Zoey loves to sleep on the bed with me. She doesn’t always stay on the bed all night. She moves around at times, looking for a more comfortable position.
I have photos of both of them sleeping on the bed; but this one of Zoey is by far my favorite. So sweet, so innocent and trusting, so angelic. 😇 Certainly “awww worthy” for the weekly Awww Monday blog hop!
Have a great day and a great week everyone! Zen and Zoey will probably be keeping me busy with their antics both inside the house and out in the back yard all. week. long.
These two – still being in the months between puppyhood and adulthood – love their “wrastling” (hubby’s word) matches, in the house or out in the back yard. Personally, here inside the house I prefer the peace and quiet afforded by their restful moments. 🥰😉
Welcome to Wordless Wednesday! Or, Wordy Wednesday, or Whatever Wednesday.
Gotcha Days are always special and we celebrate them at our house twice a year. But Zen actually had two different Gotcha Days; and today is the second anniversary of the second one……
July 22nd, 2022, was the day that Zen came home (from his original home) to stay with me for good.
Welcome Home Zen-Zen!!
During the time between his first Gotcha Day of May 14th, 2022, and this second one, my poor Zen puppy spent many days hiding in a corner of our kitchen while his “HuDaddy” battled his dementia demons. Thankfully, he also spent even more days safe in the care of his breeder/Grandpa, his birth mama, auntie, and three cousins (as well as his Grandpa’s sister, daughter, and friends). Sam’s demons made my poor boy so nervous. And they made me fearful of a repeat of Bogie’s last day on earth. And when Sam was admitted to the hospital that last time, “Grandpa” once again took Zen home with him so I could get the house in order while also visiting Sam as much as possible.
As a four-month-old puppy, Zen at first was a little nervous being here again. After his Grandpa left to go home that afternoon, Zen spent nearly half an hour looking for him. And each time we went to the back door, Zen would first go to the front door hoping to see Grandpa walk through it. And he nervously looked around for signs of the demons for a few days before he finally felt completely safe.
Two years later, my boy is still and always will be my anchor on stormy seas, my sunshine every day, my pot-o-gold on this side of the rainbow, my leprechaun, and my soul-dog-in-training (Ducky’s protégé).
These two pups are the loves of my current life. They complete my seconds, minutes, hours, days.
They heal the emptiness in my life since Ducky joined her brothers and sisters at the Rainbow Bridge.
They soothe the loneliness in my life created when their human Dad was freed of his dementia demons and his physical aches and pains. While it will never be completely gone, at least it doesn’t hurt as much when my Z Kids are around.
Zoey, my brother, and I took a drive up to Zoey’s and Zen’s Grandpa’s house on Sunday morning to spend some time visiting with him and our Golden family before bringing Zen home from his “vacation.”
When I texted him to say we were about to leave, Chuck texted me back teasingly saying that Zen had overheard him telling one of his pups that “Zen is going home today” and promptly jumped into the golf cart and ran away. 🤣🤣 (Doug read me the text while I was driving. I don’t read and drive.)
We humans had a nice visit while we watched Zen and Zoey play with their moms, and their older cousins/siblings.
Once we were home and back in the house after stretching our legs in the back yard, Zen and Zoey shared a sweet moment of “so happy you’re/I’m home!”
Reunited!
Since that moment, the three of us have spent countless happy moments together. Zoey and I missed our boy so much while she was healing from her surgery two weeks ago! Zen was probably having too much fun with his Grandpa, mama, auntie, and three cousins to miss us very much (though Chuck did say he spent most of that first afternoon looking for me once I left to come home).
I’m just happy to have my boy home again! And grateful to have such a wonderful friend in the pups’ breeder (and “Grandpa”)! He always takes such good care of all three of us when we need his help! I couldn’t ask for a better friend/other brother!!
So much for “Wordless Wednesday”! In this case I guess I should call it “Wordy Wednesday”!
This is indeed the best Father’s Day I’ve had in a long time! 💙🩵💙
My Zoey has healed beautifully – the incision looks great and the surgical glue has dried/been absorbed/whatever it does to become invisible – so I took the surgical recovery suit off of her this morning. Now it can be washed and put away until it’s needed by another family member.
Good time for a rest
My big boy Zen is home, too! And it feels wonderful to have him here! I have my little family back together again, the way we should be.
He loves his half a tennis ball!
When we got home from visiting with their Grandpa, we all got some water and went back outside for a little bit of fetch. But 10 minutes of that hot, humid air was about all this dog mom could stand. So, we’re back inside chilling out in the air-conditioned house.
Zoey’s happy to have Zen home, too!
Tomorrow and Tuesday are Zen’s 27-Month and Zoey’s 21-Month birthdays respectively. Friday (the 14th) was their mutual monthly Gotcha Day. Where have the months gone??!
It’s nothing to worry about. My little girl is being spayed today, three months, two weeks, and one day before her second birthday.
My Wild Child
I have absolute, complete faith in her doctor and I know she will come through the surgery with flying colors.
And to make sure she heals completely and properly, big brother Zen will be spending these next two weeks at his Grandpa Chuck’s house. Not because he would ever do anything to harm his little sister, but because Zoey is a little instigator. And she will need to rest and stay calm for these two weeks.
My Soul Dog in Training
I will miss my big boy so much! This is the first time he’ll be away from home for more than a day since hubby was admitted to the hospital (for the last time) in July of 2022. Zen has been “there” for me through the roughest months of 2022 and beyond. He has truly been my soul dog in training – with Ducky as his spirit guide – helping me to heal, letting me cry into his furry, wavy, Golden locks, and giving me the best human-like hugs.
But while I’ll be missing him – and Zoey will, too – this will be an excellent opportunity for Zoey and I to work on our bond. She’s going to have to be calm and not take running leaps onto furniture, not run around the yard like a lunatic, not do her”acrobatic” leaps to catch her ball; and I’m sure there will be other restrictions. So, I’m going to start her with some of Ducky’s food puzzles, and some games of easy tug of war, and some easy scent work games. And hopefully start working on her confidence so we can ease her separation anxiety with some games.
Hi Everyone, Zen here! I hope you like my selfie! I love curling up in Mom’s recliner. And the end table* is a great place to rest my chin.
*Mom wanted me to tell you that she is particularly fond of this end table. Why would anyone be fond of a piece of furniture I asked her. She told me “because, my love, your sweet human Daddy built it himself out of walnut and oak that he got from his parents’ house back when we were newlyweds. And, he used the table saw that my father gave him just because.”
Well, that’s it for me today. Hope you like my selfie! Zoey was sound asleep on the floor in front of the couch. Maybe she will do the Sunday Selfie next week.
I cannot believe my little girl, my tiny fur ball who weighed about 12 pounds when I first brought her home is now almost as tall as Zen and weighs about 61 pounds! Where have these last 18 months gone??
She’s gone from this…
To this…
In 18 short, sometimes seemingly never-ending, months!
It’s been a roller-coaster ride at times with her separation anxiety and quirky habits/obsessions; but the bonds between her and Zen and between her and me are beautiful to witness. She is such a sweet, loving, playful pup that one can’t help but fall in love with her.
Happy Half-Year Birthday Zo-Zo!! Zen and I love you!!
I can’t believe my big boy, my sunshine, my leprechaun, my pot of gold, my lucky charm is suddenly two years old! 💚🐾☘️🐾
Hi Mom!
Before Bogie’s ashes even came home, I was looking forward to Zen’s arrival. I had promised Ducky that we would get her another baby brother to help her deal with Daddy’s dementia demons. Then Ducky left me, too. I was devastated. But once the shock wore off and I was left with just the reality of her absence, I knew Ducky would pick the perfect puppy for me. I just had to wait patiently. That waiting wasn’t easy in between Sam’s dementia-induced “episodes” but I managed. And suddenly, on St. Patrick’s Day 2022, on their mama’s birthday, my little furball and his nine siblings were born. I was soooo excited! And Sam was excited (when his dementia allowed him some control).
Zen and his siblings, about 2 weeks old
Oh! They were soooo cute and tiny! Baby leprechauns all! When they were three weeks old, Sam and I went to see them. I saw baby Zen, with his smudge muzzle, looking at us from under a chair and fell in love.
Look at that sweet little face
He stole my heart even then, but at just three weeks old he wasn’t ready to choose his humans yet. So we went back to see all the puppies again the following week. And I let Ducky do the choosing. I knew she would whisper in the right puppy ear. It took a little extra encouragement from Ducky because Sam’s demons were lurking in the shadows; but that little cutie I had already fallen in love with picked me. And eventually picked Sam too.
Soooo sweet!Hi DaddyOur Zen-puppy and Us
So much has happened since that day four weeks after Zen was born that I couldn’t possibly include it all here. Some of it was heartbreaking, some of it was truly frightening, a lot of it loaded with anxiety. But once Sam was in a place where I knew he would be cared for professionally and compassionately, the anxiety eased enough that I could bring Zen back home. So I did and our relationship, our bond has been growing.
Zen Hugs
We’ve had our times when my journey into widowhood has made for tense moments, but we’ve gotten through them relatively unscathed and more bonded as a result. Zen has truly been my “rock” throughout these 17+ months since Sam joined Bogie, Ducky, and our other pups at the Rainbow Bridge to wait for me.
Then, six months and one day after Zen was born, his little cousin Zoey came into this world with her own nine siblings. I knew I wanted another girl to love. And I knew raising pups of the opposite sex would be challenging. But I felt up to it and Zen needed a playmate. So, six months to the day after Sam and I brought Zen home for the first time, I brought Zoey home while my brother stayed with Zen.
Getting to Know You…🎶This photo brings back memories of Callie and Shadow at the same ages.
Zen is not just my rock; he’s also an excellent big brother.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZEN-ZEN!! ☘️☘️🎂🎉🎈 Zoey and I love you and will do all we can to make your day as special as you are! 💚💚💚💚💚
in my heart 4ever 