Lovies-tissue alert

Oh wow, this post makes me cry just thinking about it.  I have wanted to do this one for a while-a long while.  Summertime was the best shot I had at getting time together to do it.  I decided that the kiddos are growing MUCH too fast.  Toy Story is becoming my reality and I do NOT want to let that magic slip out of my fingers.  I wanted to get a "nice" picture of each of their lovies.  I wanted to capture that purity and the essence of that "First Love".

This week our friend Marty from church passed away.  A gentle reminder that life moves too fast and my kick in the pants to finish this project.  I cried when I remember that she was the one that gave us Ryan's Puppy.  Not to Ryan but to Jared.  Puppy was the church bucket toy.  Nice and quiet.  Jared would play with him on the ride to church and during the service, same thing with Kevin.  Ryan on the other hand would never let go.  Church would be over and she would grab that little guy as fast as she could from the car seat.  Love at first sight!

Most vividly I remember when Kitty Kitty got lost at our friends house.  At nap time little  Jared was sobbing, "but did they look?!?",  "Did they find her?!?", "She's the one with the sad face and the beautiful eyes!"...those words will haunt/stay with me forever.  I called my friend no less than 4 times that afternoon.  The next day when Kitty Kitty was found and returned to us with a bow around her neck...the door bell was rung and Jared ran to the door to find her on the stoop...PRICELESS!

That was one of the longest nights of my life.  It also made us think to have dog tags made up for each one.  Just their name and our phone number.  We figured if someone found it laying around in the mall with "Kitty Kitty, Woofy or Puppy" on the tag they would know that it was special and to please call and return.  Puppy was lost in the mall and returned to us thanks to the tags and that incident caused us to look online for a second puppy "just in case".  After NINE months searching on eBay, Daddy Guy found one.  Unlike Jared who had Kitty and "Left" kitty (because she would get left behind), Ryan took to the second puppy immediately and we now had TWO creatures to keep up with.

Woofy rarely left the house but was usually missing at bedtime.  I remember Grandma Lou and Rob looking and looking and looking one night.  Grandma loved to tell that story about how crazy it was searching but just how happy Kevy was when he was found.

I love these little guys and their stories almost as much as my kids do...maybe even more.  I will forever cherish the birthday parties, tea parties and mischief these little critters had a hand in over the years.  I know exactly where each one came from and the trips we all took together.  Thank you for the memories!

Ok, sadness over.  I set up a Photo shoot for the animals.  I let each of the kids pic their favorites and I will have them framed for my room.  Silly?  Maybe, but I don't care. :D Here are the results!

 Jared's pic of Kitty Kitty

 My favorite

 The "sad face and beautiful eyes" got a facelift eons ago.  She now has a radiant green smile.

 Kevin's favorite of Woofy

 The woofman

contemplative woof

Ryan's favorite of puppy and new puppy (chosen because of the woof-goober in the background ;))

 My favorite of puppy and new puppy

love how new puppy is looking up to puppy :) Such a metaphor for life...