What a month!

Yikes.  The last day of January.  I had better hurry to write something about January . . . and there is a lot to tell.  I promised in my only other January blog that there would be more later, so I guess this is the time.

We loaded the pups, packed the RV, and drove into the hospital parking lot by noon on January 9.  Di was still in the emergency room, but by the end of the day, she was in a room and was prepared for surgery the next day.  The kidney stone had passed, but the CT scan and MRI showed a 6" diameter cyst.  Perhaps she could have waited, but all involved thought a 6" mass in one's gut is nothing to wait for.

Di's fiance left Austin at 3:00 p.m. to be there for the surgery, and despite his arrival in KC at 2:30 a.m., he was at the hospital by 7:30 a.m.  We were able to see Di before they wheeled her into surgery, and an hour and a half later, she was done.  A 6" "chocolate" cyst was taken out, and amazingly there was not damage to any other organs.

We had noticed when Di was trying on wedding dresses that her abdomen seemed to be "poofy" but we didn't think much about it.  Amazing how losing a softball in that area flattens it right up!  I keep thinking maybe that is my excuse . . . but I don't think so.

Anyway, the surgery went well, and on Sunday, we headed for Wichita for Di's recuperation.  She rested until Thursday, when she and Nick returned to KC, both for Di to complete her research and to see the doctor again.  She was given the green light to return to Austin, and on Sunday morning, they headed out.

Although the kidney stone was the most painful experience Di has ever had, we all are grateful for it, because if she had not had the CT scan, the cyst would have never been spotted.  She has commented several times that this experience had the hands of God all over it.  We agree wholeheartedly . . . we just didn't know what more was to come.

It is Already January?

Wow.  Life has been a whirlwind since Thanksgiving.  Two trips to KC before Christmas, the arrival of Nick and Blue, Christmas Eve dinner at the Morgans (and beautiful luminarias at our house), Christmas Day here, New Year's Eve basketball in Manhappenin' (terrible game, by the way), and preparations to go back to KC.  Whew.

Due to the weather, Nick left on New Year's Day, and we ended up not going to Kansas City, as the conditions for driving were less than optimal.  Di left on Saturday for Kansas City to do her research at the Truman Library, and for the first time in awhile, it was just Don and me . . . and the pups.

We have been working on potty training, and Jordy has done a good job scratching at the door.  Nelson, though the first to grasp that he needed to go outside, has not been as reliable, so we have some work to do.

Things were just settling down when on Thursday morning, January 8, we received a call from Melinda that Di was in the hospital.  Kidney stone but something else, too.

Well, that changed things quickly.  By 8:00, Don had picked up the Willie, by 8:45, we were packed, and by noon we were in Kansas City checking on Di.  Although we were planning to go to KC on Friday, the extra day added a little stress for everyone.  But the visit turned out well . . .

More later.

Puppies Act 2

We have had the puppies for two weeks now.  Jordy has learned to scratch at the door to go outside - reliably.  Nelson was really good at first but has regressed a little.  But they are having few accidents now, though I think the neighbors wonder about the woman roaming the back yard in the freezing cold saying "Go potty, go potty, go potty, good boy, Jordy."

They roll and tumble with the best of them.  Jordy attacks Nelson, who screams when things get out of control.  Then Nelson attacks Jordy, who screams when things get out of control.  They roll in the snow, and the first one to the tree stump is king of the mountain.

The Monks of New Skete recommend that the owners teach the dogs to respond to the rattling of keys. Rattle the keys, provide a treat, repeat.  I only had to repeat once, and they both got it.  Now anytime I want them to come, I rattle the keys and they are right there.  It is awesome!

One of the cutest things is the dishwasher.  It did not take them long to begin to lick the dishes in the dishwasher.  Babs and Sepia used to do that with regularity, and at times one of them would crawl up onto the door of the dishwasher.  Just look at Jordy.  He already has it figured out.

But the cutest is when they are sleeping.