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The dog rescue named him Jordan. Since he answers to it we decided not to confuse him by changing it. So, here's Jordan Anderson, our newest family pet.



He's a big friendly lug - a Boxador. (Labrador Retriever/Boxer Mix)
Callie is starting to really like him. The rest of us would like him even better if he didn't pee in the lower level.

Also, today we got Emma's spring school pictures. Can't believe how grown up she looks!

They're just so gosh-darn cute!!

I'm sure every mother feels this way - but aren't they so cute?

My new diet plan: Life

Last night when Miley died unexpectedly, Jeff and I didn't feel much like eating dinner. This morning when I sat at my computer with my bagel and coffee drink I read an email from a friend from church who's infant daughter (who I know from caring for in the nursery, she's a cutie!) fell from a 2nd floor of an apartment onto concrete 14 feet below and was airflighted to the hospital for a skull fracture.
I couldn't eat my bagel. (Baby S will be okay. She's been released from the hospital now and just has to recover completely.)

The older I get, the more connections to others I make over time, the more I experience heartache. I know, I know - this is the human condition. That's just life.
But my heart breaks. My heart breaks for my dear friend who's adult children are rejecting her. I shake my head sadly when a congregant of my friend/co-worker's was part of a police stand-off in New Mexico and shot himself. (Even if he was crazy, he was someone's father.) It may be PMS, but I can't look at pictures of Chengdu or the schools that collapsed in Dujiangyan without crying.
I know how passionately Chinese parents love their child. Notice I say: child. To lose that child, that one hope for your future, that one little person you love and adore and have doted on and sent off to school in hopes of a bright future - devastating.
We had friends from Beijing over for dinner about a year ago. My coworker Leo was just weeks away from marrying Fiona. Fiona was a lovely girl and she loved playing with our kids, especially our youngest who was about 2, nearly 3 at the time.
He snuggled in her lap and talked to her - she was one of those naturally nurturing and loving people that you could just imagine would be a wonderful mother some day. Fiona wept. She seemed happy, but tears ran down her face.
When I asked Leo why Fiona was upset he tried to explain that she was simply emotional at the site of my lovely family. He explained that having a child like my young son was their greatest hope. To have a beautiful family - that one child they could have, their very greatest dream in life. They couldn't hope for two, just one child.
So imagine the grief of these parents. Losing that one very loved child. Losing their lifelong dream. Losing their family.
I can understand their anger at the school collapse site. How could a school, a building filled with the greatest treasures in China, be built so shoddy that it couldn't withstand an earthquake? Some hotels and stores are standing - how can it be that the school isnt'? I can just imagine their frustration. I can't imagine their grief.

Hopefully some glimmer of good news will come my way before lunchtime. Not that it would hurt me to miss a few calories..but for now, I'm not feeling able to eat.

Good bye Miley Dog

We didn't even have her for a full year. As spazzy and sometimes annoying as she was (she was ALL bird dog ALL the time) at times and as many times as I cursed her for eating tissues out of the bathroom garbage and leaving them all over the house... I find myself surprised at how sad I am and how very much I miss her.

Tonight I had a Girl Scout meeting so I picked up McDonalds for a fast family dinner while Jeff picked up kids. I beat him home by just a few minutes.
Usually the dogs are waiting by the door eager to go outside. Tonight they weren't there. Hmm. That's odd. So, I yelled: "Where are my dogs at?"

Callie came from upstairs and slunk out the door without enthusiasm.
Hmmm. That's odd.

I saw Miley laying in one of her favorite spots just on the edge of the four season porch. Man, she must be really deeply asleep not to come running when I call...
And then it hit me. My voice hit that frantic note it does if I can't find one of the kids in a busy store right away or they aren't where I expect them to be in the yard.

Miley! I called. No response. This can't be. I reached out and touched her face. Shook her a little. Something was definitely very wrong. And then I heard the sounds of Jeff's car in the garage. I ran outside and told Jeff: "Don't let the kids come inside! Please leave them in the car for a minute! You need to come in here!" Jeff expected to find a doggy mess..not a dead dog.

When we got Miley at the pound they told us she was a 4 year old stray. Healthy, but underweight. We've fed her up and loved on her - learned her annoying habits and what she's good at. I was planning to jog with her this summer. I expected she'd outlive Callie and annoy me for many more years to come.

Emma cried and wanted her dog tags. Lucy cried after a bit, too. Michael said: "I wish Miley could be alive still." as we placed the decorated homemade slate headstone over the spot where we buried her in the yard.

Still, they're all already making out a wish list for our next dog. Emma's already searched on the web for dogs. Even though they say they want a new dog, there is a dark cloud over our house tonight. This is not how Tuesday nights are supposed to go - we're all shocked and sad.

To my great surprise, we've lost a dog. And even more surprising to me is how very much I'll miss her despite all her quirks.

Rest in Peace Miley Dog. May you find a doggie heaven filled with pheasants for chasing, angels to scratch behind your floppy ears and unlimited doggie treats.