December 31st....

Well, here we are getting ready to ring in 2022. 😊 Time tends to just go faster and faster.  Maybe it's because I haven't been writing on here much the last 6 months, therefore everything in my memory runs together.  Or perhaps life is truly just flying by. We are home tonight, with our two biggest blessings and Rocky, just watching football games. There is no other place I would rather be.  

Matt and I went to the Undercroft last night and then had dinner at AOI sushi.  It was a wonderful night out for us. 

I think we are all excited for what this next year will bring.  We are praying for health and happiness for all of you.  But most of all, I pray that each of you know how much God loves you.  My word this year is GRATITUDE.  I want to focus on all the good that the Lord has provided me with, and never forget all of His blessings. 

Our Sweet Jovie

On May 19, with a heavy heart, we had to put down our sweet girl, Jovie. She was 12 years old and started her life with us when my sister rescued her in the middle of Dave Ward Dr. in Conway in 2009. The vet guessed she was a few months old at the time, and she weighed 4 lbs. 

She was our first baby who slept in our bed every night, and she was something!💗 If you had the pleasure of knowing Jovie, the stories go on for days.  She would bark at every passerby, animal, bug...whatever might grab her attention.  She invited herself into the Sparks' home (our neighbors) daily to finish off Wilson's food or to look for any scraps.  Her favorite thing to do was eat; Lord forbid you left your sandwich sitting on a table that she could reach.  We nicknamed her the "Sheriff" at the corner of our road (Chancery and Charing Cross) because she would sneak out under the fence and walk the block making sure all was right in her world, then scurry back home. She befriended the builders next door last summer, and would again sneak under the fence every day because they fed her their scraps of chicken wings, Doritos, and everything she shouldn't have, but loved. 

We are thankful that she was a part of our family for 12 years. This has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. Matt and I were both there to hold her tight as she passed. 💔 And there is a sweet Bernedoodle that is going to miss her tremendously. 

I have to share what Brooks said yesterday as we talked the kids through our decision.😢

Jovie liked to lick people. As in, I've never seen a dog lick as much as Jovie. Brooks looked at me before school and said, "Mommy, do you think God will be ok with Jovie licking him all the time?"  Holding back sobs, I said "Of course baby. God made Jovie and He's excited to welcome her into Heaven. 

So to our sweet Jovie, I hope you're living your best life over the rainbow. We love you and we will miss you so very much!!!

 

Softball and Baseball

Reese and Brooks both played Spring ball.  Reese was on the Firestix team, and Brooks was on the Cubs.  Matt and I coached Brooks' coach pitch team and it was a lot of fun.  They were a good little bunch of players.  Reese had great coaches and enjoyed every minute of playing.

Rocky Roade Fitzgerald

So about 6 months ago, Matt came home talking all about Bernedoodles. These sweet dogs are a mix of a Bernese Mountain dog and poodle. He started telling me that they don't shed, their temperament is amazing, and they are ranked as one of the top dogs recommended for families. Well, we started looking into the breed and into breeders.  After researching, we decided to get on the waitlist in December of last year at Doodle Heaven for a puppy.  As luck would have it, our sweet Rocky was one of 12 puppies born on February 22, 2021.  He is a tri-colored beauty who is rambunctious, playful, smart, and just the sweetest.  We picked him up a few days shy of being 8 weeks old.  

The kids loved him, as you can see from the video below. 💚  Our neighbors and family loved meeting him too.  He joined our little family at just the right time. 

This last picture is my favorite!  Rocky has been fitting right in, and is loved tremendously by our crew.  He's almost 40 lbs now, 🤯 and not even 6 months.  I'll update some recent pictures soon of how big he is getting. 

Easter 2021

Easter Sunday, April 4, was the first day our little family of four went back to church in person, in over a year.  2020 was a year where I feel like time stood still, yet we missed out on so much.  I cried at church that morning, just listening to everyone sing songs of praises to our Lord.  I soaked in hugging people that I hadn't seen in so long, I soaked in the singing, and the beautiful sermon that I was able to sit and listen to in a pew.  It was a wonderful and gorgeous Easter to celebrate.

After the Easter bunny dropped off goodies, and we went to church and celebrated Jesus being Risen, we went out to the farm with Mom and Dad.  We ate lunch and had the best time riding four wheelers and dirt bikes.  The weather was so pretty and it really was the best day.