Running With Hope (Hebrews 12:1-3): Update and Puppy Love :)

     God is answering so many prayers! Thank you for lifting Jord and I up to the Great Physician. They have doubled the dose of one of my antibiotics as my mucus is still not going back to "normal" colors. Thankfully, I have tolerated it well, praise the Lord! Yeast have come back with a vengeance in spite of extra probiotics, so hello thrush, how I missed you....NOT! ;)

   Today is Jord's first day of a week and a half of vacation time. I'm so thankful he is able to do that. It will be good for him to have some time off and refresh and rejuvenate. He surprised me by taking the time off and planning to go see our dear friends, the Leija's in Nebraska when I get out of here. As of now, I will be here until the 21st and we have plane tickets the 22nd, so join us in praying that doubling the antibiotic dose will kick this infection and we don't have to change travel plans. Nevertheless, not what we will, but what You will, Lord.

   I'm also SUPER EXCITED because Jordan is allowed to bring my sweet Black Lab, Crash to the outside of the hospital and I can go down and see her. I miss getting puppy loves and snuggles and everyone says she mopes when I'm not around. I couldn't remember if I shared how she "chose" me, but I checked back in old posts and it doesn't look like it so here is the story of how a female dog got the name "Crash" and came to be mine. :)

   When Justin had his motorcycle accident, he had just moved to Phoenix three weeks prior. Not knowing how he was going to do or recover, he had to move back home with Mom and Dad so they could care for him. Growing up, we've always had an assortment of dogs, cats, horses, pigs, chickens etc. etc. Knowing Justin would need something to focus on as he got better and the frustrations that would come with not being able to do "normal" things right away, my sister went to the humane society looking for a puppy and came home with a 3 week old Black Lab puppy. She immediately captured all of our hearts and really helped Mom and Justin through the recovery. Justin was still in the early "out of it" stages and since he had just been in the crash, he named her Midnight Crash.

   A year and a half after the accident, Justin was ready to move out on his own again and he wanted to take Crash with him, but Mom had fallen in love with her too and there was a joke about someone not being able to afford the "custody battle". Justin moved out without Crash and got another puppy (which is another story for another day...), and Mom kept her. Every time I would go out to the house, she would get super excited and jump all over me and run circles around me and follow me everywhere I went. Mom said when I left she would mope and pout for a couple of days. Finally, several years ago on Christmas Day, Jen and I went on a horseback ride for a couple of hours. Apparently, the entire two hours, she sat at the window looking outside and whined. At that point Mom said, "She loves you more than she loves me, so you might as well take her." We took her home to be with us in March of that year when she was 3. It was really sweet because she was past the potty training and puppy chewing stage but young enough to where we will get to enjoy her for years to come. This seems to be a theme with my parents getting the puppy stages then kids moving out and taking their dogs with them, but Mom finally rescued her very own dog Hoss. :)

   It's amazing how animals just "know" certain things and we all believe that's the case with Crash. God knew I needed some extra TLC and so Crash "chose" me. When I'm really sick, she will just come snuggle with me on the couch. When I'm doing my vest treatments she is extra protective. When we first got her, she didn't like Jordan's Dad very much and one day I was doing my treatments and he went to come towards me and she literally stood over me, guarding me, and started growling a little bit. When I'm crying, she will lick my tears or throw a toy in my lap and just look at me like, "Come on Mom, cheer up, lets play!"

   Her favorite treat is carrots. If she hears someone say "carrot" her ears perk up and she runs back and forth to the fridge like, "come on, it's in there, I know you want to give it to me!." :)

   I'm so thankful to God for His kindness in giving animals that love on us and can make you feel better just by being near. Coming home is so much better to hear the feet running down the stairs with her tags jingling. If I have my hands full she keeps circling around me until I put things down and "properly greet" her. :) God didn't have to create animals for us to enjoy, but He did...He is so gracious and kind to His creation!

Enjoy the pictures! :)
Rachelle