Yes, you read that correctly. Bruce would be Mister T’s “new name”. My heart sank as I read his update on the Pug Rescues website. It seems he wasn’t responding to the name I had given him over 5 years ago. His new parents decided to call him Bruce and apparently he is loving this. With that being said, and my heart still heavy with sadness, I am happy to report that he is doing very well. He goes to the park nightly where he meets up with other dogs and has a lovely time playing. His seizures seem to be better and he was even Batman for Halloween! His new parents are in love with him, and as much as I miss him I know he is finally on the track to good health and is surrounded by lots of hugs and kisses.

My favorite Mister T photo of all time, our precious Ring-Dog at our wedding. July 2003.

“

After dealing with some issues that I was allowing to control my life in a negative way, I made the choice this week to look for the positive things in my life. To focus on what is really important to me - to search out and find those reasons I smile. Turns out I didn’t have to look far, here are 7 things that brought joy to me this week, in no particular order.

1. My scrapbook room - it is my haven, my place of rest and creativity. It is, once
again, clean and organized, and I can not wait to spend hours in it this next week.

2. The sun - after what felt like weeks of rain, we saw the sun and it was fabulous.
There isn’t anything like the light shining through the house to lift my spirits.

3. Starbucks - I won’t admit to just how many I’ve had this past week, but the cool,
creamy taste of my venti, decaf, almond, single shot latte… heaven on earth.

4. MOPS - a circle of women who encourage, love, and support… for which I am so
thankful.

5. My growing tummy - proof each and every day that God answers prayer.

6. My husband - who graciously and lovingly “puts up” with his ever emotional,
sometimes raging, often times crying, pregnant wife.

7. Danny boy - the little love of my life who kindly informed me a few days ago that
he needed “alone time”. Ah, those two precious words that will melt any exhausted
mother’s heart.

     As I sit here on this chilly Friday evening, my mind is full. Much is weighing heavy on me right now and I wonder how it is that during such a happy time in my life I am feeling so absolutely terrible. I have so much to be thankful for, and I think I need to change my focus to more positive things. I don’t often blog about the “not so great things” in life, but that is simply what life is - a mixture of painful and difficult times as well as those beautiful and unexpected moments. I know that soon I hope to break free of what is going on, just not tonight. I am pulled to ponder on one of my favorite quotes from an absolutely fabulous movie, Love Actually.

“Whenever I get gloomy in the state of the world, I think about
the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make
out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems
to me that love is everywhere. Often its not particularly dignified or newsworthy,
but it’s always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and
wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers,
as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages
of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it,
I’ve got a sneaky feeling that love actually is all around.”
-Love Actually