duchess

when i first started dating my husband he had a dog, and they were a package deal. not being a big fan of dogs, i really grew to love duchess. she was a really well trained dog, cuz my husband did a really great job with her, and she didn't jump on people or lick or really even bark. plus as she got older she really just laid there so it was perfect when we had the kids, cuz they could pull her ears and her tail and we didn't have to worry that she'd bite. if she was tired of playing, she'd go hide under something. of course that backfired when alexander was little, cuz he could crawl under and get her *smile*

but duchess got really sick this spring, and christopher had to put her down. it was a very sad day. so for his birthday (today *smile*) i commissioned a quilted wall hanging from my favorite fabric artist, Michelle Wescott, artisan in chief of The Quilted House and thequiltedhouse.etsy.com. she did a fabulous job. we did his birthday yesterday, cuz i have rehearsal tonight, and when he opened his gifts, i think i saw a tear in his eye. michelle did a fabulous job.

knowing her as i do, she had gifted my family with a wall hanging for christmas entitled "the family that sings" which included duchess. seeing that every day helped me know that she would be the perfect artist to creat a memorial to duchess. especially since we decided to not get another dog until the kids are older (or ever, if i have any say *smile*). but if we do get another dog, there will never be another duchess. she was really the perfect dog for our little family, and i'm so grateful to Ms. Wescott for creating the perfect memorial to her. *smile*