Sad and Exhausted

Today I'm sad and exhausted because the weather/barometric pressure has been awful and because today Sherri lost Brinkley's dog-mom Annabelle. I don't know what it is about 2008--it's been great in so many ways----but there's been so many stories of loss. First our custodian Mr. Maddox, then the man who works at our trash dump, then one of our other custodians Ms. Erna--her sister died who is also Ms. Claudia's cousin. Yesterday Ms. Joy had to put her dog to sleep basically because he was so old and had gotten sick. She stayed up with him the entire night as he tried to breathe and the vets did all they could, but couldn't help him. She has loved him for 17 years. Today it was Annabelle who had gotten into some sort of tractor fuel or something in the shed. By the time Sherri's husband got her to the vet, she died. Sherry was obviously really upset and spent the entire day crying off and on. When she came to my door, I just knew and I just wanted her to go away because I knew exactly what she was going to say and maybe if I never heard it, then it wouldn't be true. It's been hard keeping it together for a friend but even harder keeping it together so her daughter who was 15 minutes from coming to my class wouldn't find out that her dog died. Tom brought Annabelle's body wrapped in a blanket in the back of his truck because Sherri wanted to see and pet her before she was buried. How sad is that really? I managed to keep composure all the way up until buckling my seatbelt to leave and now have the biggest headache ever. I squeezed my babies as tightly as I could when I got home and bawled my head off. They probably think I've lost my mind.

I'm going to soak in a tub and then do all of the fun things that my babies love doing. I want calmness, quiet and furry, snuggly goodness to make it all better and will appreciate what I have today more than ever.