Turning August Around

The Grateful Dead song, “What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been,” could be the anthem for 2020. I am thankful we are on this trip together, friends! I hope you are safe and well. Buckle up as I share about my rocky road and wacky, wild few weeks.

Where do I begin? I think a bit of background is needed. August has historically been a tender, tough month for me. I dread it every year. My husband’s beloved mother, two grandmas, dear friends’ parents and more souls I’ve loved have exited in August. Sadly, just last week, I attended two Zoom funerals. Those moments added to the strange time we are are all experiencing. August can take a hike.

Between the bumps and bruises, there have also been boundless blessings. My beautiful daughter turned sixteen. We welcomed a puppy to our fur baby family. We named her Auggie. And our son, our first born, began his college journey.

I wrote a piece about him, “From the Womb To the World,” that was published in Thrive Global! Click here or scroll down to read it. I intentionally launched Every Soul Has A Story on August 2, 2017 to shift from death to birth. I decided that going forward, August will be a time of renewal, rebirth, and reflection.

But as “Awwww-gust” would have it, this past Saturday, I had a heart-stopping, scary as hell experience. Our rescue pup, Izzy, and our elder, Rocky, did their business in the backyard while I hoped Auggie would follow their lead. She thankfully did. I leaned over to scoop up her puppy “pile,” and when I stood up, I didn’t see Izzy. I scanned the grass and all other areas. I looked in every single corner. I bolted in and out of every bedroom. Izzy was missing. 

All the while, my daughter was taking her driving test in another town. After a solid fifteen minutes of searching, I was officially worried. I finally texted my husband, and we were on the phone trying not to panic. 

Auggie was flipping out in her crate, Rocky was panting heavily in his own, and they both sensed my anxiety. In the beginning I was clear and calm. But after nearly 30 minutes had passed, of course, I had morbid thoughts polluting my mind. It was now 9:50 AM.

While I was talking to my husband, the phone buzzed. I glanced at it and saw a number from Missouri; I contemplated ignoring the call. Thank goodness I answered. An unfamiliar woman’s voice asked, “Hello, do you know Izzy, a poodle?” After swallowing the massive lump in my throat, I shrieked, “Oh my G-d that’s my dog!!” My head and heart collided–she found my fur baby. The drive to get Izzy, just down the street, felt like forever.

I wanted to bathe Izzy immediately, which would normally happen in the upstairs bathtub. But Rocky and Auggie were going crazy, so I let Rocky out because he was worried about his younger brother. Rocky has severe heart and lung issues; he cannot be too active. I held Izzy and decided to take him into the small downstairs shower, which I’ve never done before. He resisted me – disoriented and scared, I’m sure! Izzy had even protested exiting the car when we got home. The struggle was real. 

Izzy must’ve known that I felt frustrated. I put him into the shower, and he looked at me befuddled. Rocky huffed and wheezed in the background. Then Izzy shook and shirked backward. I literally stepped into the shower fully clothed. Ironically, I was wearing my “SMILE” v-neck black tee. (The exact opposite of my mood.) I gently lathered Izzy with Burt’s Bees Shampoo. I did all of this as quickly as possible with Izzy in one arm as I got soaking wet, all the way down to my underwear. 

Rocky and Izzy zoomed in wild circles around the living room, and my fear became relief. When I finally let Auggie, the puppy, out of her crate to greet the other two, she yapped adamantly. She nipped at Izzy’s floppy, curly, white ears and dove right over Rocky. This insane whirlwind occurred in less than an hour.

Then Zoe called and shared about her lesson and exam (still going on during Izzy’s search and rescue). She passed her driving test! I am incredibly proud of her. I can’t make any of this up; it is why I write! The material is endless, and I’m grateful for my love-filled, sometimes insane life. What a wild ride these last few weeks have been. Literally. 

Here’s to September. To renewed energy, new beginnings, a new puppy, memorable milestones and, hopefully, a smoother, more peaceful ride.