There’s so many things you can do when Saturday and Sunday roll around. You can go on a fun adventure or stay in and having a relaxing weekend. The choice is yours of course.
Lately though, I’ve been spending it with the sweet Etta James! She’s a lil sweetheart senior pup who craves all the attention. What better way to spend the weekend than with a cute dog? I’m living my best life!
Sure, it’s nice getting out and about but even just staying in for half of the time on the weekend isn’t such a bad idea.
I personally find it better hanging out with dogs. They just like to play with their toys and then lay by your side on the couch getting pet and watching your favorite shows. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
I wish I could bring joy to all the doggies out there. They deserve it. They are such precious creatures full of love in their hearts. Genuine, pure love. If only us humans could be as kind as them.
In my opinion, the best way to spend a weekend is waking up early and taking your dog for a walk, feeding it, playing with it, and then curling up on the couch watching a movie with your buddy by your side, cuddling you for hours.
You could still go out and have a fun night out on the town (at least on Friday and Saturday) but during the days on Saturday and Sunday… stay in! Make your dog feel extra cozy and happy. All they want is someone to take care of them. It’s so simple.
Their lives are so short. Make every second count for them. 🙂
Let’s recap. This past weekend was Mother’s Day. A special day it was because we get to show extra love to our moms out there. And they deserve it!
I took my mom and grandma out to lunch at Texas Roadhouse and then we shopped till we dropped at the mall next door. It’s the simple things… food and shopping. It goes a long way! And then later on at night, I took Mom to get frozen yogurt (she was in Heaven).
Not everyone has that mom or grandma they can they love and are super close too and I hate that for anyone having those difficult relationships. I am grateful, however, that I was blessed with loving, supportive females in my life. I wouldn’t be able to survive without them!
You need those people in your life to point you in the right direction… to pick you up when you fall, to show you that you are smart and will go far. It’s so important.
So thank you, Mom and Grandma, for being in my life and always standing by my side through the good, the bad, and the ugly! It doesn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated!
Etta James… so many things I can say about this adorable pup! She is sweet, silly, happy, lovable, cuddle bug… an actual angel. Absolutely nothing bad to say about this dog.
For the whole weekend, I got to snuggle, eat snacks, nap, and play with a pup who couldn’t stop smiling and wagging her tail.
Etta James has been through the worst of the worst and still… she has this joy in her heart that she has to spread to those around her. Sweet Etta had her leg amputated and has to hop around with only three legs. She has tumors all over her and is suffering from mass cell cancer. She doesn’t have a lot of time left, and while it breaks my heart and I hate this for her, she still keeps going. She doesn’t dwell on the sad parts of her life, and instead, she gets excited about everything.
Her face when she hears someone in the kitchen
She lives to hear the fridge opening. Her ears go all the way up and she listens so intently, hoping for a snack of any kind. Mom got her chicken nuggets from McDonalds, gave her cheese crackers, and we made her eggs. She had cheese bacon flavored dog ice cream and doggie cookies too. She was eating to her hearts content and nothing less the entire weekend (she also couldn’t stop passing gas lol).
And what’s so adorable… she loves to lay in your arms and be pet endlessly. She requires lots of pampering and I have no problem giving her all the snuggles. If anyone deserves it, it’s Etta James!
Mom and I even got to take her for a car ride to say hi to my grandma and go for a ride in the PetSmart cart around the store and outside in the parking lot, taking in the fresh air. It was one of the best weekends I have had in a long time. I wish I could permanently foster her, but unfortunately, no one in my family is home all day to do so.
Etta needs someone home for the most part to help in case she needs it… especially with moving around. It’s so hard for her hopping around on the three legs with her little body. She is such a trooper though!
I will be taking Etta for many weekends coming up. I plan on giving her as much love as I can and picking her up just about every week for as many days I can be home with her. I want to give her so much attention. She needs and deserves it. I will do everything I can for this sweet, kindhearted animal with the biggest heart.
Thank you Emma and Sedona for sending miss Etta James my way. 🙂
Mom and I are going to foster a dog for the weekend. I get excited just thinking about having a sweet, furry creature to cuddle and give love too. I’ve missed having a dog in the house to follow me around and be my best friend. Sedona has been gone since January and I haven’t felt the same since then.
I bought the dog we are fostering for the weekend a stuffed animal… Biscuit. It’s not very long at all, that we’re fostering, but the rescue organization we got Sedona from said we could foster for a weekend or a week… any time. It helps dogs that have been there for a while get a break to relax away from the other dogs in a safe, cozy environment. So, Mom and I agreed to do it for the sweet pup, and I knew a little stuffed animal would make them smile as well. And so… here we are… about to get a dog and have a little present to make the pup feel welcome in our home. It’s exciting. I’m so happy to do this.
I’m not sure which dog I’m fostering… just yet, but I will find out tomorrow. It’ll be a surprise and I love that. I don’t care what breed, what age… I just want the saddest, loneliest, in need of the most love, pup. ❤
Dogs are so special. Even if you can help a dog for a short amount of time, it makes a difference to them. They’ll appreciate it. I would save all the pups if I could.
Since I was little, I’ve always had a heart for dogs. I would read to them at library events, play with my uncle’s dogs, want cute doggie stuffed animals. I loved them since day one. I can’t wait to continue this journey of helping sweet dogs out and giving them the happiness and contentment they deserve in a warm home with a soft bed and all the stuffed animals to snuggle with.
When I was young and in Sunday School, I thought the song, “Jesus Loves Me,” was silly. I thought it was a stupid kid’s song.
Looking at it now, I see it as a powerful song. Jesus loves me. He loves me, He loves you… He loves everyone no matter who they are. He died on the cross and rose again from the dead for all of us. He didn’t have to. We could all be doomed to Hell right now, but He chose to save us from the clutches of Satan… burning fire and torture forever. He chose to save us if we believe on His name and confess our sins, accepting Him into our hearts. Paradise forever in Heaven if we believe on Jesus’s name. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
“Jesus Loves Me,” isn’t corny or childish. No, it’s beautiful, full of meaning, a reminder to young and old… anyone… we are strong in Him. We are His children once we believe on Him… truly believe on His name.
The Bible is proof of His love. We see it in every verse, chapter, book. Jesus loves us to pieces. He loves us all, no matter who we are or what we do. How beautiful to know we can be the biggest sinner and He’ll still love us unconditionally. It means so much to me.
I’m grateful for Jesus and His mercy towards us. Easter weekend… let it remind you of Jesus and His love for you.
It’s bittersweet. I get Sedona back home with me but I can no longer cuddle and kiss her. Instead, I just have her ashes in a box. I feel sad all over again. I wish I could have physically brought my sweet pitbull/boxer, full of life, playful, silly girl back home… ready to follow me all over the house and stay close by my side. I wish I didn’t have to bring her home in a small box…
It’s so difficult losing a pet. I don’t care how many or what kind of animal you lose… it’s a horrible loss no matter what, when you loved that animal so deeply. So deeply they became your family… best friend. Oh how I wish our pets could live so much longer. We will never get enough time with them. Never.
Sedona is free and running around, prancing, jumping high in the air, enjoy life again. I just wish she was back here and not so far away. I know she’s with Emma now, but I wish they were both here with me. We all have those good and bad days. And right now, I’m sad. I want Sedona back. I want Emma back. I want my dogs to be by my side bringing all the joy and laughter into my life. I miss and love them so much.
I know they’ll send me another dog to look after, just like Emma sent Sedona my way. This time, they’ll find me a sweet dog together.
Sending all my love to my girls who are playing right now over the Rainbow Bridge.
“Sometimes losing a pet is more painful than losing a human because in the case of the pet, you were not pretending to love it.” –Amy Sedaris
It’s been about a week without my sweet senior pup. It’s too quiet all the time. I keep thinking it’s a nightmare and I just need to wake up. If only…
In honor of Sedona, I’ve been getting photos printed of her. I’m going to hang some up so I can have her close to me. Pictures of her make me smile and remind me of how wonderful she was.
You want your pets to live on in your hearts. After all, we can never forget how special each dog is. They all have unique personalities that make them lovable and great creatures to care for. It’s why it’s heartbreaking to say goodbye to any of them. They become our family. They become our whole world.
If they lived forever, our precious animals… the earth would be ten times better. But I know they’re too good for this place. They are too good for us. I think God gives us dogs to teach us how to love better, live better, just do better as people. Dogs remind us that life is too short… make the most of every single day. Dogs give us a purpose… a reason to get up every day. Dogs comfort us on our worst days and cheer us on our best days. DOGS ARE THE BEST.
Keep rescuing no matter how hard it is after losing a pet. There are so many out there looking to find love from a family. Be that family for them. I know it’s something I want to continue doing. I need to rescue more dogs and give them a safe place to feel adored and happy.
January 19, 2024, I said goodbye to my sweet, silly, Sedona girl.
My heart broke, a tightness in my throat… tears… I felt so much pain watching Sedona pass away. I don’t think any pet’s death is ever easy. You tell yourself they lived long… I mean, she made it to thirteen. Of course I’m happy she lived thirteen years and that her last three years got to be with my family and me. But, I miss her. I love her. I’m sad without my sweet girl.
I wish Sedona could have lived forever and didn’t have to suffer in the end. She became paralyzed in her back legs… could barely eat, drink… breathe right. It was horrible. It was painful to see the best dog ever fall apart and slowly get worse and worse each day.
The day we rescued her. June 2020
I took a few days off to spend with Sedona before we would have to say goodbye on Friday. I spent those days cuddling her, kissing her, reading to her, napping and watching kiddy movies with her, giving her extra treats and people food. I did what I could to make those moments amazing for her. She deserved it and it brought me comfort as well. I promised her no matter how hard it got, I would be by her side until the very end. And I did just that.
The day she left this world, the two vets came to the house, along with Aaron from the rescue place we got her from. We told her how special she was as she lay in her bed, and gave her pets, kisses, so much love as she left this world. It was the worst 10 minutes of my life. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I kept holding her paw telling her I love her and how sorry I was.
Before I met Sedona… just a young pup
She went to sleep. She went into this peaceful sleep and woke up reunited with her furry friends over the Rainbow Bridge. I felt sick to my stomach letting her go but I couldn’t let her continue in pain. She had this look on her face… those sweet brown eyes… they told me it was time. She was tired. She was hurting. She just wanted to rest. The decision was so incredibly hard. I just couldn’t let her suffer for another moment though. Her quality of life was gone. She wasn’t happy anymore and that hurt the most. My best friend was sad and there was nothing I could do to make it all better and take away her pain.
The only comfort I have is that she is at peace. She’s running around with her buddies from the rescue she spent most of her time at. She is playing with my Emma, too. I know she is so happy and young again, prancing around and boxing those paws… wagging her nub of a tail. She’s happy again. Happy and full of life.
The house feels so empty… so quiet. I keep waiting for her to greet me with her nub of a tail and put her ears back… looking so cute and innocent. I keep waiting for her to jump on the couch and cuddle up next to me. I keep waiting for her to hit me with her nose, telling me I need to take her out. I keep waiting… but then I remember… she won’t be doing that anymore. It’ll take time. One day at a time, right? One day maybe I’ll feel less sadness and pain and only focus on the good, happy memories of her.
I hope so.
For now, I mourn. I feel my emotions. I let my sadness take over and that’s OK. Sedona was my best friend, my girl, the one who gave me such joy and distracted me from my anxiety and depression. She got me out of bed every day and got me looking forward to the big and small moments.
It’ll be hard for a while, but I hold her close to my heart and I plan on rescuing more senior dogs and giving them a forever home just like I did with Sedona girl.
Every day is a gift with Sedona. I learned that from the very beginning when she first walked into my life. Every dog is precious, yes. But there’s something about Sedona that makes her unique, original.
Maybe it’s how she loves unconditionally once she connects with someone. Maybe it’s how she never barks (only when she thinks an intruder is among us). Maybe it’s the way she’ll watch Toy Story like a little kid and pay attention to the Pixar film. Maybe it’s the way she prances around and boxes her paws when she’s excited. Maybe it’s the way she closes doors with her snout. Maybe it’s everything about her that makes her so wonderful. Yeah, that’s it. 🙂
When we first met, she was very anxious. It made sense. She had been abused and mistreated like she was nothing… a worthless object. I was the first one she came up to, in my family, and trusted. It’s like she knew, instantly, I was safe to be around and could be her person. That meant so much to me. To have a sweet, precious dog, who’s been hurt and mistreated by people for almost her whole life, gives me a chance… instantly.
I don’t think she regrets it either. She’s been following me around and excited to do anything with me since the moment she came home with me.
I love her sweet, big brown eyes. They’re innocent and beautiful and sparkle. She’s a pretty little puppy girl. And she’s all mine.
That’s why this has been a huge heartbreak watching her slowly get worse and worse (health-wise).
Sedona had what they call Vertigo in dogs back in February. Dizziness while standing up… barely able to walk. I thought I was going to lose her then. She got better. God healed her. She was never the same after, though. Her back legs started to weaker and weaker.
A week before Thanksgiving, we found out the devastating news. We went to the vet (Mom and me), thinking we were just getting medicine to help our pup with a urinary tract infection. It turned out, that was the least of our concerns. Pain in her hips and back legs had gotten worse. She was paw knuckling, wobbly in the legs, going potty more in the house. We thought we could get medicine for that too and that everything would be OK. We thought…
The vet told us to give her pain meds she would prescribe. All we can do is give her the medicine and keep her comfortable. Eventually, she will become completely paralyzed in her back legs and it will progress quickly. I still can feel the sadness in that moment, hearing she wouldn’t get better. Mom and I cried. We were heart broken. I hate it. It felt like losing my childhood dog, Emma, all over again. Sitting there with tear stained eyes, hearing there’s nothing more they can do for our senior pet. It’s the worst news to hear.
I was thankful that this time, Sedona would come home with us. Emma didn’t. We had to say goodbye in a sad little room as her heart slowly stopped and she peacefully went… laying on a little pink blanket. I felt sick. I remember taking her collar with me, giving her one last kiss and pet on the head, thanking her for all she had done for me. What a blessing she had been in my life.
I don’t want to do that again with Sedona. But, I know it will happen. This time, I do get to have that time with her. Time to give her extra kisses, hugs, cuddles, treats. Time to make what she has left with us special before we say goodbye and she crosses the rain bridge and greets our Emma.
It’s hard to even write this and not get upset.
I love you so much, Sedona girl. I promise to make these last few moments for you on this earth… amazing. I promise to love you and care for you until the very end. With all my heart, I promise.
I love you so much. I’m happy when you’re happy. I’m sad when you’re sad. I’d do anything for you. Anything. I just want you to live forever and love every moment you spend with me.
It’s hard knowing I can’t save you from the pain you face. I can’t fix your back legs. I can’t fix the pain in your hips. All I can do is give you medicine, take you to the vet, pray God heals you, pray He gives you more time with us.
If I could take all the pain away for you… I would in a heartbeat. I just want you to smile with your lil canine teeth and wag your nub of a tail 24/7. Seeing you like this, well… it breaks my heart…to say the least.
I wish I met you sooner in life and had even more time with you. But, I’m still so grateful. I wouldn’t trade the past 3 years I got to know you for the world. You have brought all the joy into my life. I felt so lost when I lost my childhood dog, Emma. You helped me through it. You put a smile on my face again. You made me laugh with your prancing around and being silly. You made me loved with your kisses and hugs. Thank you, my sweet girl.
Getting to cuddle and watch movies with you on the couch, going for walks, eating lil snacks together, taking all the cute pictures… I treasure every moment I have spent with you. I’ll continue to until the very end.
I promise to make the time you have left here on earth special and full of love and snuggles. You’re my best friend. You always will be. I love you to infinity and beyond (I know Toy Story is your favorite movie).
The Chronicles of Chea K. 