Oh My Sweet Guiseppe, I Will Miss You my Baby.

Saturday before last, the seventeenth, Guiseppe was barking off and on...it was an odd little bark.  Rebecca, our youngest was at the kitchen table and said with concern...That doesn't sound right.  I think you should bring him in.

He had been feeling under the weather that week, but we were not too alarmed as this little fur baby has had so many close calls and periods of just not doing well.  I would nurture him and care for him, we always had our girls pet sit when we had to leave, he was never left alone for the past year and a half.  Edit.Tue.5:44pm:  Guiseppe was blind and lame.

Jem and I wrapped him up in his blanket, I put his dress-onesie on him, the one I saved for company.  Why?  He had lost so much fur in old age, his little tail looked like a possum and his lame hind legs were literally fur-less.  Lately, we have diligently kept a onesie on him so he wouldn't be chilled.

Dr. H looked at him, and thought for sure it was a pinched nerve or his arthritis because of the specific little bark.  Dr. H gave him a shot, a mixture of B12, prednisone, and an antibiotic since a bug was going around and little Guiseppe had thrown up that morning.

We talked of how God's timing is so important and His will in things.  I had shared that it must only be God's hand, not mine.  Dr. H is a precious, precious Christian man and wholeheartedly agreed.

We went on home, prednisone pills in hand.  If you were to see my bag for Guiseppe you would think I had a baby with me...I did.



When we arrived home we lay him on one of our little pet beds by a window and I placed a warm heating pad under his pad, he looked very happy to be home, Dr. H said his heartbeat was strong.  His eye?  This particular eye had come out of socket several years ago and Dr. H had operated to put it back in place, it never properly set straight so little Guiseppe would look up at me with this one seeing eye, it was the sweetest thing.   His other eye was blind.

We saw after him, as usual, this day, tending to him.  That evening his little bark would increase and we would hold him, he would look up at me with his little partially seeing eye.  I put him on my chest falling asleep with him on my chest on the couch.   Finally, he barked a little and shook a little and I suspect that is when he passed away, I didn't even realize it at the time I was so exhausted, it was around 11:17p.m and all I knew to do was hold him and comfort him.  Janie had texted Jem and me to see how Guiseppe was, she was spending the night with a friend.  Jem unknowingly texted her all was well, Guiseppe had fallen asleep and had quit barking...

It's been soooo incredibly difficult, so hard and so painful, I have cried, I have wailed.  The day Jem buried him, I took his little green striped shirt off and put a clean white one on him, placing him in a new aqua colored flannel blanket fabric I had intended on making him extra blankets with...  I wrapped his little box in snowman paper that reminded me of Guiseppe's innocence and a precious little spirit.  Lea and Rebecca were home and came in and just stood as I wailed pathetically, Lea touching my arm, touching Guiseppe's little head. Grace stood at a distance, that is her quiet little way.

It's one of those crazy things when you've taken such care of a little being and suddenly they are gone.  I guess you could say...Guiseppe and I took care of each other.

I miss my little Guiseppe dearly.  Dearly.






Around ten years ago...


The first day I saw Guiseppe was in the suburbs when our neighbor across the street who lived on the golf course brought Guiseppe to me, she thought he was Muffie wondering around on the golf course.  I took him gladly though and cared for him, his brother showed up at another home two doors down where a little boy would dutifully walk the precious dog.  It's always been a mystery as to where these precious fur angels came from.  I've often wondered if the owner didn't pass away, and relatives released them into our neighborhood?  (I do not condone) I know most reading here would never do that.  But it is so odd what had happened back then, I'm thinking over ten years ago.  It is sobering on how time goes so fast on this green earth.



Lately...


Allow me to share these recent shots of little Guiseppe with Jem. Janie took these.

This was his favorite part of the day ever...Sitting with Jem in the evening as we watched Turner Classics black and white movies.












Just a couple of weeks ago, our kitty, Monkey came to sit with Guiseppe.  One of our other kitties, Howdy had done the same too recently.

Guiseppe had been lame in his back legs since July.








Some of our other fur angels seemed upset the next morning, they had sniffed Guiseppe's little lifeless body and later rested.  I captured some of their expressions here...


Gracie


Coffee


Charlie


Muffie


Mo Mo


Animals are such sensitive, sentient beings.  I had the blessing of sitting next to Governor Abbot's mother-in-law at a banquet, such a saintly lady, by the way, one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met...She and her equally kind and precious husband were telling us of their little pet dog who would lay on the grave of their other little dog who had passed away.




This was a year or so ago, Guissepe after one of his baths... so sweet.






This is classic Guiseppe.  He had such a sweet little smile...



We loved and still love Guiseppe.





This is Grace, our youngest daughter, she encouraged us to go ahead and bring him in to the vet that very day.  I'm so glad, I would have been blaming myself if I hadn't, thinking I could have done more.  Grace just turned 25. It's hard to believe she is my baby girl.





When we were first building our home here in the Forest, probably around eight years ago.  Zuzu, our third born holding Guiseppe.  She's married now with a baby on the way, she always noticed if Guiseppe seemed cold or uncomfortable.  She herself has fought some serious health issues and it has made her very perceptive to others' needs.




Comforts:

 Beautiful flowers Zuzu brought to me.


 Grace brought this precious penguin to me with a sweet Guiseppe face .



Jem brought me this lovely bouquet.



 Joycie brought me this sweet snowman, she said it reminded her of the little snowmen on Guiseppe's little burial box, sweet faces like Guiseppe.  Joycie will be having a little one this spring.  More to come on that.


The little snowman paper on Guiseppe's little box.



My bookcase in my room, this is Guiseppe's little green and white onesie I have carefully placed there.





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A rainbow peeking through the sky a few days after Guiseppe passed away.   God is with us.





Thanks, Friends for your prayers, I appreciate you all.

We have really enjoyed our family this Thanksgiving, they have been so sweet about Guiseppe.  My son in law, Pete had always made a place in his and Joycie's home for Guiseppe when they had us over...How sweet is that?  My son in law, Josh and our daughter Zuzu offered to come over the next evening after Guiseppe passed away as I was home alone briefly.  What a blessing these kids are...




In the mornings I am reminded of this song and the verse to Be still and know that He is God.




Another song in my mind a LOT, ...Faith of Our Fathers by Bing Crosby.




There is something about Bing Crosby's soothing voice that I just love.   I am very comforted by it...

I have recently posted both of these songs, please oblige.


Thanking God for sweet saints who understand these things.  Thanking God for old-fashioned things and people who also enjoy them who make us feel as if we're not alone.

God is with us.

Amelia

Favorite Things. A Picture Blog with a Few Words.

A few more than a few favorite things...



Charlie...He's our dreamy little dog.  Our youngest daughter rescued him with her birthday money quite a few years ago...He has the longest eyelashes ever, like a fanciful little Dr. Suess animal, he was peering at me in my quiet time yesterday morning.  I snatched this shot.



A recent morning here.



A recent evening...I love the sky, the clouds...God's handiwork.



One of our kitties, Monkey cuddling with Guiseppe our elderly little dog I care for 24/7.  I thought this was so cute.  As many of you know, Guiseppe is almost completely blind and lame, but he is very with-it in his emotions and feelings.  He wags his tail when happy and licks our arms when sitting next to him.  He also lets us know when hungry, wet or thirsty.




Elbee, our little white cat, he is a character.  He was rescued by Marianna as a tiny kitten.  He was a little ball of white fur toddling down a busy country road, he had cuts on his back from a hawk's talons.



Soft velvety corduroy and sewing...Mary Tyler Moore type pantsuits.  I made the top from a pattern I redesigned from a Japanese sewing book.  The pants are a neat new favorite pattern New Look A6517.  I love clogs too.  My clogs are the Payless vegan safety step clogs.  They give me a bit of height with a one-inch heel lift with a slight rubber platform so I can cheat a couple of inches height on this pair of comfy clogs!  Dare I share about my great prescription Dr. Scholl's insoles?



Vintage things.   I found this 'Vera' scarf very reasonably priced on ebay.  I remember in first grade I had forgotten something, and my mother came to my classroom door and she looked so pretty that day.  She had a plum-colored 'Vera' tunic type top on with black slacks, I was proud that she was my mommy.  Finding this scarf was a treasure for me.



My girls!   We have four daughters, and this is a pic of two of our eldest.  Lea and Marianna taken last week!  The fella in the middle?  I don't know where they picked him up at!  Haha!



Walks with Jem, my husband in the evenings.



Clifford, my pretend horse in smalltown.  Lea and I drive through a fast food joint and get a big iced tea with lemon...We park in the back towards this beautiful setting and watch my pretend pet horse, 'Clifford'.



Da Moooon...Sung like Donna Reed and Jimmie Stewart in one of my favorite songs from one of my very favorite movies, 'It's a Wonderful Life'.



Autumn Decorations and my screened porch.   'Oh Autumn how I love thee...'



Birds, I love birds...They have special meaning to me.



My 'To Kill a Mockingbird' necklace from another one of my very favorite movies, 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.  Lea gave this to me one year.  This is a staple for me in the fall to wear and to watch.



The Museum of Natural Science.   I love-love the museum district in the city.  If you look closely you can see a little bird on top of the child's hand of the statue.  I love art like this as well, so pretty, so graceful.  There is just something about it...Something about the area...



The museum store.   This place is like a museum on its own.  Jem and I were hanging loose this day.  I'm not a fan of selfies but this one turned out kind of decent?  Ha.  It looks like the same look I have when putting mascara on!  Haha!  My dad would always make fun of me doing that with that staring look, he would then sway about singing a Maybelline song about mascara-ing one's eyebrows.  I shake my head... How do you mascara your eyebrows?  *giggle*






Mo-Mo's sweet little pink nose, she is the sweetest kitty ever.



A morning here recently.



My new cozy minky pale pink with silver couch blanket.  I like it.  I bought this at Dollar General, I love that little store.   The colors remind me of a vintage bedroom, maybe Mary Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life" had one like this?




A large picture hanging in the nursing home hallway.  My girls and I volunteer at the nursing home, oh what treasures are there.  I've met Ruth Bell Graham's hairdresser and a few WWII vet heroes there as well.

One reminded me of an older version of the young man played by Robert Hutton who had his appendix removed inside of a submarine during WWII in the old movie,  'Destination Tokyo'  (1943)  Love, love, love this movie! Just watched it.  The appendix operation?   It really happened.  It's mentioned in the Pacific War Museum in Fredericksburg, Texas.   ...A wowee museum by the way.


And that's about it for today.   Just felt like putting up some of my pics.

God is looking for people on whom He can place the weight of His entire love, power, and faithful promises.  And His engines are strong enough to pull any weight we may attach to them...

From my devotional, Streams in the Desert this morning.

Truth is always exciting.  Speak it, then.  Life is dull without it. 
~Pearl S. Buck



Have a nice day, loves,  blessings to all.....     ~Amelia in the Forest

Uncle Bennie

If you have been keeping up with my Uncle Bennie and praying with me, I'm sickened at heart...He has passed away.

Just this morning they were saying that he could last another year.   Just this morning...   Just.  This.  Morning.

They had taken him off the ventilator day before yesterday and he astounded them on how well he did.  Today his blood pressure started lowering, his entire family was in his room, his eyes were tearful and he passed on to the other side from this green earth peacefully unto the Presence of the Lord.

My mom and he were darling little siblings on the waterfront in the 30s... My mother?  Clearly upset.  She is soon to be 88, Uncle Bennie was 86.   A very young 86.


My Grandma, Uncle Bennie, and my mother, probably around 1933.

He came through beautifully through triple bypass surgery.  The doctors were artful in their work conferring for hours and taking very good care of him.   But then came the ageist attitudes and hatefulness of a certain disrespectful nurse coupled with a young doctor who lacked discretion in aftercare along with gross negligence.  There is more detail I've written already in previous blogs.


Finally, the old family doctor was in charge, the same one who saw him through cancer and watched with a glad and thankful shock as the bacteria left his body just last week.   That doctor fought for Uncle Bennie, he told the family that Uncle Bennie was such a fighter, just such a fighter.  There are still doctors from the old school who will fight for our loved ones.  If you can find one like that you have found a gem.


Uncle Bennie is with my Grandma and Grandpa Oddo now.



I'll miss your gentle ways, Uncle Bennie.


Thanks to those who took the time to comment and pray with me.


I'm an only child, and Uncle Bennie was the only uncle I had that I've known in life.

It's been a heck of a couple of years.   Pray for your loved ones, take care of yourselves, the hospital systems and the ageist and humanistic attitudes are not to be trusted.   It's not God's way.  He is bigger.  And He is Just.  (a gentle nod of the head).




You took good care of me at a certain time in my life Uncle Bennie.

Love you.   Maybe now you can take care of pets, maybe you are a veterinarian in Heaven?

Maybe you, Grandma and Grandpa are on the beautiful peaceful waterfront again...







Me and Uncle Bennie one Easter Morning.

Do you remember when you came over Uncle Bennie to help me with my sick puppy?  You came over and with your gentle Elvis Presley voice said...I hear you have a sick puppy ...as you took a thermometer out of your pocket...




Edit.  11.10 8:47 am.  I remember Uncle Bennie riding around town in his jeep, just like the one Elvis Presley drove in one of his movies where he was also in the army.   My grandma always had a professional photograph Uncle Bennie had done of himself posed with his acoustic guitar next to the beige rotary phone.  It was so iconic of my grandma and grandpa's house.  Later there would be a wedding photo of Jem and me also next to the phone.

It's funny, in my family decor was hardly ever changed.  Once things were up, they were up.  There was never anything changed for the sake of change unless extremely out of style, they were all too close to the great depression for change for fun.  My family laughs at me because so much of that is engrained in me.







This little fur angel looks very much like my Uncle Bennie's dog, Jigger.



Well.   That's it for now.  A public blog for those sprinkled around this green earth who will stand and pray and just be perhaps interested in the life of this forest girl and her family.



Take care now,  prayers are very appreciated dear ones.       ~Amelia

Perhaps I will add edits as I gather my thoughts.   Just a quick blog for the moment.

Vote Like Your Life Depends on it. For the Unborn...It Does. Updates on Uncle Bennie and Prayers Oh so Needed!

Today is voting day of course.  Please, please, please vote like your life depends on it.  For the Unborn it does!

As a Christian, this is the Biblical way.   Many will say, 'Oh no, we mustn't get political'.   Well for me and as Pastor Ed Young from Second Baptist in Houston, Texas (Winning Walk on youtube), says...  "If you don't want the church to be political then you don't know your Bible."   I agree.   This is not the old time political scene.   This is a fight for Life.  My Bible tells me that God hates the murder of innocents, the destruction of innocent blood.  My Bible tells me to rescue those innocents who are being led to slaughter.



One of the 7 Things that God HATES:

Proverbs 6:17  Hands that shed innocent blood.




I've got to speak out, won't you?


Here is just one of many must-read articles on the issue of abortion.   The murder of the unborn.   This is not a choice.  This is a separate little life within this baby's mother.



A doctor tells his story...

"But this infant wasn’t lying limp like the others were doing. He was moving his arms and legs and looked as if he wanted to cry..."

Complete Article Here




Some may say...But there are other issues.  Yes, but to say those issues come even close to the issue of unborn babies being murdered...   That boggles my mind.



And may I say that my Italian grandparents and my German, great-great grandparents were immigrants.   They were proud to be AMERICAN.   They came here legally and I know from papers I have seen with my eyes,  my Italian grandparents were vetted properly, down to the state-health of my grandfather's complexion.  Each one of my grandparents was so proud to be American and loved our country so much.

They were so very proud of being Americans!   The Italian families did not even teach their children to speak Italian because they wanted them to be American!   Perhaps that is extreme but it also shows how badly they wanted to assimilate into this great country!




A note about me, if you were to meet me in person you would see I'm mostly a gentle soul (I've been told) but I'm also quite honest and I also despise injustice.  I am a woman of principal and although a person of mercy I also have that biblical prophet that will come out as well as sometimes my loud laughter that comes deep from within as well as a toothy grin accompanied with a wink sprinkled with a dry sense of humor.  I grew up in a home where my father was on city council and trust me.  The truth was told.  My father was so aggravated at a city council meeting once when he was so horrified at the lack of common sense with some NASA engineers he grabbed the rule book and tossed it down the aisle in front of the audience and everyone and everything.   Yay for truth and yay for people willing to speak it!




......................................




An Update for Uncle Bennie.

EDIT:  5:21  Friday.  11.9.18  I just received word that Uncle Bennie passed away.  The doctors said they never saw anyone fight like Uncle Bennie did...   He tried so very hard...  So.  Very.  Hard.   Please pray for our family.

EDIT:  5:14pm Friday. 11.9.18   Uncle Bennie did better then what some thought when taken off of the ventilator.  He is still resting comfortably.  Thank you for your prevailing prayers!

EDIT:  This evening.  Thursday. 11.8.18   Uncle Bennie has been off ventilator since yesterday and is resting comfortably.      Thanks be to God!   To all who read here, please keep praying.  I appreciate all who read here and will pray with me.  

Oh my goodness, it's been up and down, up and down.  Thank you very much to those who have written that they will pray and for those who are praying in private as well.

Uncle Bennie is weary I'm told.  He is on a respirator most of the time as of the last report.  Thank God for  Dr. Italiano who obviously believes in the sanctity of LIFE.

He is gently caring for Uncle Bennie and is watching and waiting for further actions.  Things are very touch and go.  His daughter is sleeping on a cot next to him...  She says everytime the machine makes a brutally loud noise Uncle Bennie opens his eyes widely...She says...  "It's okay Daddy...."


It's been a difficult thing for our family.   Dr. Italiano knows my uncle is a special guy and knows our family, treating even my grandparents years ago as a younger doctor.  Thank God for the doctors that have not bought into the dangerous and evil teachings being taught today.

And may I add?   The serious and life-threatening problems Uncle Bennie is fighting is because of the humanist easy-euthanasia death-panel attitudes of the modern medical establishment not to mention gross negligence?   Some doctors seem to think they are gods themselves.

I will update as I am able here on this blog until my next post, please oblige.  Thanks to all who come to check and pray.  You are appreciated!




If anyone doesn't think the Sanctity of Life is a big deal?   Hm.   Just watch your older loved ones in the hospital and the attitudes that are prevalent.  And pray to God it won't happen to you.





Vote like your Life depends on it.  It might be yours and it is for those precious little unborn babies.


I'm sorry if for most of you I'm preaching to the choir.  But I'm increasingly shocked at the apathetic attitudes and just general lack of interest being found in one of my adult daughter's Sunday school class of 20 plus singles in a suburban Baptist church mind you.  ...And it seems people are so just so afraid of speaking truth.  I just don't understand it.  I just don't.  Could it be that many churches are more concerned about building numbers then building godly churches?  We must be different to make a difference, anything else is just not worth a whole lot in my opinion.






If you would like to read my post on Roe Vs. Wade What Has Become of Us?

 
You can click HERE   
This tells a lot about me and the cruel cultural change I saw growing up.










Let's get out and vote for LIFE.


Closing with this song that has been on my mind...




I sent this to my family, and one of my younger married daughters, Michelle wrote...Things were so different.

Both of my married daughters strive to keep things very let's say 40s in their homes as I also try to do.  I enjoy a wholesome, old-fashioned atmosphere.



Please vote friends, vote Life.  

Signing off from the Forest Cathedral...      ~Amelia