A New Member of the Ball Household!

Well, we have someone to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday! She's little and furry and utterly adorable. And I wanted you to be among the first to meet her. So (drum roll, please) please say hello to Dasha, our new "baby":


Dasha is a 6 1/2 week old Siberian husky who is full of energy and has no trouble whatsoever handling the big doggies all around her. We brought her home Thursday, and are having an absolute blast.

Why another dog, you ask? Simple, on Monday we discovered our beloved Bodhan, who we call Bo, had a tumor. A bad one. In a bad spot. Before I even had time to absorb this news, the vet had Bo in surgery. They removed most of the tumor, but not all. So now it's a wait-and-see proposition. If the tumor reappears, which the vet said it most likely will, it will be time to bid our darlin' boy good-bye. He's just too old, at 14, for repeated surgeries. Way too hard on him. The thought of losing this dear, sweet boy--who just showed up on our doorstep 12 years ago--shattered my heart. So Don and I talked it over and decided it was time to do something we'd been talking about for some time: bring home a puppy so sweet Bo can help us train it. And believe me, he's been doing just that! He's nudging and leading and being as patient as Job with this little firecracker. It's wonderful to watch. And for her part, Dasha (whose name, like Bo's, is Russian and means "God's gift") is giving Bo new energy. He was dancing around playing with her this morning. Just made my heart smile.

Our other puppies, Dad's 95-lb German shepherd and our nutsoid Aussie-terrier mix, Dakota, have warmed right up to little Dasha. We were worried Dakota, who is a shelter dog and has...um..."issues, might be a problem. But as you can see, she's adjusting quite well! So we have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.

• Bo is still with us. And we'll cherish each day we have with him. Though 12 years doesn't seen anywhere near enough time with this four-legged angel, I realize it's a lot longer than many get with their beloved pets.
  
• Our new little girl has brought great joy to all of us.
• The cycle of life goes on, remind me every day that God is present, He's at work, and we can rest in His care and provision.

I pray this holiday season has been one of blessing for you, too. That you've seen God in the faces and hearts of those around you, that you've felt His love and peace, and that you're reminded, each day, that He is God.

He is in control.

You can rest secure in that truth.

Peace and puppy love to you today.

Karen B.