Love, Lucy

Dear Pollywogs,

   On Friday afternoon, July 17, our sweet, sweet Lucy left for Doggy Heaven. Rachel was holding her in her arms, sitting in the shade in the back yard, and petting her gently. She told Lucy that her family understood she was not well and needed to go where she could run and play. Lucy thought about this for a few moments and then let go. We will miss her terribly but can laugh when we remember all the great times we shared with her over the past 14 years.

   A few weeks ago, Lucy asked me to help her write a letter to you. Leighton was teaching her to read, but she was having trouble with writing. None of the pencils quite fit her doggy paws. She loved all of you and wanted to say goodbye.

To my eight Pollywogs and assorted family members,

  

   Fourteen years ago, I was born in Opp, Alabama. I didn’t start out as an only dog but soon became the only dog for a family who needed me. They didn’t know it at the time, but I would bring joy, laughter, and unconditional love to them, their children, and their grandchildren. They were lucky to have me.

  

   Now it is time to say goodbye. I’ve lived longer, traveled farther, eaten more junk food, partied more often, and worn more costumes than most fur friends. Life has been good.

   

   Well, except for the time Rachel drove me through the car wash.

   

   Pollywogs, I’m going to miss so many things. Your birthday parties and especially the cake. Wynn plastering me with band-aids. Wearing costumes for Halloween. Starring in Anna Lauren’s and Leighton’s Christmas cards. Sharing your secrets.

    

   I loved riding on the front of the boat while my curly-haired ears blew in the breeze and going to restaurants on the lake where everyone wanted to love on me.

   

   My favorite fun time was chasing little Pollywogs for treats. Oh, how I loved the cookies, cereal, and crackers! And Tyler, yes, I do remember the time you opened my jaws to pull out your cookie. I couldn’t believe you actually ate the gooey thing.

   

   I won’t miss any of you sitting on me.

   

   I’ve chased squirrels and ducks, birds and geese, cats and dogs, lizards and frogs. I still don’t understand why I never caught anything but a wasp that left his stinger in my mouth. Once a cat scratched my eye for no reason.

   

   Of course, there have been a few unfortunate incidences. I’ve stepped on all kinds of things as well as stepped in all kinds of things.

   

   A word of warning, if you roll in deer poo, you have to get a bath. If you swim in Lake Lanier, you have to get a bath. If you scratch your back on the gravel, you have to get a bath. If you run away from home because you’re scared of the fireworks and step in a vat of sap, you have to get a bath. If you have the itch, you have to get a bath. A small fortune has been spent on shampoo.

   

   BJ, I am sorry that my small, inconspicuous lump exploded during your Christmas party. Thanks for not making me clean up the mess. It was AWFUL!

   

   And while I am apologizing, I suppose I should tell Rachel I’m sorry my snoring kept her up nights.   

   

   Jennifer, I didn’t really think you looked like a bird. Jeremy, I’m sorry I jumped on you every time you came over, but I wanted to lick your face.

   

   Evan, Krissy, Keegan, and Aiden, I know I never came for a visit, but I didn’t want to ride in a crate in the cargo section of the plane. Brrrrrr! And scary!!!

    

   Uncle Ted, thank you for not screaming like a little girl when you woke up starring at my nostrils.       

   

   Aunt Shelley, I didn’t know all those ticks were stuck to my fur when I climbed up on your bed. Oops!

   

   I must apologize to everyone for wiping my drool on you and the unsightly eye boogers. At least my freckles were cute.

   

   When I get to Heaven, I’ll spend the first few days finding my old friends: Darby, Lou, Chunk, and Rigsby.  When I see Darby, my very best friend, I’ll give her wet kisses from Bryan and Shelley. Surely, she’s got those legs all going in the same direction by now.

   

   Lou may be difficult to find. He’s probably waiting for BJ somewhere in Colorado, sitting in the back seat of a Jeep. I’ve never been out west, but I guess I can give it a go. Lou will be glad to know I’m older and don’t really want to play much anymore.

   

   Rachel, I’ve heard that the food in Heaven is really healthy, so Chunk may have lost weight. Don’t worry. I’ll just look for a beautiful white cat with a big notch in his ear. I’ll lie when I tell Chunk how good Al has been and how much he misses him.

  

 I’ll get around to Rigsby when I finally have time. Anna Lauren, I’m sure he’s just fine, but you know how much he likes to hide.

   

I know Gran isn’t in Doggy Heaven, but I bet he comes over every now and then to visit Bounce and Charlie. He probably has some kind of regular visitation schedule worked out with them. Maybe he’ll take us to Piccadilly. I hope he’s learned his lesson about sausage by now.

   

I wish I had the time to watch all of you grow up. It will be quite an incredible journey for each of you. Bryan will create costumes for Indiana Jones movies; Tyler will perform soccer tricks in Placa Reial; Anna Lauren will be a world-famous story teller; Keegan’s singing career will take her to Broadway; Wynn will be creating cartoons for Disney; Aiden will own a tractor factory; Leighton will start a company to teach shy girls how to be assertive; and Blakely, I wish we had had more time together.

   

My life was magical. My family made it so.

Love,

Lucy 

     

Silver Dimes

Silver Dimes

From Stuff with Stories

   As the familiar music signaled the start of the processional, Couple 14 quickly stepped to the back of the line. Families and friends twisted in their seats as each pair triumphantly made their way down the aisle. This was no ordinary wedding, and these were no ordinary couples.

   For ten years, each couple celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary with the other thirteen. On this night, 400 years of marital bliss took center stage at Holmes Street United Methodist Church in Huntsville, AL.

   Huntsville had been a traditional, sleepy Southern town until German scientists arrived after WWII to jump start the country’s space program. Overnight, Huntsville became something of a metropolitan mix and embraced its place in history.

   Holmes Street’s Fellowship Sunday School class reflected Huntsville’s new normal. It was an eclectic mix of several groups: church members from childhood (my mother), those who moved to town after WWII to escape the farm (my dad), and those with ties to Redstone Arsenal and NASA. Where they started didn’t matter nearly as much as where they finished—as members of a Sunday School class eagerly celebrating life.

   I played the piano as my dear friend, Linda Bailey, beautifully sang the customary wedding songs. We then took our seats to watch our parents and their friends stand, once again, before God and renew their vows.

   At the reception, my parents received the group’s usual gift of twenty-five silver dimes arranged as 25 in a silver frame. This would become a sweet and tender remembrance in later years.

   When Tim and I celebrated our twenty fifth anniversary years later, my dad framed 25 dimes from his silver coin collection. Mother died years earlier, leaving Daddy to love her “Always”.

   Today, Ted and Shelley are celebrating their 25^th anniversary. And what did Tim and I give them? Twenty-five silver dimes first framed in 1972 and given to Couple 14 by their beloved friends.

July 23, 2019