Ten and a half years...

...of joy. Our Samson!!!

He was the king of the house. He was always our example of unconditional love. He was our "dude", our "sammy", our "dog"--he didn't know that he wasn't a person, and our "friend". He was part of our lives and will always be in our hearts.

The furriest member of the family had to be put to sleep on 2.12.09. He became very sick quickly, but it actually wasn't as quickly as it seemed. He was fighting his problem for many years, but we only recently learned how much he was compensating. Samson was in need of a liver transplant to live. The exact diagnosis was portosystemic liver shunt. A portosystemic shunt is a congenital malformation of the veins that bring blood to the liver. When we finally found the diagnosis, Samson was already compensating so much and he was at the end stages.

We truly are mourning our little "dude", but know that we did the most humane thing we could have done for him. We have terrific memories and are so glad that we had him in our lives for 10 1/2 years.

Here are a few pictures of our dude. Many of you have seen him in person, or had to hold him, because he loved sitting in people's laps :-D He was the camp mascot during the years of Intermediate I when Jim directed, he was our kids' high school mascot--he dressed as a yellowjacket for events--. He was a member of our family.Samson on a favorite chair, with a favorite toy, with his favorite "sister", and on his favorite place to sleep (other than a person's lap), our kingsize bed, which he thought was his bed!!!

Just something I wanted to share

It's be a long time. I received this from a friend and wanted to share it on my blog. Have a blessed day. I have plans to return to blogging very soon! I pray my intensions become a reality. A side note: I'm getting through the Economics course!!!

Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, FL by:T.Wilson

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER By Maya Angelou

A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ That a man should have to seek Him first to find her.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean living,' I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.
When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain... I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.
When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!
Pretty is as Pretty does... But beautiful is just plain beautiful!

~May your day be a day of others seeing Him before they see you~