Eight Lights: Birthday with Stan and Sandie

Sandie, Stan, Mom

My birthday present last year was a visit from Uncle Crazy and Sandie. 

Stan, Me Tovah, Mom

Since I just posted about the 80th birthday party, I thought I'd get back to my Eight Lights of 2012 and post these pics. 

Sandie, Me, Tovah, Mom

Uncle Crazy had last been here five years ago. Right after that visit he met Sandie and, well, the rest is history. Mom had already met Sandie, but I had not. I ADORE her and absolutely enjoyed spending so much time with Uncle and Sandie.

Sandie, Me, Tovah, Stan

Of course I made everyone go outside and take photos, and I love the memories we captured of that visit.

Brother and Sister!

I think Mom and Uncle look a lot alike, but Mom looks more like my grandmother and Uncle more like my grandfather.

Mom and Me

The Technology Wiz

Uncle is very hip with his technology. Here he's teaching me all about his Kindle.                                  ,

Extra Hugs, Please.

I made sure to stock up on hugs and kisses.

Chocolate Torte

We spent the afternoon of my birthday together celebrating. I asked Mom to try to be lower stress about cooking so much. So we ordered this divine flourless chocolate torte from one of our favorite farms at the market. Uncle goes crazy for chocolate.

Birthday Lunch

We love seeing Uncle so happy again, after going through the loss of his wife. 

Making a Wish

I had decided not to plan anything for my birthday last year, and just keep it low key. It ended up being an incredibly love-filled week--a lesson in sometimes just letting things unfold on their own. I couldn't have asked for a better gift--having Uncle and Sandie here on my birthday, feeling well enough to enjoy it, seeing Dayle, Mark and Ruffy the same week, and as always receiving the love of friends and family. And, we made the decision to get Gershwin! So it was a pretty special 37th birthday!

Sandie and hew New BFF

Sandie fell in love with Tovah--and Tovah spent most of the visit on Sandie's lap. (Asher was at Dad and Abbie's house and Tovah was despondent over this, so she took great comfort in Sandie.)

Serious Chef

The next day, Uncle Crazy introduced me to his famous omelets. 

Passing the Cubs Loyalty to the Next Generation

A lifelong Cubs fan, just like my grandmother, Uncle gave me some Cubs gear for my birthday that I now wear all of the time!

Thank you Stan and Sandie for making the trip to visit. You made my birthday WONDERFUL.

Blessings,

Emily

Our Construction Worker is 8 Months Old!

Look What I Did Right After Going to the Groomer!

Our little guy is 8 months old today. I am a little wistful about how fast puppyhood is passing for Tovah and Gershwin.

A Sign of Hard Work

Gershwin LOVES to dig (even more than Tovah). We do hope he'll outgrow this puppy phase, but for now he has earned the title of Head Construction Worker.

Tired After a Day of Construction

Our little foreman does great work in the yard. Rather than construction, his work might be better called Destruction. 

Growing So Big

Either way, we love this guy so much. He's especially cute after being groomed yesterday.

How Can You NOT Love Me?

Blessings,

Emily

Ruffy, Dayle and Mark

Mom and Ruffy

When searching for our next dog, all of the correspondence I had with people was through email. When Mom and Jeannine went to pick up Tovah we had never met a Lowchen or the breeder, but Dayle and I had spent endless hours emailing about the breed, her breeding practices, and the litter of puppies we were getting one from. Dayle truly goes above and beyond for her puppies and her families that adopt from her. Among the wonderful things about getting a puppy that is a 1. a rare breed and 2. from a small breeder is that, in addition to having two wonderful puppies, I've been able to form relationships with other people who have Lowchen, which has really helped to enrich my life and have people to talk to about dogs, dogs, dogs!

The week of my birthday last year, Dayle and her husband were traveling and able to make a stop for lunch at our house. Dayle brought Tovah's littermate and brother, Ruffy. The two were so happy to see each other! 

Mark, Dayle and Ruffy

At the the time Dayle and Mark came for lunch, we were still debating whether or not to get a third dog and I think Dayle was still trying to decide if we were THE right home for her snuggly little guy, Gershwin. After meeting us, she seemed to decide we were going to give Gershwin a wonderful home, and we are so grateful she did (Happy birthday to me!). It was really special to finally meet Dayle after having spent so much time emailing with her. She's become a big part of my life--always there for me to answer questions and we both enjoy updates from one another on how my puppies are doing and how her dogs and new litters are doing.

I felt a little like we were getting a home study done, I wanted so much to show Dayle that we were giving Tovah a good home and would give Gershwin a good home. I'm so glad we passed the 'test'. :) One of the reasons we chose Dayle as our breeder is because she is so very careful in placing her puppies in good homes.

Hopefully we'll get to see Dayle again on one of her trips to or from her home to visit her son, so we can see her and she can see her 'babies' again. Gershwin spent the first few weeks of his life zipped up in her sweatshirt for several hours each day--wonder if he'll remember that when he sees her? 

Blessings,

Emily

What's in a Name?

Tovah Rose Freshly Groomed and Always Ready for a Photo Op

Tovah Rose

When preparing to name Tovah I immersed myself in the Jewish baby name books, made my little list in Evernote, and asked close friends for their opinions. I take naming seriously! :) Jeannine teased me that it would be difficult to come up with a name as meaningful and unique as Asher Noam's ("lucky, blessed, happy" and "sweet friend"). When Tovah arrived, we waited a few days to make a final decision on a name--trying out the six names I had narrowed it down to. 

Before Tovah arrived, I was sure I would pick one of the other six names. I still look at my list and love all of the names and meanings behind them. I won't share them here because I hope someday I might use them for another sweet little girl. 

But the more we said the six names out loud to her and watched her little personality, we decided she was a Tovah. 

Tovah: Hebrew meaning "Good One"

Tovah's middle name came easily. Rose was a common name used by Jewish immigrants in the 20th century (which was when my grandmother's family arrived). Rose was also a sentimental favorite to me because it was the name of my grandmother's favorite sister who died at a young age. One of eight children, my grandmother spoke often with great love of her sister Rose.

Then we had to pick our fancy schmancy AKC name. We wanted it to reflect the place we live and love. 

Marday's Tovah Rose Blossom of the Valley

This name has ended up fitting her perfectly because she is a bit of a delicate little flower sometimes! Her spaying turned into quite a drama with needing extra IV fluids, extra pain meds, and had a suture reaction--all of which are a bit extreme for a routine spay. So, our vet tech calls her 'the delicate little flower'. She's also finely built and tiny.

Because Tovah was so tiny when she first arrived, we could never find where she was (a favorite spot was under the sofa), so Mom put little kitty bells on her collar so we'd always know where she was. One day Mom started calling her Twinkle Toes. And it stuck. The most common nickname for this little one is Twinkle Toes.  A loved one has many names, right?

Our Tovah Rose Twinkle Toes  is definitely one loved little girl.

Blessings,

Emily

Asher Says Pbth!

Pbth

Poor Asher can't handle the commotion of the construction workers in and out of the house, so he's hanging out at Dad and Abbie's for the next few weeks. He'll be home on weekends and I'll likely be begging for a few visits in between. I'm so used to having this guy fall asleep next to me at night, follow me into the bathroom, lay outside my bedroom door, it's going to be strange having him away. 

Here he is sleeping in one of his favorite spots--the bathroom floor--and sticking his tongue out! I wonder what he will think of the new floors, which are heated? Hmmmm....

So far the puppies are hanging in there with the construction workers--Gershwin SLEPT through the entire demolition process yesterday. He's pretty chill about it all. Tovah is a bit more frustrated with being confined to certain spaces, and often sings her Lowchen Lament to let us know how frustrated she is.

When Asher arrived home yesterday for his weekend visit, I heard a 'thump'. My guess was that he was trying to head butt the bathroom door to get it open so he could go take a nap in there. (He naps when I nap!) He looked completely befuddled by the new pocket door and the fact that it wouldn't open. I showed him the new bathroom so far and told him he'd have to sleep elsewhere for a while. Poor old guy.

Blessings,

Emily

Ready for A Bathroom Made for Me

Original Floor. Oh my!

We have lived in the same house since I was nine months old, and many things are still original to the house when it was first built. We are long overdue for many remodeling projects to make our house more salable, but most importantly more enjoyable and fun for US to live in NOW.

We are not at all sad to see any of the original items in the bathroom GO! I used to spend many days using tracing paper and crayons to make rubbings on the linoleum floor. 

37 year old bathroom.

During my time of transformation last year we made the decision to do several things to make life more manageable and full for me. This included getting the puppies, getting an iPad, and deciding to re-do the bathroom so that it would be one that was more usable for me.

Making it Work, Tim Gunn Style. 

Recently, I've been using one of the kitchen bar stools to sit at the sink to brush my teeth, comb my hair, put on blush, etc. It's completely impractical for what I need. The new bathroom vanity will have a seated area under the sink so that I can easily reach what I need and sit while doing everything! Being able to sit at the sink might even give me the energy to put on a little make-up! :) I used to just get ready as fast as possible while trying to stand at the sink. Using energy for that could leave me worn out for the day. 

We Will So Not Miss This!

Because going shopping is so physically and cognitively exhausting for me, it has taken us over a year to pick out all of the things we need for the bathroom (and we're still finishing up with last minute decisions). Making decisions is exhausting! How does anyone design a WHOLE house?!

Can't Wait for the New Tub!

Our big splurge and what I am super excited about is a new bathtub. Taking baths is one of the ways I help to manage pain and calm my ANS. I also cannot stand to take a shower. The new tub will be deeper, have air bubbles (which are supposed to be very helpful for pain), and a lower shower head so that I can sit in the tub and no longer need Mom to wash my hair. I'm already dreaming about those baths!

Who Thought this was Practical?

We're putting an end to the commotion of the clashing doors. A pocket door will replace the main door, and the closet will have to small doors instead of one big one. I'll easily be able to spin around on my little stool at the sink to reach anything I need in the closet. 

Gotta Love This Counter Top.

We've put off so many projects over the years while we 'lived in waiting' for me to feel better. We finally decided to stop waiting for me to be able to stand at the sink or in the shower. We finally decided to stop waiting for me to feel better to risk the disruption of construction. I know the end product will be so worth it.

Blessings,

Emily

Demolition And Disruption

Asher Surveys the Scene

As of yesterday, this was the current state of my bathroom. In two and a half hours four guys were able to completely demolish our bathroom. (It's not a very big bathroom!)

No More Baths 

For the next four weeks things will be a little disrupted, but we are very very excited about the final product--a bathroom more accessible for me and a much needed upgrade from the 37 year old fixtures. My bedroom is right next to the bathroom, so I'm sleeping on an air mattress in the den for part of the day while they are here and trekking to a different bathroom right now. It's all a little tough on my body, but I'm at least a little more stable than I was just two weeks ago when I wrote about my setback.

Demolition Puppy Style

Puppies Love Toilet Paper!

In the process of trying to clear out the bathroom yesterday morning, Mom discovered the puppies had found various pieces of contraband--their favorite being a FULL roll of toilet paper. At least they had fun making such a mess!

The Evidence

The construction crew is actually more neat and organized than the puppies! We couldn't have asked for more pleasant people to work with and thankfully, the foreman is a HUGE dog lover. :)

Blessings,

Emily

Uncle Crazy Makes Omelets!

35 Foot Ceilings

On Sunday afternoon, we went over to Uncle's house for his famous omelets.  

We spent two days traveling each way, since the trip is over 10 hours and I cannot make it that long in one day. We arrived in Chicago Friday, rested all day Saturday, went to the party, visited on Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours, and then traveled home Monday and Tuesday. That's a lot of travel for six hours of visiting! But that was all my body could handle.

The Omelet King

Seriously, his omelets cannot be matched. We think it's the zillion pound cast iron skillet that is his secret. Or maybe it's those glasses? He even takes custom orders (i.e. cheeseless for me).

I loved seeing Uncle's gorgeous home--an old stable house converted into condos.

Brother and Sister Bonding

Do I dare say how much the two of them look like their mother?

We loved spending an afternoon with Uncle, Sandie (she's a keeper! :)), and Dana. I was pretty tired and kind of just laid around on the sofa, but we were grateful to have low-key tome together.

Blessings,

Emily
(aka 'Beautiful Niece')

Uncle Crazy Turns 80!

Full of Hot Air

As I mentioned briefly in an earlier post, Mom and I traveled to Chicago at the end of January to celebrate Uncle Crazy's 80th birthday. 

Uncle Needs a Drink to get through the Toasts

Sandie (Stan's "No. 1") and the rest of Uncle's family put together an incredibly meaningful celebration for Uncle. Amazing food. A small intimate group of Stan's closest friends and family. A jazz trio. Stan's beautiful home. The party was perfection and fit Uncle perfectly. And since it was at his home, I could claim the sofa! :)

I Love When Uncle Wears Pink!

One of my greatest regrets is that I did not travel to Chicago during my college years for Uncle's 65th birthday celebration because I was 'too busy studying'. Despite the difficulty of the travel, especially in the midst of feeling so poorly, I was absolutely determined to go to Stan's 80th celebration. Over the years Uncle and I have grown closer through our Sunday afternoon check-ins. Before this trip, I had not been to Chicago for over 20 years.

Our Little Family: Stephen, Beth, Joshua, Stan, Dana 

I finally met my cousin Stephen's amazing wife, Beth. And saw Stephen for the first time in a decade.

Joshua and Stephen

I met Joshua, Stephen's son, who is already headed to college this fall!

Me and Day

And got to see Cousin Dana (Day) again.

Siblings

I think Uncle is trying to tickle Mom just like he did to torture his little sister when they were growing up. 

Mom and me.

Mom and I were so very happy to be there with Uncle and family. Also, it looks like pink was the color of the day.

Jazz, Jazz, Jazz.

Part of Uncle's legacy is the the music he has shared with me and the jazz he has introduced me to. His home provided the perfect acoustics for the lovely jazz trio.

Stan and his No. 1

Many people asked me if I had fun on the trip. What I will say is this: the travel was brutal. I rested or struggled every moment of the trip. We went to see Uncle and our family. That was what mattered. And we did it. I paid a major price physically to go, but I also did something that was important to myself and those I love and for that I have no regrets. My body rallied for the party, and that was what I wanted most. 

Dancing

Seeing Uncle so happy was what made every moment of the trip worth it. He makes 80 look fantastic. 

Uncle Crazy: I wish you many more years of enjoying the things you love most--beautiful music, good food, travel and winters in Arizona, going to Cubs games, watching movies, enjoying art and museums and concerts and lots of time with Sandie, your family and your friends.

Blessings,

Emily