so much, how she was a cuddler. I showed pictures of her around, but also looked at all the puppies, knowing that any one of them would be perfect for us. And yet, Bella is the puppy that our breeder chose for us! And she sounds like the very perfect one. Synchronicity. A larger plan at work. A glimpse into the divine movement behind all things. A blessing.

Makes me stop and be thankful for just how amazingly lucky we are, in the midst of everything.

Should be a pretty darned interesting holiday!