Friday, May 11, 2007

"What Is It?"







In the summer of 2000 while still very weak and fatigued from all the chemo treatments, I took Amber to work. We turned down a street and there sat a little dog in the middle of the road. We slowed, and then came to a stop. It was small, brown with nasty matted hair. It had the appearance of just rolling into town on a tumbleweed. We went around the dog and continued down the street.

That afternoon I picked Amber up from work and there sat that same nappy little dog on a different street. We came to a stop and I said “Amber, open your door and see what it does. Amber opened the door and the little dog jumped into the car and sat down between Amber and me. She was panting, drooling and smelled like something dead. We rolled down the windows to help with the smell and rode the rest of the way home giggling and gagging. When we arrived home Rebekah announced, “Oh, that stinks” and that brought more peals of laughter.

The girls kept saying, “Come on, and let’s bathe it.” I finally said, “How would you like to be picked up by strangers, manhandled and then given a bath? Just be patient!” The dog was badly matted, you couldn’t tell where its legs began and the matt ended. You couldn’t possibly work a brush through its hair, so I proceeded with the scissors to carefully snip away at the matts. The process was going very slowly. There were also bits of grass, twig and assorted weeds tangled in with the matting. I figured if you planted the dog, something was sure to grow.

Rachel walked in from work and said, “What is that?” which proceeded to bring forth more laughter.

It was time to bathe this smelly little ‘mass of mess’. I placed it in the tub half expecting it to make a mad dash to the door, but it just sat patiently waiting. I soaked the little dog with water and then shampoo; as I rinsed its hair, the tips were white. “What had my girls put in their shampoo?” I shampooed it a second time and as I began to rinse I was surprised to see the little brown dog was really white. My little ‘mass of mess’ turned out to be a beautiful white female poodle.






In January 2002 after completing all of my treatments , her little heart gave out. She had had to be so strong for me for so long. As I held her in my arms, the vet administered the IV and she quietly and peacefully went to sleep.

She was there with me through it all, never complaining. I always knew that she needed me, but I came to see that I had really needed her! She was my quiet in our storms!

Isaiah 65:24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.”

10 comments:

TREY MORGAN said...

I think before and after pictures of the dog are impressive. Before and after pictures of Daryl would be just as impressive. Don't you think?

Monalea said...

Trey

Before pictures of Daryl would be with a full head of brown hair and a thin body. But I came into his life and he pulled his hair out and what he had left turned gray. Plus I fattened him up.

Monalea

Anonymous said...

Ya'll are too too funny for words...I love hearing all of these stories of what ya'll do to each other and have fun doing it...I love each and every one of you...I remember your dog so well, she was a pal through thick and thin when you were at your worst...She loved you very much you could tell the way she would follow you around...Now you have another pal...Little mushroom is what I'm going to call her since I don't know how to spell her name...Love, RC friend

Monalea said...

R.C. I thought you had washed away in all the rain we had lately. I would have sent a Saint Bernard, but I think they only work in snow related incidets. I'm glad I make you laugh, I always wanted to be a stand up comic.

Love you 2-3-6
Monalea

ps I make Daryl want to pinch my head off.

Anonymous said...

I bet you do...I thought I did float away with all of this rain...It's nice, but I'm glad it has stopped for a while...Nice and green though, and now here come the weeds again...Love ya, RC

The Preacher's Household: said...

I refer to dogs like this as angel dogs. I think God sends them to us and they leave when their mission is finished. I had one named Rory.
I also think it is neat that the dog was a diamond in the rough - something to remember about people as well.
Love it!
Kathy

Neva said...

I know Ned has looked at me and wondered "What is it?" Hopefully I clean up as nice as the poodle.

On a serious side, losing a pet is very difficult. When Eddy died, my boys brought me this little dog, ZUZU, she was my therapist, my comfort and my friend for all the single parenting years and even the newly married years and even the older married years---I really miss her.

Love
Neva
PS Ned called her Frank because he thought Zuzu was a sissy name. He called her a big boy dog and took her for rides in the truck. She was his therapist too. :)

Monalea said...

Neva, ha ha! I thought you were going to say that Zuzu needed therpy after hanging with Ned!

Kathy, you are right on the nose with this one. I'm glad you shared.

R.C. I'm willing to take the weeds with the beautiful green!

Monalea

Anonymous said...

Monalea,
You are a great writer and blogist. I am entertained and inspired by this site each day. Thanks!

Monalea said...

Dear D from Frogtown USA,
I love writing and I love you enjoying them even more. Will try to keep up the entertainment.

Monalea