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. 🙂
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.
The day before Christmas Eve! Woo hoo! Christmas!!!! I just read How The Grinch Stole Christmas to my doggie, Sedona. I’m seeing a Christmas light show tonight. It’s a rough time, but still, I’m determined to stay merry and enjoy this season. Christmas only comes once a year!
What’s nice though… I have off from work for 4 days! I plan on having fun and relaxing break from mean clients and the endless phone ringing. I love the holidays. A lil break from life and a chance to grow closer with loved ones and take time away from the craziness of our busy work schedules.
We all need it. We all deserve it. Even our animals are like… “Christmas! Yes! Our hoomans are gonna stay home more and give us extra pets and cookies! Yay!”
I have a few gifts for my pup (stuffed animals)! I can’t wait to brighten her day and see her wag her nubby tail and smile with her canine teeth. It’s moments like these that warm my heart and make me thankful for all I have.
I even got to watch just about all of my go-to Christmas movies!
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).
There’s something about visiting different towns in AZ that gets me all excited! I love those towns with the pretty mountains and fun lil shops and historical vibes mixed in. And I LOVE going on adventures with my mom! She’s the best person to see all these cool places with and just have that special mother/daughter time. It means so much to me to get to do these fun things with her and be able to make those precious memories together!
We decided to spontaneously adventure to Prescott on Labor Day. We both had off from work so we thought… “Why not??”
We spent the day going in touristy shops and checking out all the different antiques. We ate at a trendy lil restaurant and had a tasty turkey sandwich and then candy corn iced coffee (Coke soda for Mom). They had a festival going on and we got to see the different venders. And the dogs!!! So many dogs in one town. I got to say hi to all the furry cutie pies!
I even enjoyed the 2 hour drive there and back. I drove past so many beautiful mountains and lots of green in Prescott and cool 70 degree weather. It felt like Mom and I were in Jersey for a day (the state we are originally from).
On the drive back, we did have crazy winding roads and that danger of if you drove to close to the edge and went over… that’s it! Mom did not enjoy the route we took back (sorry, Mom!)
What we did find interesting and sad on the way back— we drove right past Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park. The park is in memory of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshot Firefighters, who lost their lives fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire (wasn’t able to take pictures of it, unfortunately). They even made a movie about it… Only the Brave.
It’s safe to say adventuring in Prescott was a 10/10 experience!
The big 26! That’s right!! I’ve made 26 trips around the sun. 4 years away from 30 and still look like I’ve just celebrated my 18th birthday (I’ll take it, lol).
What did I do for my 26th birthday?? Let me tell you!
My 26th birthday was spent up in the beautiful, charming town of Sedona, AZ. It was extra special because I got to spend it with two of my favorite people— Mom and Grandma.
Birthdays are important, and I like to go all out for my friends and families’ big days, and OK, mine as well!
This year, I picked Sedona because I’ve been wanting to visit since I moved out here (3 years I’ve been wanting to visit). I mean after all, it’s only two hours away from me. It’s a nice lil road trip! Plus, my senior pup shares the same name, Sedona, which means it’s a sign I should explore this town!(; Just saying!
Mom, Grandma, and I had the best time from shopping at the cute, little tourists’ shops to eating a yummy lunch with a view of Sedona’s red mountains and a trolly ride around the town (we even got to see Madonna, Oprah Winfrey, and Sam Eliot’s vacay homes). Oh, and of course, lots of pictures to capture the gorgeous red mountains.
It was a cloudy, rainy day, with the sun only peaking out every now and then, but still— BREATHTAKING. Sedona is absolutely breathtaking. And the weather was lovely. A nice break from the 100s…dropping down to 80s-90s.
It made it even more perfect getting to have my family with me. It’s true when they say it’s not the same seeing these wonderful things or having all the money in the world, without having friends and family to enjoy it with and be by your side. I definitely wouldn’t want to explore Sedona without my people!
So 26… yep, I believe it will be a big year for me. I have a feeling about it. I just know more good things are coming my way. 25 was spent getting a full-time job, buying my first car (brand new), making new friends, starting a new career path, growing, making sweet memories— you name it. 26 is going to be focused on going on little and big trips— and trust me, so much more.
I want to explore all of AZ. I should, you know? I don’t want to miss out on the beauty of the west. I’m all about adventure! And while I’m at it, I must visit the nearby state of Las Vegas! It’s a must!
A few AZ towns I want to check out…
1) Prescott
2) Tucson
3) Jerome
4) Flagstaff
5) Wickenburg
6) Can’t forget about visiting the Grand Canyon!
Time to make some wonderful memories for my 26th year of life!
I got a tattoo! I never really thought I would get one. I liked the idea of it but never could seem to head over and actually do it. But, I wanted one. Really bad. So, here I am! I HAVE A REAL TATTOO ON MY BODY.
My cousin and I had been talking about getting matching tattoos for a while now. We went to Dame of the West Tattoo, Scottsdale AZ yesterday (Sunday), and finally got our matching sunflowers (we decided on a sunflower with the help of Pinterest).
It was a fun lil adventure going to get tattoos with my mom and grandma tagging along. Mom, Grandma, and I went and picked up my cousin; Kayla, in Tempe and got lunch at Panera. We went to Club Tempe Tattoo first (since it was nearby but no luck)! The wait was going to be three hours (of course we said no to that).
Kayla and my grandma have matching palm tree tattoos (they got last year) and had there’s done at Dame of the West Tattoo, so we went there! They took us in 20 minutes. Perfect!
The place was such a vibe. Candles lit, plants everywhere, a cozy waiting area, and super friendly tattoo artists— it was a 10/10 experience.
I was nervous I would jump when the needle entered my skin. But, the guy that inked me with a cute lil sunflower was good! He made me feel relaxed and comfortable as I sat on a table, with him holding my leg tight while he traced that sunflower with the ink. He took his time making sure I liked it and it wasn’t a painful experience (which I really appreciated). You don’t want a bad experience getting your first tattoo! And thankfully, I didn’t move my leg too much and was able to sit there pretty still.
It was an easy process, and honestly, not that painful at all. He would stop every couple seconds and wasn’t drilling the needle in the whole twenty minutes. He would take breaks and when the needle was in my skin, it felt mostly like tiny cat scratches. On a scale of one to ten, the pain was a 4. I only got a 2 inch tattoo and no coloring, so it was an awesome experience overall!
I’m glad I did it and can finally cross getting a tattoo off my bucket list.
I think a sunflower tattoo is the perfect first tattoo for me and it’s cool because I did it with my cousin. I got to have a special tattoo bonding moment with her. She’s moving back east in just a couple months, so the tattoo is a nice lil reminder that I have a fun, awesome cousin who was down to get a matching tattoo with me and something to remember her by.
Plus, a sunflower tattoo is known as the “happy” flower. I’m a pretty happy, easy going person and having that on my leg is a reminder that life isn’t perfect, but having a positive attitude and being that ray of sunshine will keep you content (no matter what happens). I just want to live my best life & that’s exactly what I’m doing!
Bebe (my grandma’s best friend) & Grandma in the 1940s
I recently edited and helped write my grandma’s friend’s life memoir. I also helped my grandma with hers. And as I typed away at my computer, I couldn’t help but think about how precious our memories are. Each one of us have stories to tell that mean something.
It’s a great thing— to be able to look back and cherish those special moments with family and friends and see how far you’ve come in life. I wanted to share a chapter from my grandma’s book that really touched me. In this chapter, she shares about a tough period in her life where so many changes were happening to her. She was only a kid and most would have had a breakdown if they were in her shoes. But not my grandma!
My grandma has been through so many hardships in her life but she still enjoys those simple moments— memories of spending time with the ones who cared for her— who loved her. I think that’s a beautiful way to see the world. You don’t let those difficult times in life destroy you. Instead, you find a reason to smile and be happy and do the things you love with the people you love.
Moving in the Middle of a School Year
By, MaryAgnes Horton
I loved growing up in Sayreville in the 1950s and living on Dane St. My BFF; Bebe, and I nicknamed ourselves, “The Dane Street Girls.” But in 1954, that was around the time my mom met and married my stepdad; Mike Havigan—we moved to South River— the next town over (bye, Bebe, will miss you). I had to switch schools in the process. My mom took me out of Lady School of Victory in Sayreville and had me going to a brand new school— Campbell in South River— all in seventh grade. And it was a public school! Talk about major changes for little old me!
The first day at Campbell School had my stomach in knots. In one of my first classes, the teacher goes and tells the whole class, “We have a new student everyone— MaryAgnes Pounds.” I wanted to run away. I was scared to death with 59 kids in the classroom all staring at me— in the center of the room. I felt like I was on display. They were eyeing me— this skinny, tall, blonde-haired pony-tailed girl with big cat eyeglasses. I felt like such a dork! Oh, and did I mention it was the middle of the year I switched schools? I started going to Campbell after the Christmas holidays. Fun, fun, fun!
It didn’t help that I couldn’t read and was very shy. The nuns at my last school would just pass me along— never failing me and pretending I could read. They didn’t care. Little did I know, going to a public school would save me. I would find more of myself— growing more as a person. And, I finally learned how to read. I met Mr. Amutuchi (God rest his soul)— one of my three teachers at the school (we changed classes and went from one of the three teachers to the next). The other two teachers I had were Mrs. Smith and Miss Sheanburg. Anyway, Mr. Amutuchi was my homeroom teacher. He was so worried about me and wanted to really make a difference in my life, so he had me at the head of the class— my desk touching his desk. It was embarrassing at the time— but I wasn’t the only one who could barely read a sentence from a book. There were a few of us. The first book we read that taught us how to become the readers we are today was, “See Jane Run.”
Not only was Mr. A worried about my reading skills— he wanted to get me out of my comfort zone— get me to talk and open up. It was his idea for me to join the safety patrol at school (I didn’t have a choice, to say the least). The safety patrol position involved taking care of the kindergarten kids at noon time. They all waited in the auditorium and I had to keep an eye on them. That little job Mr. A gave me had me interacting with kids constantly and now I love them. To this day, I adore all little kids— even the bad ones I have a soft spot for. And back when I did safety patrol— all the kiddos were so cute and funny— I got to make a few new friends with some of them.
When the school bus rang, I had to line them all up and take them to their classroom. I had a great time doing it— surprisingly. It wasn’t so bad after all! And it did get me to talk more. Plus, once a year, we all got to go to an amusement park for the day. We would go to Palisades Park and would go on all the rides— no ride was off limits. On one of our trips there, I rode a rollercoaster for the first time. I was scared to death but then I LOVED it and went a whole bunch of times (another fear conquered).
Mr. A goes and gives me another project. He has me go to the lunchroom and help out (I never volunteered— always forced to). All I had to do was clean up tables— nothing too hard. And from that moment on, I fell in love with cleaning. To this day, my house is spotless. And that’s all thanks to Mr. A! He taught me to read, speak up, love kids, and clean better than Alice from The Brady Bunch.
Did I also mention this man held me back a year? It sounds awful, but no, it wasn’t. It was the only way he’d be able to really help me read and help me actually enjoy it. I ended up liking and making friends with the second group of 7th graders and never missed the other bunch.
Mr. Amutuchi saved my life in more ways than one. He’s long gone now but I’ll never forget that man.
I plan on writing my life story— all the little memories that hold a special place in my heart. It’s important to write them down and remember them— because those are precious memories that hold value and should be shared with those who care to listen— to read about them.
Thank you, Grandma, for sharing with me your past and how it made you the wonderful lady you are today.
The Chronicles of Chea K. 