Happy Birthday, Zeus

Today, May 10^th, Zeus is 10 years old.  It’s his golden birthday – the birthday when the date (the 10^th) matches his new age (10 years old). 

Zeus is a yellow lab – his father’s name was Taff and his mother’s name was Sandy.  They were brought from Scotland to Cambridge, Maryland, when they were 5 months old.  Zeus was a member of their last litter. 

Zeus has 4 brothers and 1 sister and joined us as an 8 week old puppy, on the 4^th of July, 2001.  We already had a 7 year old, black lab named Jake when Zeus joined our family.  He was a bundle of energy – chaos followed him wherever he went.  And poor Jake didn’t have a clue why we would burden him with a lightning bug that insisted on being in his face all the time. 

Zeus came to us for a couple of reasons.  One, we thought we were ready for a second dog.  We thought Jake needed a companion who would, dare I say it, keep him young!  And I needed someone, or something, to take care of.  My mom was diagnosed with leukemia in February of 2001.  She and my stepdad lived in Mt. Holly, New Jersey – about 2-1/2 hours away from us.  I went to see them almost every weekend for the 2 years she fought her battle with that insidious disease.  Zeus was the bundle of joy and energy that welcomed me when I came home from a tough weekend with my mom.  He laid down with me when I was feeling overwhelmed, he yanked my shoulder out of the socket when I walked him, he needed me to feed him and take him to the vet if he was sick.  I could take care of him.  But he really took care of me during those tough times.

And now, he is ten years old.  He is still a bundle of chaos and joy.  He loves to lay down in the middle of the room where everyone is located - all 110 pounds of him – laying in the middle of a doorway or near an open paint can or on my side of the bed.  His tail is constantly in motion.  He spins the food bowl when he’s hungry and the water bowl if it’s empty.  And he still jumps up to greet me whether  I’ve been gone for 5 minutes or 5 days. 

Happy Birthday, sweet mama’s boy!  Happy Birthday!

Mother's Day

Sunday, May 8^th is Mother’s Day in the U.S.  With all the changes in our world community this past week, it’s not easy to focus on the local, the in-house, our own little piece of the world.  So, just for today, whether you’re a mom or not, please take this moment to just breathe.  Look up from your computer screen and glance around the room.  Are you surrounded by loved ones – 4-leggeds, 2-leggeds, scaley, feathers-covered?  Are you surrounded by scents of coffee and sounds of plates crashing and silverware clanging?  Are you surrounded by muffled announcements about code orange and suspicious luggage?  My hope is that while you may be surrounded by any of these things, you feel loved and secure inside. 

I am happily, and proudly, a daughter and daughter-in-law.  Though my mom passed away in 2003, and my mother-in-law passed away in 2009, I still feel their presence in my little world.  My mom’s artwork, the creativity she passed down to my sisters and I, features from her face that are on mine and the boys, are things that remind me of her.  We live on Kent Island, my mother-in-law’s beloved home town.  We are responsible for keeping an eye out for the osprey, the mallards and Canadian geese, the Chesapeake Bay, and the bunnies in the yard – all things she loved dearly and passionately. 

My dad and stepmom live in Livermore, Colorado.  While I really only get to see them once a year, I am reminded of them when I hear my kids laugh, when my youngest stands with his back to me, and when I read about our soldiers around the world.

I am happily, and proudly, the mother of 2 men.  It’s hard to believe they are men – it’s only been about 24-1/2 years since the oldest was an infant.  Where did the time go?  I know they turned out well because they are kind to others, their coworkers speak highly of them, other parents notice they are good people.  I also know they turned out well because they willingly cut the grass or take the dog to the vet on their day off when they are asked.  They still hold my hand – not because I am a doddering old mom, but because I extend my hand and they take it willingly. 

It’s days like today when we miss our moms and mothers-in-law the most.  You think about past  Mother’s Days, you hope your kids won’t forget, you think about your niece becoming a mom for the first time.  And then you realize, in spite of the world moving very fast around you, your small part of the world is also changing.  Change is a good thing.