my other family

I feel like I have lots of family, when it comes right down to it. Both my sisters and my brother married wonderful people, and along with those fantastic brother and sister-in-laws comes some amazing families. This weekend, I spent the holiday visiting my brother-in-law's family. They have a reunion in Kentucky every Labor Day weekend, and I love joining his family for the celebration. His family makes me feel at home here in the mountains.

This year was the 100 year celebration of his family reunion, and lots of stories were shared about God's faithfulness throughout the years. It wasn't even my family, and my eyes got watery. There's just something to be said for generations of lives being changed because of the faith of one or two people.

I held my 2-month old nephew in my arms throughout one of the services (they have church services all weekend long too - it's half reunion, half revival, really) and was reminded of just how good God is. He's been so good to my family. When I look at my own heritage, I can see the examples of faith in action in my grandparents, my parents, my sisters and brother. They live out his love.

I remember when my sister gave me a journal for my birthday when I was a young teenager. In it she wrote, "Merilee, if I could give you one gift, it would be time spent with God. -Kari" I have always felt that my family's deepest desire for me was that I would know and serve God. And for that I am thankful. So thankful.

The rest of the story

So earlier I told you about the black dog who came to visit me and oso.

Something happened to him.

It wasn't my fault, I promise.

But there has been this horrible smell coming from the railroad tracks the past few days.

The short story is that little black dog left my yard at the end of last week when my friend Ryan scared him away with a bb gun. I promise that the bb gun did not hurt the dog. It just chased him out of my yard (earlier I tried to scare him away with pepper spray. i did not succeed. he stayed and I had to leave my yard because of the pepper i kept breathing in).

Anyway, i thought little black dog found a new home somewhere else. Apparently, he was crossing the train tracks one day when a train got him.

I couldn't leave him there. So last night (when the smell wasn't so bad and we couldn't see the carnage as clearly), Ryan and I buried him under the pine tree. Next to the cat i buried (again, not my fault. my friend's little black cat died when a truck hit him).

I take back all of my frustration about little black dog. he was a nice dog. kind. affable. forgiving even. i am sad.

black dog

Oso, enjoying the dirt

i already have one dog. but lately there's this new dog in town...who has taken up residence in my yard. i really dislike him. he's not really too bad, but i just don't want another dog (sometimes i don't want the dog i already have.) and he won't leave either. oso loves him. except when he tries to eat oso's food. and then there's an all-out brawl for the food bucket, which oso always wins. the bigger dog always wins, you know.

the other day i was running after him in the street, trying to scare him away. yelling, stomping my feet, and all of that. where did he run to? back under my fence and into my yard. where he's safe, apparently. it's like he knows i can't really get rid of him. i think he even laughed at me when i slipped on the wet pavement and fell down in my attempt to run him off.

i'm calling the dog pound on monday if things don't change. a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.