Tuesday, December 26, 2006

The Children




Meet Roxy, at age 3 1/2 weeks.




Christmas Day around our house (or, I should say, not much time spent at our house) was an eventful day. Big family = big day, made successful only by major coordination. Elder Son played guitar Christmas Eve in a church in O’Donnell, Texas, and then spent the night there. ETA our house scheduled for 11 a.m. Younger Son had early Christmas morning breakfast and packages at his mom’s house, ETA same as Elder Son.

Due to circumstances beyond their control, neither son made it on time. TTA (true time of arrival) was around 12:30 p.m. for both, leaving us exactly 30 minutes to open packages, enjoy, and load up and go to the in-laws’ house for lunch. Younger Son received a new American Deluxe Telecaster for Christmas, and MLH received a new Fender deluxe tube amp…so, out came the cords & guitars, all three of my guys plugged in, and started jamming. I had to grab the camera, because times like that demand preservation.

Needless to say, we were about twenty minutes late to Mom’s. Another couple was running late, so all was good. We had a great time visiting with family and friends, and time just sped by.

It was time to head to my brother’s house in Big Spring! We left town at 4:20 p.m., and had supper there. Mexican dinner – green beef enchiladas, homemade tamales, and homemade salsa – it doesn’t get any better than that, unless maybe
you were with Eric.

Then we had our crazy stocking exchange game, which was fun. And then…we adults bowled with my nephews’ new Nintendo WII system. Toys are for…adults! My brother and my husband made huge fun of my bad bowling form…they were agreeing on things such as “Janie bowls with the WII just like she bowls for real – she walks up to the line and chunks the ball.” Whatever, men!! I bowled strikes! Form, schmorm…it’s the score that counts, right!

And then, Elder Son begs us to go help him pick out two pups from a litter of pups
Zack, our German Shorthair Pointer, fathered. MLH is really gifted at choosing hunting dogs, and Elder Son wanted to tap his expertise. It is cold and MLH has been a little under the weather; however, choosing hunting pups is important. So, at 8pm, we head to Coahoma. By flashlight, five fat-bellied bird dog pups attack us, tumbling over our shoes, each other, and chasing shoelaces. They are so cute! We pick two, and Elder Son loads them in his pickup, headed 3 hours north to his deer lease. No crates, no box, just leashes, collars, and puppy food. (By phone, I had tried to ready him early Christmas Eve, advising him what to buy while PetSmart was still open.) He thinks he’s prepared, “Mom, I’m good, I’ve got it handled.” MLH and I look at each other, smiling while skeptical. We head back to Midland with Younger Son.

An hour later, Elder Son’s called us at least four times. He’s coming into Post, after stopping numerous times – one of the pups is carsick. He’s stopping at a car wash to clean it all up. It’s going to be a long night for this young man. MLH and I look at each other and smile. Parenthood. It’s good Elder Son learns it now. We get back to Midland, and go to bed. At 11:16 p.m., I’m asleep. My phone rings, jarring me awake. It’s Elder Son again – half scared, half-adrenaline.

“Mom, I just hit a huge buck. I’m good, Mom. Really. My truck’s okay, the pups are okay, but the deer is dead.” Thank God for front replacement bumpers. I hate it that the buck had to die that way, but I’m thankful the Elder Son’s okay. He’s about 30 minutes from the deer lease, and the puppies (now named Roxy and Rusty) have settled down and are sleeping.

Tuesday update: Roxy and Rusty are doing well, eating and traveling well. Elder Son said whenever they’re on the ground, they’ve got their noses down, hunting. Roxy already went on a hard point. Elder Son is very excited about these dogs and their hunting ability. Boys and pups are now heading into Lubbock for their first vet check, shots, and … dog crates.

It was a great Christmas. I’m thankful – for the gift of Jesus, and family, and pups...and front replacement bumpers.

11 comments:

Karen Townsend said...

That puppy is adorable! Your son is one lucky young man. Deer are so dangerous.
A Christmas set of pups. Too good.

Cowtown Pattie said...

Our family had a longtime poochie member named, "Sister", the huntin'-est, smartest potted shorthair pointer this side of 'Angelo. I adore pointer pups. Sister had about 5 litters. I never wanted to part with a single pup.

My dad would start the pups' training with an old rod and reel with a quail wing on the end of the line. Those little doggies would be on point as soon as those baby blues opened.

What a cute baby!

Cowtown Pattie said...

Uh, "spotted shorthair pointer"

That Janie Girl said...

Eric and Karen - I am so thankful for angels!! And a wonderful time it was. The pups are too cute. Need one??

Pattie - These pups are already working rod and wing. I guess it's bred in them, though they are pretty amazing. I took Roxy's pic when she was 3 1/2 weeks old, and I had just "rescued" her from a chukkar twice her size - that Roxy had picked up and taken under the pickup. It was eye-opening to me, the "birdiness" of this breed.

spookyrach said...

I hope your son had close friends to stay with in Odonnel. Have been kinda "from there" at one point in my life, I know there is precious little in the way of lodging.

The dog is just adorable.

That Janie Girl said...

Evening, Spooky! He stayed with the Myers family, know them? He ropes with one of the sons.

Rae said...

We got a pup too! Glad you had a good Christmas :).

Gwynne said...

Adorable puppy! And what amazing instinct! Our Aussies know sheep herding seemingly from birth too.

Thank God for the safety of your son and his pups...hitting a buck is no small matter (unless you're the buck).

Your Christmas sounds CRAZY but full of many blessings. Glad you had fun.

spookyrach said...

Seems like there was a Myers kid in my elementary school class over in Welch. My family is from Welch and ODonnel.

It ain't the end of the earth, but you can see if from there. haha!

Anonymous said...

Hey Janie ~ Woke up and came in to catch up on some reading. This has to be one of the cutest pup pictures I have seen in a while!!
Sounds like your Christmas was pleasantly full.Don't let the guys tease ya', I bowl gutter balls too; and, have every bit as much fun!!

That Janie Girl said...

Rach, puppies are way too cute! Post a pix of yours!

Gwynne, Aussies are great, super intelligent dogs. We used to raise them, and I love them!

Spooky, I thought Midland was the end of the earth!;)

Badoozie, yeah, my bowling needs assistance. Maybe I can do better in 2007? Who knows...and I don't know how they got the WII - my sister-in-law is amazing, so no telling!

Trace, thanks for the encouragement...I need all the help with this family I can get. My sister-in-law and I are the only two women around! We're surrounded by men!!;)