This might be a long one, because a lot of the pictures we took this week were on that one camera. =)
First of all, this was sent to me this week, and cannot be ignored. Someone made a great Wise Man at Christmas time in his class. =)
So Monday, H&K had to choose pictures for their spotlight at New Beginnings this week. Here's what they chose. Halle:
Kierste:
This memory came up on FB from a FEW years ago! Valentine's dinners for our sweetheart children.
This is the week we prepare to say goodbye to one of our favorite people in the world. Our beautiful, tiger-striped, strong, happy puppy. He's only 5.5, but he has a joint disease that can't be treated, and is slowly crippling him. He lies around crying or sleeping when he isn't forcing himself to limp outside to use the yard. Poor poor baby boy.
Since we made an appointment to have him go to Heaven, the vet gave us some narcotic meds so he could feel better for his last week. In his pain, before his meds really started working, he still made himself get up and go lie by anyone who was hanging around, still protecting and comforting them.
Wednesday, Connor had his Blue & Gold Banquet, where we had hotdogs, chips & soda & cake. And a talent show with magic, piano performances, comic strip displays, etc. Last one ever. #ripBSA
Then we had New Beginnings, where the new Beehives are introduced to YW by the other YW. We had explanations of the values & Personal Progress, and also spotlights on the new girls coming in... like the twins.
That night we documented H&K's Egyptian masks from their unit at school... Miranda, Carlie, Morgan & Derek had all come home with similar masks. They get to hold perfectly still with Vaseline all over their faces while plaster is smeared on them, then it dries, so it is a literal image of their faces.
Thursday, Zeus's girlfriend came over for a last play date. Scout was the first dog he met; before we even got to our house for the first time, we stopped by Scout's house to introduce him to her. She was SO HAPPY to meet him. She could hardly contain herself; and he grew to be her boyfriend. =)
But Thursday, she made his goodbye so sweet. She barked and scuffled with him; he was in heaven. If she had left him bloodied, he would have been even happier. He boxed her, barked back, loved her.
We'll have to show you the pictures of 2015, when he donned his bow tie and brought her a treat and toy on Valentine's Day. They happily played keep-away with it, and then dissolved into exhausted happiness, tearing the toy apart together. There were so many slobbery kisses in the process - I was amazed how much they loved each other. =)
When they brought her over, Cory & Kristen Edwards, who love Zeus, too, brought him treats - sausage, bacon, egg, cheese... perfect for his perfect day. HE EVEN SAT. Which he hasn't been able to do for months. His meds are working miracles.
We also ate some of the special Jello dessert our friend Alejandra made for us. She had made one for my mom, too. I'm so happy that whenever there is something with Alejandra, who isn't a member of the church, that Miranda happens to be home. We sent her this picture of us eating her dessert. She loves to talk to Miranda whenever she comes to clean and Miranda is here. I love Alejandra.
That night, we all went to Carlie's Movie Knight performance for choir. They all did songs from Hollywood movies - just no Disney, since they did that before.
The Cup Song from Pitch Perfect.
Group Newsies song:
Afterward, we went straight to Morgan's church ball game. They have played better. Sometimes you cream the opponent; sometimes, you don't. They played so awesome, though!
I invited his other known girlfriend, Luna, over. He was in heaven again. She's more passive, and he doesn't try to make puppies with her. She's just someone he loves to run away and find at her house. He was so gleeful.
Friday, when I came home that morning, I saw Zeus lying down in relative pain. This week, he has stopped getting up and greeting people at the door. He has stopped even sitting up or raising his head when you come in the room. He just follows you with his eyes. Sometimes, when he can't get up and do things, he won't even look at Jeff & me. He kind of hides his head like he's ashamed. It's the worst. It keeps us remembering that this is the right thing to do for him. So I found myself lying down next to him, like he did for us for so many years.
Sweet Sterling came and tried to do the same thing.
But Chloe licked his face enough, that he retreated to the stairs, where he could still be near him for support, but not have to get smothered by the little dog.
I invited his other known girlfriend, Luna, over. He was in heaven again. She's more passive, and he doesn't try to make puppies with her. She's just someone he loves to run away and find at her house. He was so gleeful.
When he got out with me to drop her off at her house, he ran away for a while, and Luna's owner told me that he probably ran off to see his English bulldog friend in that direction... I couldn't have known about these friends that he sees only when he sneaks out and runs away from our house. What a blessing that he came with me, so he could see his contraband friends again, one last time.
He went with me to pick up Elementary carpool, one of his favorite things ever, for the last time.
He's just such a handsome dog and I love him so much. I couldn't help but take pictures of him being sad and forlorn, but brave. It's seriously like he understands... not that he's going to Heaven, but that he's going downhill and we're loving him extra hard, saying goodbye.
Connor, of course had his friends over on Friday night.
Zeus has started being allowed to sit next to people on the couch, an off-limits place until now.
When no one was left in the living room, all 3 pets were just hanging out together.
Saturday afternoon, the twins had a piano "recital" performance at a cool pizza place in Provo.
That night, I cooked Zeus a T-bone steak. We had to let it cool so he wouldn't burn his mouth.
After a few minutes, he came to get me: ok, enough of this cooling off stuff!!
Honestly, I racked my brain to think of anything else to make him exquisitely happy his last day or two. It had been SO COLD, that we didn't encourage him to run away (which brought him joy before), because it really would hurt him so much to get caught out there, unable to run home because of the pain.
I thought over & over again, that the only other "person" he would want to see might be a roaming mastiff in the neighborhood named Hoss, who only comes around about 3 times a year. He has loved playing with him in the past. I thought: wouldn't it be the icing on the cake if he happened to come around?
Sunday morning, during a little MiaMaid class presidency meeting at our house, I saw Zeus zooming, sprinting across the yard. He was playing with HOSS THROUGH THE FENCE. I don't care if anyone else believes it: I think Heavenly Father loves Zeus.
We invited him in the yard, fed & watered him, and he made Zeus SO HAPPY. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU HOSS.
And another tender mercy: it was a warm sunny day! I propped the garage doors open so they could run away when they were done playing, and they did. They headed out into the neighborhood together, and Zeus got to explore his favorite haunts one. last. time.
It wore him out all the way. Jeff had a feeling at one point that he should go pick him up. He always ends up at Luna's house, and that's right where he was, totally spent. The rest of the day he recuperated. Happy, happy dog.
That night, he got another T-bone steak, cooked by Daddy. Waiting for it to cool...
And then, thank heavens, the neighbor girl Eve called. She had walked Zeus so many times during the summers to earn money, and when he had run away and wouldn't come back to us, we could ask Eve to please find him, and she worked her magic and coaxed him home when no one else could. She's a true animal whisperer, and he loved her so much. I'm SO GLAD she heard about him and came over!!!!! He insisted on going on a walk with her. He wouldn't even go in the house. So out into the dark 20 degrees they went, making him ultimately gleeful again. This dog is going to literally die happy.
That night, we reminisced about all the good times with Zeus, looking at pictures and watching videos of him all through his life. One of the pictures, I don't know if you can tell, was Morgan, lying next to him on the couch when he was super small. I had to get a picture of him lying next to Morgan on the couch at the end of his life, while we celebrated his fun, wonderful 5.5 years with us.
At one point, we were watching Zeus whining and begging Sterling the new kitten to be his friend, while Sterling, unconvinced, kept swiping at him with his razors. Zeus perked up and watched the whole episode with us. So adorable.
And that takes us through Sunday night, so we'll end here. His appointment is tomorrow morning. I cannot hold back all the tears.
Meme time. All animals. =)
Zeus. Every. Single. Day.
And this is true, every single word.
xoxoxoxoxooxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxo
