Parvo

Our little Harriette is 6 months as of today.  Texted the man we got her from this morning to ask about her papers.  He said he'd mail them to us months ago.  Turns out he lost our information and was really happy to hear from us, to hear that Harriette is doing well.

Apparently her two brothers, shown below, died of parvo four weeks after they were adopted.  A woman adopted both of them, and after their death revealed this is the third time puppies have contracted parvo from her home.  Really sad.  And it's why today we're even happier than we normally would be to have Harry in our life.  Had the woman seen her first, she totally would have taken her home.

Our Week Away

I've always wanted to visit the northwest and this past week I finally did.  Spencer and I spent Monday through Monday exploring Seattle, Portland, driving the coast, and celebrating the marriage of Corydon, the sister's brother in law, and Kayla.

I don't journal anymore.  Barely blog.  And as Spencer and I sat on the dock to my sister's mother-in-law's home, we both wished we recorded our adventures more often.  That we paused and reflected on what a great time we're having.  Allison does this with Amy regularly.  She lists everything Amy did over a certain period of days so she can recognize that indeed, life is good.  I don't do that enough.

So this entry, just reflecting on some of the memories that will be lost unless I write them down.

I want to remember how the morning we got into Tacoma.  The first morning of our vacation, Spencer had to go to the doctor.  An ear infection, pink eye, and strep throat.  Poor guy.  We went to dinner in Tacoma with Allison, Walker, and Kathy that night and he was so miserable he laid down on the sidewalk in an effort to clear his sinuses.  The next day when we visited Seattle, we made it a point to lie on a blanket in parks twice, for the same reason.

I want to remember how incredibly welcome we felt staying at Kathy's home for the week.  We came home from the doctor that first day to homemade chicken noodle soup.  Were invited to endless family gatherings, and didn't feel out of place.  The last full day as Spencer and I finally took a swim in Gravelly Lake, we even ended up taking a spin around it in Dave and Sarah's (Walker's uncle and aunt) float boat, as they spotted us sun bathing and picked us up.

Gravelly Lake (Lakewood, WA)

Also the awe.  So much awe.  Spencer and I aren't used to homes with pools, hot tubs, tennis courts, and green houses. Lakes so clear you can see the bottom.  We're not used to acres upon acres of beautifully manicured lawns and gardens, and having family so incredibly geographically close (three family homes surrounded the local Tacoma lake).  I'm not in awe often anymore.  There isn't much that gets me excited, even but man, so many times on this vacation I turned to Spencer and said "Isn't this amazing?"

There was the beautiful wedding at Lakewold Gardens, a state historic landmark and the home where Walker's grandmother was raised.  The sparklers shaped like hearts that we held, creating a path for the couple as they left the wedding.  And there was the dancing.  So much dancing.  And Amy, who traveled to Tacoma with two caretakers, was so included.  It wasn't just immediate family dancing next to her wheelchair, but people we didn't know, or had only met once.  And I want to remember how during the mother-son dance between Kathy and Corydon, Amy was invited to join.  Then Allison and Walker joined.  It was touching.  So much so that Spencer teared up.  Before the end of the song, we were part of the dance as well.

Earlier that day, Allison, Amy and I got manicures.  The highlight of which was a Lifetime movie ("The Perfect Spouse") on in the salon about a husband who goes crazy and tries to keep his pregnant wife to himself.  I'm still thinking about it.

And Allison.  Pregnant Allison.  I want to remember that too.  How she tried on a dozen maternity dresses she ordered from Target, and stood in Kathy's living room, trying each on for me as I helped her decide which to keep.  How she kept rubbing and poking her belly, and the excitement around this first little one to the family.

In short, Spencer and I had such an amazing vacation with such an amazing family, who while distantly, if even, related, welcomed us with open arms.  We're home now, back with our three cats, our ever-growing puppy, and back to work.  But we have some amazing memories, I really want to hold on to.