If you’re lucky, a Golden Retriever will come into your life, steal your heart, and change everything.” – Author Unknown

All the initial reports from Orlando confirm that our daughter Naomi’s surgery went well. The kidney turned out to be even worse than previously determined, and removing it was absolutely the only option. There has, however, been a lot of intense pain during recovery and we would value your continued prayers.

Meanwhile, here in Tarboro Max Retriever had a birthday and turned eleven years old.

Eleven years old and now even more mellow than when he first came to live with us. Fact is, Max is exactly the kind of presence Naomi could use right about now, sitting lovingly by her bed, chin in her lap, being the healer he was trained to be.

I think this picture (above) says it all regarding his general approach. Rebekah and I are gardening, hauling bricks, and he flops down on the steps, exhausted just watching us work: “Sorry, but I’m not the sweating kind of a dog….”

It was one of those impromptu garden happenings, where Rebekah caught wind of someone selling old bricks (having just demolished an unstable chimney) at a home renovation in Rocky Mount, and us immediately zoom-zooming and loading up as many as her Rav-4 could comfortably hold.

So Max sat – and then lay – on the steps to watch the fun. We’re thinking of using them for edging, or a little pathway.

Rebekah texted our grandson David. “Looks like a good project when you visit,” she wrote, “you might want to start working on some design ideas.” “Of course,” he replied, “I already have an idea on how to lay the bricks; I am an engineer after all.”

Gotta love his confidence and conviction.

This garden is going to be a fun creative project. And Max has just the right place to hang out and watch while we work… and work… and work… and work.

In the meanwhile, our thoughts and our prayers and our love are all focused on Naomi’s recovery in Orlando.

And to bring the sunshine back.

“Lord, please bring peace and healing on the wings of our prayers, Amen.”