Middle School Dance!!!




   

              Chester, waiting outside Melissa's school for his FIRST dance!

 

Friday night, Chester attended his very first DANCE.  He was invited by his best buddy, Melissa. Her class was hosting a Middle School Dance Fundraiser for his Big Dog friends, the UDS Dogs, assistance pups in training.  Melissa asked Chester to be her companion.  He was paws-itively ecstatic and thrilled.



Doggies and Students....getting pre-dance-hosting instructions!



The dance was a great success.  Lots of kids, dogs, and FUN.   Chester had a blast with his cute date. He greeted people. He danced. He got his picture taken a kazillion times. He hung out at the snack table. He went EVERYWHERE with Melissa, proud to prance by her side.

 

A couple of dog-gone memorable moments....besides the snack table...

At one point, Chester told Melissa "I have to go."  We took him outside to the grass. We let him run around a bit in a fenced in area. I gave him the command, "Go Now!" She gave him the command, "Go Now!" He rolled in the freshly-mown grass.  He romped. He smiled. He sniffed.  He raced.  He did everything but "go now."  Melissa thought this was hilarious.  I rolled my eyes. A friend of Melissa's who was watching said, "Melissa, I've never seen you laugh like this!"  I thought... hmmm, we do this every week during PT at Schrieber...this IS Melissa and Chester. Always.

Well, after not-going we went back inside for more fun, then, a tour of the school. One of our stops was the Biology Room. I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you this or not... but... I will, our tour guide took the BIG white rat out of the cage ;-) .  He carried the creepy rodent (rats with beady pink eyes and looooong naked tails are not my favorite creature on planet earth)  to show Melissa and me...and Chester, up close.  I was not sure if this was a good idea or not.  Rats look sort of  like squirrels, if you catch my drift.

Well, the rat got a little frisky and started nibbling on our tour guide, who was fumbling to hold on to this critter -- .  I was thinking, hmm, this could be very interesting. Biology room, slippery floor, rat running free, Chester.  I started laughing. Melissa started laughing.  We could not stop.  Chester was salivating.

To make a long story shorter.......and less exciting than it could have been.... our tour guide got control of Mr. Rat and put him back in his cage.  In the meantime, I tried to drive Melissa's chair out of the Biology lab, crowded with classroom furniture.  We were stuck.  I was flunking wheel chair driving 101 ....  Imagine bumper-cars.  Poor Melissa, I kept running her chair, and her cute tennies, into tables and chairs and cabinets. I continually apologized, "oops, sorry Meliss....uh, sorry.... you OK?...uh, didn't mean to do that...is your foot OK?"  To which all I could hear was laughter.  Thankfully. I love Melissa's laughter (and patience with crazy drivers).  And Chester, well he was wedged in there somewhere, praying he could get another chance with white squirrel.

Eventually, and miraculously, we did bump our way out of the Biology Lab....with our sides and faces aching from laughter.

At the end of our evening, I told Melissa, it was the best Middle School Dance I had been to in my entire life.  And that is the truth.  Chester agreed it was a fairy-tail evening.

Oh....and the cherry on top.  Well, when Mom and Dad came to pick up their Melissa, they brought their dog, Rufus, a big-ole chocolate Lab who made Chester look small.  What a hunk of chocolate LOVE.  Though Chester has been waiting to meet the dog he has heard so much about, initially he let it be known he was not especially thrilled to shake paws with this Chocolate Big Boy. Either he was a weee bit jealous or self-conscious about how he looked in his yellow vest, hard to tell???  Regardless, when I took his vest off,  he went from working mode to play mode,  & fully enjoyed romping and wrestling with Melissa's dog, Rufus.  They were buds.



Rufus, Melissa, and Chester



What a dazzling day~~ Bus ride (see previous post) AND Dance....all in the same day.  When we drove into the driveway, Chester was snoozin' and my face still hurt from laughing ~~ dog-gone wonderful!



The Bus Ride

Chester, checkin' for squirrels.

Fridays is our day to visit and share tail wags with our friends on the Alzheimer's floor at a nearby retirement community. This past Friday,  rather than visit inside, we joined a handful of men and women on a bus ride, over the meadow and through the woods.

Oh my.  Never have I had so much fun on a bus!

It was a gorgeous day, bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds, the fields  lush and green,  trees laden with lavender, white, pink blossoms.  The perfect day for a ride through Amish Farm Country.

Riding in a small van like bus over hill and dale is an adventure. No matter how slow you go, or how careful you take the turns, it is bounce, bounce, BOUNCY, when you are in the back.

One dear woman, grinned and held on for dear life....her constant comment, with every turn we took, was "eeeee Gods.....eeee Gods!"  It was like background music.

I pointed out cows and horses, Amish clotheslines heavy with clothes whipping in the wind, teams of mules tilling the soil for spring planting, tulips and daffodils.  Our eight bouncing passengers looked at the sights, to the sound of "eeee Gods, eeee Gods" with every hill and bend in the road.

Chester swayed to the turns and bumps. Each time I told him "hang on", he braced for another curve.

Towards the end of our journey, we hit quite a bump....and from front to back, heads bobbed up and down, ...picture ~~ the people on the bus go up and down up and down up and down.  And then I heard, "Whoa, I left my ass in that hole!"   I turned and saw a smiling grey-haired gentle-man.....with a twinkle in his eye, holding on tightly to the seat in front of him.

Ohmy, I started giggling and could not stop.

The bus driver looked in her rear view mirror and said, "That's Frank (name changed).  You just gotta love Frank, he always tells it like it is!"  "Frank, tell Diane and Chester who you are, about your mom and dad!"  She whispered to me that Frank's Mom was Portuguese and his Dad was Norwegian.  I thought, what a grand combo of cultures blended into one sweet-spunky man.

Chester and I turned to face grinning Frank.  "Frank, tell us who you are!"

"FRANK!" Frank replied.  Head bobbing up and down and swaying with the bus ride. 

I smiled, Chester did too. "Good to meet you, Frank!  Tell me about your parents, and your heritage, what do you call yourself!"

Shouting and Beaming, "Oh, I'm Portu-wegian!!! My Mom was Portuguese, and my Dad, he was Norwegian, I'm Portu-wegian!" 

I smiled back at him, "Frank, I've never me a Portu-wegian before!"

Frank's eyebrows rose, and his face lit up with a surprised expression that said,  NO WAY! , then he proudly proclaimed, " Well, .... I'm Portu-wegian!" 

I could not stop laughing.

Frank beamed.  His innocence, smile, and humor, brought joy to my soul.

Chester shook his head and braced for another turn.

Over the meadow and through the woods...
"eee Gods"... laughter is good for the soul.

High Five, Low Five

I mentioned a few posts ago, that when we visit UDS Adult Education, I often am touched especially by one person, or a moment. And it happened again this week.  On Tuesday it was Lynnie. Lynnie is a petite young woman with pixie cut brown hair. She sits in a wheel chair with a padded tray,  communicates through her eyes and has a bright smile. I've heard the term "dancing eyes" before, but with Lynnie, I SEE dancing eyes.  Her eyes do dance when she is happy and excited.

Her eyes sparkled when I asked her if she would like Chester to  put his big ole paws on her cushiony tray. Chester gently placed his paws up on top, and then kissed her petite frail fingers.  Lynnie's eyes boogied :-).

That wasn't even the best part though. When it was time to leave, Chester was giving high-fives to a few friends gathered around Lynnie's chair. The students were overjoyed connecting with Chester's paw in high-five fashion.

I asked Chester to give Lynnie a  high five, sort of like a wave, knowing she could not reach her frail tiny  hand to Chester's paw. But, rather than go HIGH, Chester went low, gently touching his paw to her leg.

I was amazed.  Amazed.... and thinking surely this was an accident, surely he meant to go HIGH ~ obviously the poor pup was just plain pooped.

Again, I asked Chester to high five Kate and John.  He did, waving his furry paw HIGH.

And just to double check, again, I asked him to high five Lynnie.  Reaching low, he touched his paw gently to her leg. 

Lynnie's eyes were Dance Dance Dancing...

I pray I never stop being amazed.

Quiet Moments with My Therapy Dog

This is my tree....well not actually MY tree, it is our across-the-street-neighbor's tree.  Paul, Esther, Caroline, and "Labby" the yellow lab just happen to share it with us.  Each morning, I pour a cup of steamy hot coffee, and snuggle into my chair, Chester nestles by my side, and I begin my day.  Just quiet moments to BE.  Pray. Read. Ponder. Reflect. Write. Cry. Wrestle. Smile. Rejoice. Thank. Nestle.

I love this tree. The Lord knows how much I enjoy the beauty of His creation and I think He planted this treasure with me in mind :-). Each place we've been blessed to live, He has given me beauty to enjoy.  In Colorado, the majestic Rockies. In California and Hawaii, the sea. And here. My tree. Right outside my window.

I call it my Season Tree.

Springtime. Brilliant with pink blossoms. Especially bright after a long cold winter. Long awaited spring bursts forth in my tree, and in my heart.

Summer.  She is lush and bright, a vibrant green.  Offering cool shade and protection from the heat.

Autumn.  Her leaves turn crimson red, one last hurrah of brilliance before her leaves die and drop to the ground.  A dazzling display, and then...

Winter. Bare branches.  So bare and stark, in fact my first winter here, I wondered if  she would  survive the gray, freezing, bitter-cold days?  Was she even alive?

And then....   then.... came spring.

                        

In this spot with coffee cupped in my hands, therapy dog at my side, Heavenly Papa whispering to my heart~~I am thankful.  Thankful for the seasons. And, thankful that no matter what, no matter what, spring always comes again.                              

The Easter Egg Hunt

"Yes....you get to wear bunny ears today!  Honest, you look cute."

Melissa days at Schreiber rank right up there at the very top of our favorite things to do.  Last Tuesday was no egg-ception, even though Chester did a weee bit of pouting over the bunny ears.

For therapy time today, Chester and Melissa had an Easter Egg Hunt, just the two of them.  Chester brought eggs filled with candy for Melissa ~ Melissa brought eggs filled with PEANUT BUTTER GIRL SCOUT COOKIES for Chester. (heav------en on earth for the boy).   Did I mention Keith ate quite a large number of Chester's stash of peanut butter Girl Scout Cookies this year???  I only mention that to make the point that Chester was especially excited about his treats.



Ready ...  Set .... Go!



 We scattered the eggs.  Melissa bent down to reach for hers & saved the candy for the ride home. Chester, on the other hand,  sniffed out his, cracked the plastic eggs open, and snarfed his cookies on the spot. Best hunt ever.

One more thing ~ we celebrated Melissa's 14th birthday.  Happy Birthday Melissa!

So HAPPY to see YOU!

Today one of our good friends stopped in to say Hi!   Keith and I said, "Mary's here!" and  zipped to the door to welcome her with hugs.  Chester was so HAPPY to see his buddy, Mary, thathe went up on his hind legs,  planted big front paws on Mary's shoulders, gave her doggie kisses from ear to ear, and whaled this pathetic moaning sound, or humming noise, (it's hard to explain...you just have to hear it), while his tail went in whirly-bird circles.

"Hey..." I said in my serious no-nonsense voice, pulling Chester back, "What happened to Mr. Therapy Dog?  Off!"  Reluctantly he obeyed. I gave him THE LOOK. I mean really, this is ridiculous. He looked at me.  He gave me THE LOOK.

Mr. Dog Whisperer, Cesar, woulda pointed his finger and said "tssss."  Our doggie trainer friends, Jill, Laurie, Michelle, Sherrie (why do I have so many dog trainer friends?) would have rolled their eyes at ME and sent me back to beginning puppy school 101.

Honest and true, Chester does know how to do meet and greet  like a champ.  Deep down he knows. And Chester does not do this hug thing with everyone. He doesn't.  BUT, there are a select few of you out there, and you know who you are, well it's like he just can't contain himself.  Don't tell him I said this but maybe....sometimes...you just gotta break the rules :-) .

Reminds me of a song that I love.  Even as I type this, my head starts bobbin' and I'm singin' away..., "Can't hold my love back from you, can't hold my love back from you, I gotta sing, gotta sing, sing my love...."  

I'm with Chester, sometimes when I see certain people, well, I can't help it, I can't hold back.  East Coast Protocol goes out the window, and I just hug away, and sometimes, (hold on) I even kiss people on the cheek.  I do.  I really do.

So, IF you are one of those people that Chester gives giant hugs to....well, just sayin' He can't hold his love back from you... And he'll even hummmmm it in your ear :-)

I'll keep working on the proper training greeting thing with Mr. Therapy Dog, I promise, but there are times.... ya just gotta break the rules and go for it.  Don't you think?  (Don't you dare tell him I wrote this.)

Pawsing to Comfort Those Who Mourn

 This particular story takes place on an ordinary day, in an elementary school gymnasium filled to the brim with children and their teachers.   I remember walking into the auditorium with Chester by my side in his bright yellow vest, and feeling the excitement that rocked the room.  I delighted hearing  the loud whispers, “LOOK, IT’S A DOG!”  I soaked in the view: a sea of children sitting cross-legged on the floor in their classroom groups, circled like wagons,  waiting with wiggles of anticipation to meet the star of the day, Chester!

Chester and I were invited by the Principal to speak at a school assembly about Pet Therapy, and what makes Chester so dog-gone-special that he gets to visit cool places likes schools and hospitals and airports!    While Chester worked the crowd with his smiles, wags, and doggie tricks, I told the students all about my furry friend and tales of pet therapy. The students loved hearing our stories, but no doubt about it, the highlight of our time together was meet and greet with Chester.  And as often happens, an ordinary day became extra-ordinary.

 After the talk , Chester and I quickly made our way to each circle of students. We strolled past every single child who wanted a chance to pet the fluffy Golden Retriever.  My buddy pranced with a silly grin, tail wagging,   ears flopping. He gave out endless love, and received a gazillion pats, ear rubs and back scratches. He was in doggie heaven. So were the children.

 After a very full morning, Chester and I were in our final assembly of the day, with our last group of children.   As we moved around the circle, Chester paused. Then he  stopped.   I gave a little tug on his leash, urging him to move forward.  My buddy was not moving . His big old paws were firmly planted on the shiny gymnasium floor in front of a little girl with long brown hair and downcast eyes.  Her curls partially covered her face, her tiny hand gently rested on Chester’s head.   

 “Looks like Chester doesn’t want to move,”  I said, winking at the little girl. I have learned that if Chester speaks, I should  pay attention. And so I paused. While waiting for these two brown-eyed sweet hearts to have their moment,  I noticed a woman standing near.  Tears filled her eyes.  She looked directly at me, then silently mouthed the words, “Her dog died yesterday. “

 Sigh.

I leaned in closer to this tenderhearted teacher. She pointed toward Chester, then whispered in my ear,   “It’s like he knows.” 

Tears leaked out. “He knows, I don’t know how he knows, but he knows.” I gently squeezed her hand.

 After a bit of time, we continued to move around the circle so the rest of the class could reach out to my  four legged buddy . “Touching Lives and Warming Hearts.”   It is Chester’s specialty.

Because there is always time for one more hug, we strolled around this classroom circle one more time.  As we approached Chester’s friend with the with long brown curls, again he stopped.  This time he gave her a gentle slobbery kiss right on her little cheek.  She smiled.

 I knelt down, “Looks like Chester has found a friend,” I said, “Would you like to give him a hug?”

She nodded, then gently wrapped her slender arms around Chester’s fluffy tummy,  nestling her head into  the soft golden fur of his neck.

With tears, I waited.