Pups in action...

Will miss these faces.    Tobey and Pearl leave tomorrow morning for Baltimore and CJ goes to a nice family in Westport.  The remaining 2 will become best buds, depending on if both stay 'til the culmination of December madness, or just one.  

Almost daily friends/family ask about the whole experience.  "Wont you be so sad to see them go?!?!"   

Yes,  but cleaning up their poop and Pee so often makes the separation seem bearable, some day.  I know I will revel in the hours of extra time every day, and I understand now why breeders say you are ready to see them go by 8 weeks. But a few days with puppy breath and kisses and I will want them all back. 

"Will you do this again?" 

That answer is a an unequivocal and resounding YES! Except for the 26 degree mornings when the pups were covered in their own diarrhea and  I wanted to cry a few times…I have loved ALMOST every minute of it.  EVEN the dirty caring for them, the same way it feels good to know your baby is clean, fed, dry and full and you don't stay annoyed for too very long at the blow-out she has on her new dress right before you are finally leaving (late, again!) for church. As I have listened to dear friends or my stud-of-a-brother talk about running marathons, I always wonder HOW they did it, and WHY they would ever choose to do it, again; when they talk about wanting to curl up and die at mile 20.  A marathon seems about as likely for me to accomplish as it does for most other people to have 8 puppies….by choice. The big difference (besides the lack of calories I am burning doing this!)  is that no one who visits the pups is the least bit envious of this choice of mine... unless they are under the age of 12.  Yeah.  And of course I envy the brain-control and determination of the 26 milers, and would trade with them when I am at the gym or on mile 2 of my runs and (want to! :)  walk. So, this is my marathon, until I wake up one morning at 57 with a new brain and endurance. In the meantime, I will take my raw, cut-up hands from so much constant washing; and the sweats covered in white puppy-hair instead of perspiration from a work-out. Not sure what excuse I am going to have for the lack of that come Christmas!!!!

Happy weekend.  Here's to sad good-byes and new families made happier by fur and poop! 

This is reminding me of the kindness in the world!

One of the suprising things about this whole experience of Bella being a momma - and  experiencing being a "Grandma" (better not happen for REAL any earlier than 10 years from now!) is the tenderness of people's hearts. I have loved people's stories of why they are looking for a puppy; which so often have involved losing a dog. And they are wanting the joy they had with their prior pet, and are only willing to go with another Labrador!    Once a Lab-lover; always a Lab-lover! :)  So many people have called who ; months or YEARS later, are still mourning their 4-legged best friend.  It has been humbling and amazing to hear how much people are willing to do (and SPEND!) to keep their beloved Daisy/Zeus/Rex/Mocha cancer-free and here for another year or two, when dogs lives are already way too short.  I have also been surprised (and touched!) at some good souls who have shared their guilt with me for thinking of getting another puppy, as if it is a replacement of their pet.  I believe with all my heart that if there is a line to get into heaven, dogs would be at the front and the quickest to be let in. I picture them looking down on their masters, wanting them to be happy and their hearts to be healed.    The same way that if something happened to me I would want my husband to have someone to love for life.   (ok, Ok... while maybe secretly wishing he could or WOULD never find anyone cool enough to "replace" me. :)  That is the point...our beloveds aren't replaceable; rather, we have spaces in our hearts for each of them, the way my friends with 8 children can love them individually the same manner I love mine.  Our differences - and sameness - is what makes life a joyous mix of happy and hurting.  And the happy is below - "Chubbs" and "Jack" found their forever homes! love it!  I already miss Chubbs chill ways and his silky fur, as it was the softest!

Watch this and don't get a lump in your throat.  I double-dog dare you. :):)