Bugbites, Gizmoe, and Summer

This summer has been as wonderful and unpredictable as I was hoping it would be. As this is the last day of August, I thought maybe I should blog about my summer because you may not know this about me but September 1st is the start of my fall .... because I love fall that much. Our first summer back at home started out a little crazy and ended a little crazy. There were tears, laughter, joy, boredom and so much more. First moving home and the birth of my beautiful niece. Living with my in-laws to save money and helping my mother in-law with her recovery of knee surgery to packing up their home and all of us moving into a new house. Spending time with family (and when I say family this also includes my friends...who are family) bbqing, having a bottle or two of wine, shopping for patio furniture, going to a bar on "underwear night", seeing the new Yankee stadium for the first time, spending time at the farm with my grandparents and cousins and spending time with my husband. We have never spent a whole month together in our home town. When he was in the military it would only be on weekends for maybe a week here and there. So it's been beautiful to have time with him here all the time. And to both have the summer off since he didn't start school until last week and I have been looking for a job. My husband is loving school and is really excited. He's already got his first 100 on a project and is so proud and I, of course, am so proud of him. My niece smiles at my when I walk through the door. She laughs at my while I talk and tell a story. This means so much to me because last year when I found out my sister was pregnant, my biggest fear was that this little person would never recognize who I am. Never remember me. My niece, my beautiful niece, so pure and new to this world, this little creation and blessing from above sees me. She knows my voice (at least I like to think she does). She makes me realize that life is so precious and that it's a good thing I'm around because this girl will only know what a true Oreo is if I'm around :) It's just...it's just an amazing feeling knowing that I'm her Aunt...that she's going to have long fingers and toes like me, that she'll recognize me. This past weekend was the perfect end to a perfect summer. A bbq at our new house while watching bike races. It was an amazing thing to watch and we were surrounded by some of the most important people in our lives. These people have become family. Our lives have become fuller and better with these people in them. They have opened their doors for us, they have let us into their lives, they have truly become our family and I will thank the Lord every day that these people have come into our lives...I don't know what our lives would be like if they hadn't. Yesterday was the saddest day of the summer and rightfully so it is time for summer to end. Yesterday we had to put the oldest (15 yrs) family dog, Gizmoe, down for his nap as I would like to call it. He had kidney disease, arthritis, was blind and was just plain old tired. He was a stubborn dog, grumpy most of the time, but oh how that dog loved me and I loved him. He was a pain in the ass but was loyal. When we'd come home to visit Zeus (the younger dog) would run to my husband and Gizmoe would run to me. If I didn't come in the house right away he'd wait at the stairs for me then act like a little pup when I walked in. He'd lay on the couch or bed with me and rest his head on my leg. In the mornings he'd get in our bed and he'd lay behind me, facing my back, with his head on my pillow. My mother in-law, husband and I took him to the vet and I cried the hardest, I sobbed like a baby...which I actually thought I wouldn't do. Pets are pets I have told myself throughout the years. They come and they go. But holy shit, I'm not going to lie...my heart broke a little bit yesterday. We then took him (and two other dogs ashes) to my family farm and buried them. As we drove away my mother in-law said, those three are having a blast right now running through the field. I couldn't help but giggle..knowing it was so true. This morning I woke up as my husband kissed me good-bye as he went to school, without even feeling it I knew the other part of my pillow was cold. I laid in bed realizing that summer is ending. Everyone is back to work, school, etc. and that this type of summer may not happen again. I started to cry a little and I may never know whether it was because of summer ending or the fact that my pillow was cold. But either way I will cherish the memories of this summer, cherish the memories of Gizmoe and hope and pray that all dogs really do go to heaven.

A picture of me, Zeus (with his head on my leg) and Gizmoe.
A picture of some cute guy I know holding on to Zeus and Gizmoe.