the good the bad and the ugly...but not in that order

No, we did not get a dog! This is our neighbor's dog (the Ugly), who came through the fence into our yard! Our cat Harley felt it was her duty to "protect" the family and the yard by standing, somewhat puffed up (probably to make her more tough) at the edge of the patio where the dog could see her. I could not get her to come inside, she was going to stand her ground. This drove the dog crazy. He just paced back and forth yapping away. When I would get closer he would growl and bark at me and me being the "dog lover" that I'm NOT....told it to shut the heck up and get out of my yard before I got a stick to beat it with! (just kidding about the beating part....I said it but that was just to make me look/sound as tough as my cat). I got bored with this dog quickly and was getting ready to go introduce myself to the neighbors and tell them to come get their little beast, when I looked out and saw the dog was gone. Hmmm.... Harley was still refusing to move from her post. I went to examine the fence and the barking started up again. It was just like in the cartoons where the bottom of the fence is not attached and the critters just push it forward to get through and then it goes back down as if it weren't broken. So I called Jim to let him know what he needed to fix when he got home and went about my business. It wasn't long before that dog was back in our yard yapping again! Okay....this is getting old! Back and forth the dog went and each time it was in our yard it acted lost as if it didn't know how it got on the wrong side of the fence. Well Jim fixed the fence when he got home and we haven't had any extra beasts in our yard since. It's a good thing too because our neighbors also have chickens!
Minnie Pearl has been keeping me company at night. She is coming out of her shell and I don't think it will be too long before she actually goes outside. She's already discovered underneath the house and she goes through the cat door into the garage. It won't be long before we are a cat box free home!! (it'll be in the garage....but not in the house) Harley, Josiah and Grizabella are already going outside everyday....just one more to go.
Not sure if I will decorate around this one or paint over it (eventually). It cracks me up how my "brilliant" children always write their own names on something that is going to get them into trouble. You would think they might try to disguise it, draw a picture instead or sign someone elses name. This is the back of our front door. It's written in pencil (or light pen) so it's actually not that easy to see. When you see it in person, you can sure make out the name of the guilty party though! (Naissa)
We went to our friends wedding tonight. (The Good) It was beautiful. Being the non-traditionalist that I am, I enjoyed the music played while Allyson walked down the aisle with her dad. It made it more beautiful I think. During the ceremony they played Rascal Flatts song, "Bless the Broken Road". Tim and Allyson did many things that I've seen at other weddings, unity candles, communion, personalized vows. But they also did something I've not seen...after they exchanged rings, Tim presented Leah (Allyson's daughter) with a heart pendant that had their three birthstones in it. Because I was caught up with emotion at this precious moment, I cannot remember all the words that were said about it. It was the part of the wedding where I had to carefully keep wiping my eyes to keep my mascara from running. This marriage is a God thing! Those who know their stories know this to be true. God is good.
As beautiful as the wedding was we were there with a heavy heart. Happy and Sad at the same time. I'm used to juggling multiple emotions, living in a spaghetti style world where everything inter-mingles with everything else.....but Jim, being the wonderful man (key word = man) he is, truly functions in a waffle style world, where everything has it's own compartment or box and is kept separate. So while I can laugh and cry somewhat simultaneously, I think Jim has to sorta jump back and forth with it all. So I've shared the Good (the wedding) and I've shared the Ugly (the dog) now I will share just a little of the Bad (see below).
My dear friend Kathy stopped breathing early Friday morning. She's been on a breathing tube undergoing all kinds of tests. The doctors are talking about putting in a defibrillator behind her heart early in the week. We are praying for her to improve quickly so that the breathing tube can come out. It has been so cool to see our friends from all over, step in and pray for her. God is good!
Yes, God is good. And I'm tired.