Gazing out the window next to my desk, the landscape now barren and brown, my thoughts turn toward this past year. What a year we had at Winters Wind!
In March, on Good Friday, we greeted our Tommi x Indigo parti litter of seven adorable babies, in blue & white and brown & white! Being the Easter weekend of course the theme was anything Easter! I have to admit that seeing a litter of parti puppies is like standing in front of a VanGogh painting and drinking in the color and swirls of the artist brush. Each puppy marked differently and the variation of coloring; it's truly a touch of the master's hand!
Around three weeks later, our Luna x Roux litter made its grand entrance! Grand it was! Fifteen, yes 15 puppies were born in April and Luna made it look easy. We had a mixture of colors: white, cream, black and blue. One little male was born outside as Luna took a potty break! Ever prepared I had a towel ready and so our outdoors man was born! I was so proud of this litter with: 6 puppies now in service work, 6 puppies in the show ring and 3 in wonderful pet homes. This IS the reason I breed!
So we had 22 puppies running around and what a feat of organization it was! I was blessed to have my daughter in law there to help with the puppies and when they all had their land legs......they were quite something to keep ahead of! I smile as I type this; as most mornings Amber and I had a Chinese fire drill going! Trying to usher outside 22 pudgy bodies that wanted to make a jail break and run through the house and trying to catch them when they did succeed! We had little sleep but oh so many good memories!
There truly is something magical about seeing and holding new life! The mystery and the awe of watching a new Mom, instinctively know what to do, the first attempt of baby to suckle and the sounds of new born puppy mewing, scooting toward Momma. Such tenderness and love between the new born and Mom.
It was during this exciting time that I learned I had stage IV cancer and would need to start treatments. I believe in God and I knew he would be with me through this next battle. My dogs too were my battle cry, as each day during treatments I would get up to care for my fur family. My son, Hobs and hubby, Rob were awesome help during the times when my energy was just a slow, molasses drip. They would rise and we would work as a family team to care for puppies and adults.
Show schedules and performance events were all cancelled. The focus was on the fight. Most families and people have been touched by this horrible illness. It is draining for the loved ones who watch and support us, the patient. Laughter and smiling is still the best medicine I know for both the patient and those around us. We need to spread more of this wonder drug to others! Even if you don't deal with cancer; take time to laugh, make another around you laugh and to be kind to everyone. Sometimes it takes a BIG thing like a heart attack, car accident or even cancer; for us to see there is way more to life then us. We are connected whole and so we should care, really care about every person our life touches. This is the musing that I end the year with.
I am a Mom, Nana (grand mother), Wife, Sister, Daughter, Aunt, Friend and a Poodle Breeder. I am grateful for my world around me; family, friends and my Poodle family. Cancer is life lesson professor. As you sit in this class room, you learn that life is short, there are no guarantees and anyone can be effected. Treat each day with care, compassion and respect of the individuals that come into your life. Whether it is for a moment in time or a lifetime. For each finger print we leave here is our legacy. It will speak of us when we leave this globe; the whisper of who we are at the core will continue.
I share my thoughts as we close the year 2016, hoping that those who read this blog, will consider the ripple they leave here. Make it one of kindness, generosity, compassion and of love. Peace on Earth will only happen if we as individual people bring it into the sphere around us.
I am so blessed! As I end this blog, my cancer has disappeared! A PET scan revealed even my infected organs are back to normal size! My doctors are puzzled......I am not. I believe in miracles and a God that is still here and active in our lives. After all it does say in Proverbs that: "Laughter IS good Medicine!' So take a dose often everyday! Share a spoonful with others and those you love.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
