Thankful Thursday #5: a day late, but it's here.

I've been getting home and just dropping on the couch after teaching all day while sick so no post last night.

Late start = time for a post today. 

(Hoping it will get change to no school because it's a MESS out there.)

This week I'm thankful for....

Dr. Seuss. 

We're prepping to celebrate his birthday next week and I am SO excited. What an awesome proponent of not letting critics stop you from doing what you love and to let your imagination run wild. 

Painting.

I've picked up a paintbrush a few times lately for the first time in a while and love how calming it is. More than that, it's fun to create things on paper. 

Blasts from the past.

Our school hosted my former school in basketball a few days ago, and it was fun to see some of my FIRST students out there playing. It was great to catch up with some of the families and the students, too, and have them come into my classroom to graffiti my board. :P How awesome to see where God is guiding them. 

Warmth.

Earlier this week it was over 70 degrees and broke some record highs for our city. It was glorious. We celebrated one day by taking Danny and Scout to the dog park. (Old Man Squirt stayed home because getting super-excited or over-exerted is bad for his heart.) They even got in the water - yes, even Danny, but he just wanted a drink. Scout just may be our water lovin' boy after all! I've been holding out hope that we'd have a swimmer.

Scout doing what Scouts do best.

Partners in crime.

He likes it! He really likes it!

And pup cups after the park because warm days NEED ice cream.

Random laughs. 

Like these turkeys casually strolling across the street in the middle of the city that stopped us on the way to church.

Oh, hey, turkeys.

The Old Man Dog

Squirt went to the vet yesterday for his annual exam and his vaccinations. I took him back to the vet who took care of him last year when he had such a terrible episode with his heart. The vet was impressed with how well he's doing in spite of his congestive heart failure, but he did mention Squirt had some fluid in his lungs. He also commented on Squirt's cold paws being slightly blue as well - a sign his heart wasn't working optimally. We may need to bump up his heart meds for that.

Lately Squirt has been having some rough periods of yelping when we pick him up and having some trouble with the stairs. I wasn't surprised when I told the vet and he suggested we start thinking about some options for arthritis pain relief. We're looking into giving him a joint supplement to help with that.

All in all I know that he's amazing for continuing to be happy and relatively healthy for being 12 years old. I love all of our dogs, but he's my first dog child. He came into my life and brought so much joy into my life during a time of adjusting to a lot of newness. He was my best friend and my family all in one then. He even helped me meet my husband and Danny-Dog. You can bet this little guy's always going to hold an extra-special place in my heart.

Squirticus the Old Man Dog chilling on a gorgeous summer night.