Dearest Pippin, The Day Draws Close

"Dearest Pippin,

The day draws close. There is nothing else that I would rather do right now than spend every hour of every day and every night with you as your day of whelping approaches. It has been three years since we first went through this together. I wonder how much of that you remember. I remember it well plus we have the benefit of the blogposts during that time where I shared about your experience as a first time mother.  Humans often talk about forgetting the pain of childbirth. I don't know because with each of our two children I had a c-section under general anesthesia.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon putting the family 'cradle' (whelping box) back together.  It's almost 10 years old and it's the same one your beautiful mother Chrissy delivered you in, and also that your daughter Thistle had pups in.  Even when disinfected and scrubbed clean there will always be evidence that it has been well used.  Little teething marks, scratches, and a stain or two leave tell tale signs of this.  I have no desire to give it a fresh coat of paint or sand it down.  I love it just the way it is.

The little area where the cradle is now set up is still in a state of transition.  You've being patient Pippin and I appreciate that.  You also have been very helpful in the past few days as I have tried to transfer all the whelping supplies from the cabinet and replace them with all my grooming supplies. Your little nose has been successful at sniffing out any lone treats which may have been left over from our August shows when two of your grandsons had their show debuts.  Grandsons. Wow Pip. You're a grandmother. This means Chrissy is a great- grandmother. Not to mention Wish.  The pups that you are carrying make her a great-great grandmother. And perhaps most significant of all, your pups will make Wilson a father, Bullet a grandfather, and our golden boy Jack Dog - a great-grandfather!

Pippin it may sound funny to you but I was joking just the other day that now we are measuring our lives in dog years at this point in time.  Although many of you live much longer, the average lifespan of a Brittany dog is 13 years.  So for instance we're figuring how old we will be when your grandpup Holly Beth will be well into her senior years. And we'll be very well into our own senior years.  Can I have a do over?

1986 was the first time we were blessed with a Brittany. But our focus was to raise our family, build our home, attend and support our kids in softball, baseball, wresting, field hockey, football and you name it events plus our jobs.  Even keeping Hunter from our first litter in 1990, we never did the things we are doing now with you and the rest of ATB.  That all changed however in 2007 and the rest is history.

Pippin, these kinds of musings (is that poor grammar or what) are what happens when it's just you and me hanging out together.  I get to write to my heart's content or if I so choose, catch up on my reading. For hours I will sit and observe you while you rest and I will pet you, talk to you, and let you know how very much I love you. We will listen to music with a message or music that is simply soothing and speechless.  We will block the rest of the world out and that is as it should be. I will make time to make cookies while fixing nursing mother's pudding for you.  And as far as the rest of ATB, they understand what is going on.  They sense something wondrous is about to happen.  Besides it is bird hunting season and everyone gets to enjoy that.

I don't know how many more times the cradle will be used to be truthful Pip-pip.  We have reached the goals for our program and then some. We want to be able to enjoy the rest of our dog years with you and all of ATB.  Plus look at what is going on with Maryann, Alana, and Callum as their relationship with your grandson Zuko grows!  Cal says he would like to be a breeder just like gramie and grampa.  I'd like to be sure if he does, he has the best of the best of what we ever tried to achieve.  I look at you and I know that you more than fit that description sweet girl. Maybe this journey is taking a direction I never anticipated.

Your pups litter nickname sweet girl is "Desires of the Heart". Psalm 37, verse 4 is where the phrase comes from.  I like the entire Psalm itself, all 7 short verses of it.  For it is a reminder to be patient and to wait, not to be envious of others, and to trust that God will in His perfect timing bring things to the Light.  I especially like the way it is translated in "The Message" .  All I know is that God is faithful to watch over and protect all that concerns us.  And I feel especially close to Him as I feel especially close to you in these moments of time.

I will be here. Watching and waiting. Tending to your every need. Today was the last day of anything planned on the calendar which could take me away from you. You'll enjoy your days in the same way that you always have until such a time as puppies cometh. Your babies have families who are just as excited as I am for their arrival. Even so dear sweet Pippin, the most important thing to me is your health and your well being.  Whelping a litter of pups is serious and we do not take one thing for granted. We're blessed to have such an amazing support team to turn to as well as the ATB family who we know prays us through this whole process.  You have the love of John and me and you can trust that we are right here for you. Above all, we know God's in control. No matter what.

Imagine that, an entire blog written as if it's a letter to you Pippin! Your very own journal entry. And there you lie, sprawled out on the big orthopedic bed.  The gate is across between the kitchen and my living room.  The others are all quiet on the other side. The music plays on Pandora radio. It happens to be Canon in D. Oh how I love that! And you obviously must enjoy it too.

It's relaxing here tonight on this last day of September, 2014.  Leaving you for the last time today in awhile I had a full day at the fair so my knee is elevated and iced. Sweet girl, I'll be right here with you.  Right here where I belong. Right here where I want to be, so don't try to push me off the recliner so you can have it all to yourself!  Pippin you're such a Brittany."

Take care and God bless you, and thank you for your interest in our canine crew.  Love, John, Ann, Pippin, and the rest of All Things Brittany.