Sunny Sunday

I honestly don't know where to start.  There's so much to tell.  You know Sammy came to be with us on Friday, right?  Majorly cool.  Also, Andrea came home from camp on Friday.  We sure missed her.  When she slows down, I'm taking pictures.  She came back so DARK!  Her eyes, skin and hair just about match.

She had a great time at camp.  At first, she wasn't talking.  She was just kind of hanging around.  Robert thought she was upset.  I thought maybe she hadn't slept for a few days.  I was right.  Moms know these things.  But she also looked like she needed to talk a bit, so we went to my room and curled up on the bed to chat.  Sammy though t he should curl up, too and we watched a 70-pound, uncoordinated pooch try to climb up and circle himself until he could lie down.  He's pretty tall, so we were cracking up by the time he settled down. 

Andrea then told me that camp was awesome.  All the kids got along great and they got to swim, kayak, play and pray.  During worship one night, most of the kids were moved to tears by the spirit.  Andrea said the tears were almost overpowering for them.  Eleven of the kids decided to be baptized the next day.  They, plus a few more will be baptized again in the church next week.  We could see the change in a few of the kids today at church.  Andrea was more "into" the service and her friend Amanda, who is so timid a feather would startle her, was more open.  All of the kids seemed closer to each other, the counselors and most especially, to the Lord.

Yesterday afternoon we found out just how fast our greyhound can be!  I got home from work a little tired and Rob stepped out the gate with the bird to greet me.  He didn't close the gate and Sammy slipped out behind him.  Before I could yell at Rob to grab him, he was off like a shot!  He disappeared down the street and I drove off after him.  Rob got in the other car and Andrea walked down to the bike trail.  I looked and looked, but it seemed the dog had gone into thin air. I was in tears. I was angry.  I didn't know what I was.  I parked the car and went through a factory parking lot to another section of the bike trail.  I walked back nearly to our house and shouted Sammy's name.  I nice lady named Jan came out with her dog to help me look.  I hollered at two menchatting by a truck and asked if they'd seen a dog. "A yellow greyhound?  The little girl just took him with her."  I nearly fell apart.  Now all I had to do was walk all the way back to my car and go home.  My emotions were diffused, but I wanted to blame someone.  I prayed to God to help me keep my thoughts to myself.  I hate apologizing for being a butt.  Anyway, Sammy's home, we are wiser and all of us are safe.

Somewhere between Friday and this afternoon, Dufus and Sammy have reached an easy peace.  Dufus is no longer shouting alarm calls everytime Sammy passes his cage and Sammy is no longer trying to lick or taste Dufus every time he calls out.  The seem to be ignoring each other and trying to vie for our individual attention.

We became members of our church this morning.  We miss our old church, but all of us have found new church homes now and this was the next logical step since we love this congregation.  Andrea wouldn't go anyplace else.  After church there was a pot luck and a few of the kids have gone to the movies together.  We dropped Amanda and Andrea off after a quick change of clothes.  We also put both Sammy and Dufus in the car for a trip to the pet store.  I don't know how Sammy did in the rescue lady's van, but he just flat doesn't know how to ride in a regular car.  He thinks he's a lap dog and tried to climb in my lap in the back seat.  He wasn't all that sure he wanted to get in in the first place and then kept his front feet on the seat and wasn't quite sure what to do with his back legs.  Dufus kept looking at me as if to say "Tell me again why you brought him?"  Sammy's legs would shake at every turn.  Poor dog, he didn't know what to do with himself.  I tried not to laugh, but couldn't help myself.  I was worried he might hurt himself.  At one point, he tried turning around and while making the turn, Rob slowed down and Sammy's tail hit me in the face and knocked poor Dufus off my shoulder.  If you have ever heard a Sun Conure screech when angry, you can imagine how it felt in an enclosed space. 

We had a good time at the pet store, got good discounts for our stuff because we adopted Sammy and had to tell where Sammy "christened" the store.  The car ride must have loosened his bladder :)  Dufus got to meet another Sun Conure (her name was Dawn) and looked like he wanted us to take her home.  Like we could afford the $600 price tag!  Sammy met a Boxer pup who barked at him, a Great Pyrenees who sniffed him and made friends and a couple of Labradors.  There was a Silky Terrier puppy, but the couple took one look at the big dogs and rushed off.  A black Chihauhua tried to join in, but his owner kept his lead short. 

We were all glad to get back home.  Dufus, Sammy and Rob are napping and I am sitting in the recliner with my laptop.  I don't care if I ever move again.  I may take a nap, too.