Meredith and Abbey

It is not known who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick..
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’ in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ‘When a Pet Dies..’ Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey &Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven.
Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn’t sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog.. Since we don’t need our bodies in heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by…
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have I picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I’m easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God

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Loving Summer

I think summer is the by far the best time of the year! Not just because the weather is warm and the days long. I love it because my daughter is home all day long. Now, for some people that may not be exactly a good thing but I really believe it is a matter of perspective. In the grand scheme of things, we have these children for such a short time. I want to enjoy and appreciate every moment. Sometimes that means playing a video game I don’t necessarily want to play. Sometimes it means watching a show I don’t necessarily want to watch. But if watching that show or playing that game gives me a moment where my daughter snuggles up close to me… I’ll take it every time. You see, I know and accept that there will come a day (all too soon) when she will be too old for snuggling and video games with dad. She will be talking on the phone and focused on her social life and that is how it should be I guess. I just don’t want to look back with any regrets… longing for a time when she wanted to be with me but I was too busy.

Summer allows me this time more than ever and that is why it is my favorite time of the year!

What do you think? What are summer breaks like for you? What are some things you do to make summer a wonderful time?

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Burnt Biscuits

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.

On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite! « Continue reading »

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While Like A Giant, Proud And Happy

Tonight I am up late… remembering.  I love the power of memory as it intertwines with emotion to form a temporary reality.  In quiet solitude, this gift of memory allows me to sit for awhile with my mother who passed away many years ago.  It gives me glimpses into moments I will forever cherish and allows me to relive past experiences that define the meanings of my life.  Tonight an open window in my mind has taken me back to a very special place where I learned a new meaning to the word “love”… « Continue reading »

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Parenting is a Life Sentence

Being a parent is a life sentence, from the day your child is born until you leave this earth, you will never be free again!  You are granted no reprieve when your child leaves home.  You will worry about their future as long as you live, no matter how far away they are, physically or emotionally. « Continue reading »

The Blink of an Eye

I was tempted to say, as usual, “Hurry up! Unhook your seat, let’s go! You’ll be late!” as we prepared to leave the car for Elijah’s gymnastics class.  Truth was, we weren’t actually running late (surprising for the Harvey’s, I know!).  I stood in the 14 degree weather at the open rear passenger door and watched him, wondering just what it was that caused no response from him, considering the lack of the usual repetative announcements regarding tardy arrival times by yours truly.  « Continue reading »

Catching Rainbows

Last week, my Eli, 4, set about filling a jar full of water on the front walk.  I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was going to catch a rainbow.  He thought about it, and it was the first sunny day in what had seemed like weeks.  He spent the better part of the day working toward his goal, occasionally squinting into the sky. « Continue reading »

Baseballs and Dandelions

Baseballs and dandelions.  Its that time again.  Grubby hands full of weeds looking intently in to your eyes as they thrust the fist into your hands.  “For you, Mama!”  My son Elijah is a one man weeding crew, ridding our lawn of the dreaded dandelion as if sifting for gold.  He was sitting at the front curb picking today and I said, “E, get out of the street!”  He protested, “But they’s flowers on there, mama!”  But they’s flowers… He continued his mission until my curb was sufficiently weeded. « Continue reading »

Potty Talk

I believe it is important my kids talk about their body parts with the proper vernacular. So if you are offended by the word Penis don’t keep reading! I don’t however encourage them to speak about their body parts like they are a seperate part of their body that can think for its self. « Continue reading »

Grateful for April

Spring brings little friends to fill our backyard while we big people mostly do the yard chores that usher in the new season.  As winter reluctantly gives way to spring around here, things get hopping outside.  OUTSIDE!  Yay!  Sun and wind and smiles (and the house stays cleaner because they are outside!) “Whatcha doin?” they cry, and pitch in with echoes of laughter, collecting the winter debris and playing in the dirt. « Continue reading »