Lazy Evenings

Tonight was one of those wonderful lazy evenings. Mom needed her thermostat replaced and asked Mike for help. Since he was going over, Melanie, me and the kids joined them and brought pizza. We ate outside on the patio, enjoying the wonderful temps. It was the best kind of dinner. All I had to do was pick up the pizza (I didn't have to cook - WHOO HOOO!!) . We ate outside and used paper plates. Mom had a new table cloth that we used on the table. The kids drank Capri Suns and the adults had Cokes. Clean-up was a breeze. I just put everything in the pizza boxes and threw them in the outside garbage can. Mom, Melanie and I sat outside watching the kids play while Mike worked on the thermostat. NICE!!!

On a sad note, Gracy our dog isn't doing too well. To look at her, you would think that nothing is wrong. She wants to be loved on and loves to lay on her back in the hall where it is cool. You only notice a problem when she gets up and walks. Her limp has gotten more pronounced. Every day I wake up thinking it could be the day I have to take her to the vet and say good-bye. I dread it so much. The kids know it's coming. Will tells me, matter of fact in his 5-year old way, that Gracy is going to die. Hannah and I had a good cry about it the other day. I've tried to prepare them the best I know how. We've talked about Gracy going to heaven and how happy she will be. We've talked about the verses in Ecclesiastes where there is a time for everything. They know that God and Jesus is going to take good care of her until we get there.* But, it is still hard.

*I know the bible doesn't say whether or not our pets or other animals are going to heaven. The way I see it, if God loves us enough to create such a beautiful world for us to live in and give us animals to take care of, why wouldn't He have a place for our four-legged babies? He gives us the desires of our hearts. So, He knows we desire a special place for our pets when they die. I'm not saying animals can get saved. That's for God to work out. I am saying that I think God has provided a special place in heaven for those animals that have become our family.