Bandit Leroy

Our family has suffered a lot of loss this past year. I've lost my grandmother, a cousin, a nephew, and a few extended family members.

We've always been very open and honest with the girls about death and going to Heaven but it wasn't until recently that they truly understood the grief that comes with death.

On November 3rd we lost our dog, Bandit. He was hit and killed by a vehicle while the girls were at school that afternoon.

Now, I've known grief. I've felt the pain and despair of losing a close family member and in my thirty-one years of life, I've lost my fair share of family pets. Losing Bandit however has thrown me into a downward spiral. Daniel and I found him and had to remove his body from the side of the road.

Everything happened so quickly that my mind still hasn't come to terms with things. He had literally just been let out in the backyard to use the bathroom and in just a few short minutes he was gone. He was trained to stay away from the road and for whatever reason on that day, he decided to go near it. We don't know who hit him, as they left him on the side of the road without stopping.

In the moments of realizing what happened, all I can say is that my body just went into hysterical mode. There was screaming, crying, I may have thrown things around. It was a drop to my knees in the front yard kind of hysteria.

This dog was my baby when I didn't think I could have babies and I can honestly say he was the most well behaved dog I've ever had the privilege of knowing, let alone owning.

In the weeks since his passing I've suffered with terrible nightmares, insomnia, and I've even lost weight. My anxiety which was already becoming unmanageable without medication went through the roof and now I'm back on three different anxiety medications. My Crohns is back, my dog is dead, my anxiety is crazy. For anyone wanting to say I'm being over dramatic over the loss of my animal can kiss my butt. Grief after the death of a beloved animal is real people!

The girls took his passing very hard and were so confused. Addison had a break down after about two days and she couldn't grasp why Bandit had been alive when she left for school on that Monday but why he wasn't when she returned home. She expressed anger and blamed Daniel and I for not watching him properly and then even blamed herself for not staying home from school that day to watch him. His loss was terrible for me but seeing the pain in my babies was even more heartbreaking.

We had his body cremated and he now safely resides on the bookshelf along with our Great Dane, Wagner. We lost Wagner back in 2012 and I don't think Bandit was ever the same. They were the best of buddies and it's reassuring to know that they are together again at the Rainbow Bridge.

Many people do not understand how the passing of a family pet can be so difficult but it can be. The girls almost immediately started talking about getting a puppy and after a few months of having been wanting a puppy myself, I baited the hook and hoped Daniel would bite.

The Friday after Bandit's passing we welcomed the newest member of our family, Axle Zebidiah. Zebidiah is the name given to him by his breeder so we kept it as his middle name. He's a pure bred Great Dane who was born this past August. Daniel loves his Danes but has never had one as a puppy. I knew once I mentioned one he wouldn't say no.

Daniel was apprehensive about getting a dog so soon after Bandit passed, but he's fallen madly in love with his boy. Just as I knew he would. They are cuddle buddies and the best of friends already. Before long I'm going to need to move to the guest room because I won't fit in the bed anymore.

Axle joined our remaining dog, Sam. Sam came to us this past summer in hopes that his companionship would help Bandit. His previous owner was moving out of the country and was concerned that moving with Sam, who is eight, would not be safe. He was free to a good home so I jumped on the chance to adopt him. Never in a million years did we think we would lose Bandit so soon after and that Sam would become the only dog for a short time but God has a funny way of doing things and having Sam in those days after losing Bandit was so helpful in our grieving process.

We are a pet family and while I know many people think we welcomed Axle to soon after losing Bandit, it's how my family has always done things. With a beloved pets passing comes space to save and welcome another.

We are still suffering from the loss of Bandit but having Axle and Sam has made his passing a little more tolerable. I won't lie in saying though, I would do just about anything to have my boy back.

Halloween 2014

Halloween was like the never ending story for us this year. We celebrated for three weekends in a row and I was so glad when it was all over.

We kicked off our festivities by hosting our annual family Halloween party. We had amazing food, the kids had a variety of games to play, and what made it even more amazing was that my sister and her family were in town for a wedding so they were able to join us after having been absent for a few years.

The second event we attended was trunk-or-treat at the ladies school. I'm pretty sure our trunk was the scariest and we passed out over 600 pieces of candy to all of the kids who participated. It was a great time and the girls loved getting to hang out with friends and other kids around their age without mommy and daddy following behind them checking on their every move.

The third event was trick-or-treat at my mother-in-laws house. Daniel and his mom took the girls out while I stayed back to pass out candy. One of the downfalls of having Crohns disease is that walking around the neighbor is more of a challenge than I'm willing to take on. It's especially difficult after having had a taco dinner. The girls walked up and down both sides of Sue's street and then they were content to come back and help pass out candy.

Halloween is Daniel's favorite holiday. He went full out decorating at our house and he took a few of his pieces with him to his mom's to set up. He also dressed up so he got quite the kick of everyone who was either afraid of the decorations or was afraid of him or heck, even both.

Our next event was the ladies Halloween party at school. I am their room mom this year so I had the privilege of organizing and setting everything up. We had so many parents come and help and the kids really enjoyed themselves. I was so glad that it was a hit for all who participated.

Addison went in her sister's Elsa costume.

Cadence went in her sister's scary clown costume.

We had lots of snacks, play a game, and made paper plate ghosts which were a big hit.

Our final event was trick-or-treating at my dad's house. We brought pizza to fill up on before heading out and it was delicious. The weather was horrible so we only hit a few houses before calling it a night and going back and helping to pass out candy to all of those people willing to brave the weather. When trick-or-treat ended that night we made a short pit stop to my aunt and uncles to visit for a few.

I was so glad to get home that night and begin the process of dismantling all that was Halloween around our house. The outside had to begin right away as the wind was blowing decorations everywhere.

Daniel made the majority of the decorations himself since he isn't working and they turned out great. We had several people stop in the cars and compliment him on his work and everything he had done.

Now he's working on Christmas...Lord help my checking account...lol.

Daddy's First Surgery

This past June Daniel underwent his very first surgery. It was a minor surgery just removing his gall bladder but he was a tad on the nervous side as anyone would be. I felt completely out of place not being the patient for once and I hope that my suggestions and real life experience with surgery helped him a little bit. He arrived at the hospital very early that morning and it was a family event for us. The girls got a kick out of "riding" his hospital bed and eating lunch in the cafeteria.

His surgery was outpatient so we got to take him home that afternoon where the ladies and I took care of him and he was back to work within a week. I'm proud to be married to such a hardworking man always doing what he can to support his family. I would have soaked up as much time on the couch as possible. I never can because he always manages to get called out of town for work the week I come home from the hospital...lol. This past surgery I had no help taking care of the girls, house, and animals and we wonder why I have a massive hernia at the site of one of my incisions, hmmm.

Anyway, here are some pictures of his big day in the hospital.

Hey there sexy man...lol.

I love Cadence's pose in this picture. We had just gotten there and she apparently had had enough already.

Out like a light on her mammaw.

Daddy was kind enough to let Addie watch cartoons while we waited for the surgeon to arrive.

Daddy was out of surgery and she was out for the count again.

Paging Dr. Addison! 

After he was in recovery and we were allowed back to see him mammaw left and took sleeping beauty with her. Addison refused to leave her mommy and daddy so she stuck around which was when the above picture was taken. If she doesn't grow up to become a nurse or doctor I will really be shocked.