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Yesterday was one of those days that will go down in history for our family. A ferocious electrical storm blazed through here this morning leaving behind over 3 1/2 inches of rain, flooded roads and properties, and power outages. We lost our sweet black Lab, Penny, to a lightening strike. The strike evidently traveled uphill from a tree that was struck just yards away at the bottom of a slope outside our front door. It struck the corner of her doghouse where she had sought refuge from the storm. I was sick when I found her after the storm had moved on. It was heartbreaking.

My 5 year old granddaughter was heart broken when we broke the news to her. She loved Penny dearly, and spent a lot of time with her when she visited us. She’s concerned about our yellow Lab, Pedro, just as we are, because he has lost his best friend who was actually his half sister. He’s feeling lost without her. They were born just a day apart and have been together since birth.

Penny was always so loving and patient with my granddaughter. She would do anything Bella asked her to do practically. She ate up the attention, love, and affection Bella gave her. She was always careful not to hurt her. At times she was purposefully slow and methodical with her actions so as not to harm her by accident when they would run and romp together. Thank God I have lots of pictures of the two of them playing together.

It took a while to console Bella last night. She was upset when we first broke the news to her earlier in the day, but she had calmed down and settled back into playing eventually. Then as the evening wore on and she began to wind down for the day, her thoughts turned back to Penny. Her Mom (my daughter) called and asked me to please try to console her on the phone because she hadn’t been able to calm her down. At first she didn’t want to get on the phone with me. She was still crying too hard and could hardly talk.

After her Mom and I had talked a little longer, she was finally willing to talk on the phone. We talked about Penny being in doggy heaven now looking down on her and watching over her. Bella lost her paternal grandfather a little over a year ago, too. She began talking about Penny and her grandfather being together in heaven now. That seemed to help her begin to accept the loss of another family member dear to her. Although she understands they wouldn’t be alone without the other in heaven, she knows it’s even better that they now have each other and can share the joy of heaven together.

Penny will always have a special place in our hearts just like our other family members. I have family pictures all over the house that include pets we’ve had over the years as well as pets our adult children have and have had. It’s time to choose a special picture of Penny and give her her rightful place among the others pictures. I’m sure Bella will appreciate being able to see her picture when she comes to visit next time.

We love and miss you, Penny.

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I’m feeling a little down right now. In a few hours after we’ve had some sleep we will be taking the 3 little ones back home 7 hrs away. It’s been a whirlwind of a time this last two weeks keeping up with them, especially The Toddler, but I hate to see them leave. They live too far away as do their cousins. If only we could have at least a vacation home near them.

Little Man, the 6 year old, was sad when we reminded him it was bedtime and that we had to make the long drive home tomorrow. He doesn’t want to go home yet. You see, his battery powered Power Wheels and the 4-wheelers are here at our house. The 11 year old hasn’t yet expressed a reluctance to go home, but we know how much he loves it here. He spent the biggest part of his first five years of life here with us and his Mom.

I suppose I should go get a few hours of sleep now. It’s going to be a long trip with The Toddler probably. Oh, but wait. I’ve just got to share a little picture slide of the boys coming out of the woods on the 4-wheeler with Little Man frantically screaming out, “Mamaw! Mamaw! It’s a cricket! It’s a cricket!” Um, there’s a grasshopper on the front fender. Big Man, the 11 year old, feels confident enough to drive a 4-wheeler but isn’t about to touch a grasshopper. Little Man with his trusty weapon, The Shoe, to the rescue! Memories made again.

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…what this is, “jnb bvvftfrt erre 5t ngy vg”? Just wondering if you can help me figure out what a 15 month old toddler would be searching for on Google.

Sat back down at my dining room table where I have my laptop stationed for the time being after running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to keep up with The Toddler and found that in the Google search on my toolbar. An hour or so earlier one of the events that cut off my head was discovering the Toddler had climbed onto the chair in front of my laptop. We whisked her away before she had a chance to click something, but we didn’t take time to investigate what she DID have time to do.

Hopefully she wasn’t searching for more hair-raising tricks to pull on Mamaw like curtain climbing. This kid is FAST, lemme tell you! *Mental note*- Suggest her parents sign her up for the Olympics.

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