Hi, Clay, little Pebbles is so adorable. I'm sorry about Roxy. When my attempt to adopt little Hank last month didn't work out it really hit me hard - - almost like another loss. It's just been over the last couple of days that I've been able to think about him without tearing up.

Unfortunately with all the rain and ongonig effects of Hurricane Katrina the Gulf Coast region is proving to be a breeding ground for many allergies, rashes, etc.. I hope little Pebbles responds to the treatment so that she can come home to you. Please keep us informed as to how things go, okay? Hang in there - - September 26 will be here before you know it.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Thank you for that... we decided that we weren't going to rush into looking for another companion but would know when the time was right and we found an animal that needed us. Roxy apparently didn't, since she had a foster mother who loved her enough to keep her. Pebbles, however, needs us. I'm going to be in pretty constant contact with the agency to make sure she's okay and still coming up here. I'll be taking two days off the week we get her and my wife will be taking three, so we'll be home with her for a full week before she's left alone.

Hi, Clay, please let us know how things are going with Pebbles, okay? That's wonderful about you and your wife being able to take some time off from work when she comes home with you. After all, this is a new baby coming into your home and she needs this quality time with her new mom and dad to help her adjust to her new life and her new fur family.

Let's see - - September 26 - - just 36 days left to prepare for Pebbles' homecoming. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Clay, and look forward to sharing your news whenever possible.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi, Clay. This weekend is my monthly "bill a thon" - - lots of fun balancing the check book, getting payments logged into my ledger that I have not been able to do during the course of the month, matching invoices with payment receipts and filing appropriately, and then getting the next month's bills lined up in the checkbook for payment when funds are available and getting checks written to mail for the bills I still can't pay online - - which, thank goodness - - are few. My brain is a bit of mush right now, but I'm at a point that I can take a "break".

As I was doing evening dishes - - even though I have an automatic dishwasher it's much easier for me to do the few dishes for me and my Noah myself rather than run the big dishwasher - - I was thinking about you and your wife and your anticipation of sweet Pebbles. And a few thoughts came to mind. I hope you won't think me a butt-in-ski - - please accept these thoughts in the true spirit of friendship in which they are offered:

I was thinking to help you and your wife "claim" Pebbles even now, have you thought about doing an audio recording of your voices and sending it to her foster caregivers to play for her so that she can become accustomed to your voices? AND - - would it be possible for you to send her a shirt with you and your wife's scent on it so that she can become accustomed to you BEFORE she actually meets you? This might help her with the transition when you and your wife actually bring her home with you - - sweet Pebbles will already be accustomed to your voices and your scent. And how about sending her a towel or something with the scent of your other furkids, too. This way she will know she will not be alone - - that she'll have another fur buddy to look forward to and play with. AND what about a "family picture" so that her foster caregivers can show her pictures of her new family to be so that she can recognize you when she sees you?

These were just a few thoughts that crossed my mind. I don't know if they are doable in reality of the circumstances, but maybe you could call the foster caregivers and see if they would be willing to play the audio recording of your voices for Pebbles so that she could get accustomed to your voices and keep your shirt / towels / whatever with your scent on them for her to become used to before she actually comes to live with you. The picture may be an option - -.

For whatever these thoughts are worth - - please know I am sharing you and your wife's excitement about bringing little Pebbles home. I hope her treatments are going well and the reports are excellent that you are getting from her foster caregivers.

Please know you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers, Clay, and look forward to sharing the progress of Pebbles journey with you - - for your journey together has already begun - - the anticipation of bringing her home to you is already a part of your journey together.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Nah, feel free to give me any ideas you have.

Not sure how doable any of those ideas are... the shelter I'm getting her from is in Weschester county, which is about 170 miles from my house (I live in New York) and right now she's being fostered in Mississippi. I'll have to check with the agency in Weschester and see if they'd have any way to get a couple of things down to her. I like the towels with Miya and Takoda's scent on them, and our shirt as well... that's a very good idea.

I'm calling them tomorrow for an update on how she's doing and I'll let you know if it's something we can do.

Hi Clay, I'll look forward to sharing your news. Like I said - - they were just a few ideas that came to mind after focusing on BILLS all day - - when the mind is already a bit twisted and warped. I know that even if these ideas are not doable that you, your wife, and all of your fur family members will help sweet Pebbles with her transition to her new family once she does join you.

I am SO O O O O O excited for you, your wife, and all of your family!!!

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi, Clay, just checking in to see if you have any updates on Miss Pebbles to share. I hope life is treating you and your family kindly. Just 27 days - - she'll be joining you when autumn is new in upstate New York. What a beautiful time of the year for her to be joining her new family. Lots of leaves to taboggen through - - of course always while you're trying to rake them!!!

Please know you're in my thoughts and prayers, and look forward to hearing how things are going.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Sorry, I must have missed this when you first posted it.

The only thing I've been told about Pebbles is she'll be here on the 26th but I've asked several times for the agency to give me an update as to what they found out about her and they're telling me that the foster home isn't responding to their inquiries, which has me a tad concerned. The last time I talked to them was last Friday and she said she'd call me this week, but as of yet I haven't heard anything.

Which reminds me, I think I'll give them a call.

I just called the agency and tried to leave a message for the woman that we've been dealing with but as I was leaving my numbers in her voicemail I got "scheduling delivery, thank you" and it disconnected on me.

I'm starting to get concerned and not a little angry. The last update I had on Pebbles was when I was called and told they thought she had mange. I have not heard one more update since. Whenever I call the agency I'm told "I promise I'll call you. Don't worry, she's yours". Well, I'm not taking alot of comfort from that.

EDIT: It's amazing what an email and phone call indicating your frustration with an agency will do. Not five minutes after I emailed the agency I got this response:


She is doing great, her skin looks great but she is still itchy. Our vet thinks it's allergies and is treating her with antihistemines and a food allergy diet, just in case it's food. We really think it's a contact allergy as they say she is worse after she goes outside and rolls in the grass. We suspect that she will do better when she gets up there-Mississippi is slam full of allergens.

And along with that email I got this updated picture:

Hi, Clay, oh h h h - - I am so o o o glad you are persevering in getting updates on little Pebbles. What a cutie she is!!! I LOVE THOSE EARS!!! Very filled with character!!! The thing about allergies is - - she will have a whole new set of allergens to get used to once she is with you in New York - - BECAUSE - - they won't be the same as what she is exposed to in Mississippi. Poor darlin' girl. The GOOD NEWS is that she will be with you - - and all of her new PERMANENT family. Hip Hip HOORAY!!!!

Clay, I am so o o o glad the clock is ticking - - each day is closer to her being home with you and all of her permanent family. She'll have a whole new adjustment to go through, so she may need a lot of reassurance that she's not just "passing through."

Thank you so o o much for sharing the update with us, Clay. I know you ard your wife are getting excited - - a little more each day - - at having sweet Pebbles home with you. Look forward to sharing your news when possible, and please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Yeah, I was thinking about new allergens, but she'll be up here as fall starts and is going to be inside most of the time so hopefully it won't be too bad. We can't wait to get her home... our home has been lacking since Winston died. She looks so expressive in that picture.

A question for you (or anyone else)... how realistic is it going to be to expect to change her name? She's about six months old now and I'm worried about trying to teach her a new name at this age. They've been calling her Tootsie.

Dear Clay

She looks great, actually a picture of health, hopefully the skin problems will sort themselves out when she's away from the allergens of Mississippi. If she still suffers when you have her home maybe see an holistic vet for help.
As for her name, well, we rescued 'Pixie' at around 12/18 months of age. She was a stray with no Id or history. The rescue centre named her Pixie so that was at least her second name. We kept it and she now answers to it, so you should be ok changing her name at 6 months.
It's so exciting for you and I bet you can't wait to get her home. Please keep us posted.
Hugs
Jan and my Angels and Pixie
xx

Hi, Clay, I ditto what Jan said about changing her name - - she should adjust to it okay, particularly the more you say it the more she'll respond to it. And Jan has given you another good option in case little Pebbles has any new or ongoing allergy challenges - - an holistic vet might be able to give some assistance. You might ask your regular vet about holistic therapies - - in addition to / in combination with standard treatments. The FIRST THING, though, is to get her home with you and your wife and her fur siblings, and get her settled into her new routines.

I hope that life is treating you and your family kindly, Clay, and look forward to sharing your news.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

We're picking her up on Sunday the 26th. I've taken the 27-28 off of work, my wife has taken the 29-30 off, then we're both off during the weekend. So she'll have seven full days with us before she's left alone.

I can't wait... our house has been so lacking since we lost Winston.

Hi Clay,

I just read all of the posts from the beginning. What a journey. Winston sure sounded lke an awesome pup. You rsponded to my loss, so you know that I, too, lost my buddy (Little Bit) from a car accident that I felt (and for now, still do) responsible for.

I got a lot from all of the posts here. Your one post about losing all interest was amazing to me - especially about World of War. That is all I did on my nights off - ALL night long. I am a loner, so I did a lot of it solo. I made it to Level 80, but I don't have all the fancy gear because I don't do raids, etc. I also quit setting my lineups in Fantasy Baseball, and can barely think about Fantasy Football right now. Those nights off are the ones that Little Bit got me through.

I also see your loss of Winston was similar to mine. If you recall (perhaps you don't), the reason Little Bit got struck and killed by the car is because she was responding to me calling for her. I don't know how many people on this board saw Sling Blade, but in it, the main character, Carl, had killed his mother (very bad past, etc). But during the movie he would constantly shake his head and say "Mmmm, mmm, mmm", slightly closing his eyes and shaking his head. When I watched the movie, I couldn't quite understand what that was all about, now I do. The movie that keeps playing over in my head of Little Bit looking up at me and excitedly running towards me, right into the path of the car, causes me to do the same exact thing. I believe Carl is re-living himself killing his mother and he can't get that movie to stop playing.

I am also following your quest to get your new pup, so I am counting on yur posts. I am also counting on everyone telling me that it will get better - eventually....


Little Bit:

I love you and miss you. I wish you were still here with your joy and zest for life. I miss you running to greet me and pressing your sweet little head against the screen and window. I am so sorry I called you over....

Yeah, it was about a week before I could even bring myself to play WoW, and during that first week I barely ate. I was in total numbed shock over what happened.... I fortunately seem to be a person that processes and deals with this kind of grief fairly fast... within a week I was feeling better, although I was still very sad. Now it's just a sorrow over what I'm missing, versus what I've lost, if that makes sense.

You will get over this, I promise... it may take longer than I did, but that doesn't make your grief any more or less real than mine. Someday you'll think of one of Little Bit and smile at his antics, with maybe one tear rolling down your face. And yes, we are very excited to bring Pebbles home... three weeks from today, and we can't wait.

Thank you for responding to my post, and keep us informed on how you're doing. Whether you start to recover from this in a week or a year, we're all here for you.

-Clay

I feel good, but bad...

After reading what you did, for some reason I went on the pet-finder.com sight, and just started looking around at the labs. For the FIRST time I was able to smile and actually laugh at some of the videos they were showing of these goofballs. While I was looking at their videos, I didn't replay the movie of Little Bit getting hit, over and over and over again in my head.

Well, I started searching on the lab rescue sight, and I actually found 2 that really got me thinking I might send an email to them and see about maybe adopting one. Is this too soon?..., I don't know, I don't want it to be a knee jerk reaction. But one thing I thought about last night, about why I bonded so quickly with Little Bit as opposed to my indoor cats (I love them to pieces though), is that Little Bit acted like a dog. I would throw sticks and Little Bit would retrieve them, and then running to me when I called him. I have always been more of a dog person, but never replaced my last dog because it hurt so much when I had to put her down. Well, obviously, it didn't hurt any less with a cat.

When I was looking at these labs, I actually felt "good" and I know you all know what I mean by that, knowing full well that every time I look somewhere I still see Little Bit and still feel the empty, hollow hole in my heart and stomach. And, would give anything still to have Little Bit back with me. But it surprised me that just for that brief amount of time I started feeling better when I was looking at these labs.

I still don't know what I am going to do yet, it's a big step, but I kept imagining having a dog to come home to, to walk, to throw a ball with, to ride in the car with..., and it felt nice. But, I want to make sure I am not running away from my sorrow and grief because there is still plenty of it.

I just absolutely adore animals and I think about the love I have for them and the ones that need a home... There were two in particular, Murphy and Jake Blues, that grabbed my heart..., but I don't know. When I was finished looking at them and then look up, at Little Bit's window sill, his lounge chairs, his tree... I feel like I am disrespecting his death and making light of it, but I am not because I still hurt so incredibly bad and miss him so incredibly much.

But..., I think I'll still go back and look at the labs...

You guys are so appreciated. I posted on another site the day I lost Little Bit, in excruciating pain, and I checked there a few minutes ago, and there were 7 views and 0 replies. I am not sure how far I could have made it had I not found this board with everyone responding so well. This forum, you guys, have been a life-saver and I vow, when I get over the tremendous pain of losing my little buddy, I am going to hang here and speak with the new lost souls that will surely continue to come into this forum in droves.

THANK YOU / THANK YOU / THANK YOU / THANK YOU / THANK YOU / THANK YOU ------- all

I don't know how to upload photos, so I may not be able to do this..., but here is Murphy and Jake Blues..., what do you guys think? Please don't anyone think that I am disrespecting Little Bit. I just ordered his cremation and bawled like a baby.... If given a choice from God, I would ask for him back right now.

Murphy (at the left) and Jake over here on the right...

For their videos (don't know if these will come through properly), and if anyone wants to see them:

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17275546?mtf=1 (for Jake)

and

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17256330?mtf=1 (for Murphy)

go to the "View Video" at the bottom of their 3 vertical pictures..., if you want.

Murphy seems a bit calmer, if I do this, they have to mesh with 3 indoor, very spoiled cats...

The best thank-you anyone can offer us is staying around and paying it forward, so to speak.

And as far as it being too soon, when to get another pet after losing one is a very personal decision. When we lost Winston we decided that we weren't going to actively look for another pet, but would know when we found one that needed us, and that's how we came to find Pebbles. And in the meantime, we found another dog that tugged on our heartstrings like she did, but we really have to look at whether or not four dogs is realistic for our family.

I personally think getting another pet so soon after losing your Little Bit is a testament to the love you had for him. You want to share that love with another animal that needs you, and there's nothing wrong with that. Some people can do that very quickly after losing a pet, some others can't. It's a very personal decision that no one can make for you.

I love labs and their personalities... they're so easy going. And he's gorgeous.