and today was one of those days. Have you ever had one of those mornings where you wake up entirely too early and can't go back to sleep?
Today, on this balmy 78 degree Saturday, December 1, 2012, that was me. My mom and I had made plans to wake up around 8:00 and be out and about by 10:00. I woke up at 6:51, tossing and turning, and that was the end of my sleep for the day.
I read until she got up a little after 8:00, and then we lazed around a bit before getting ready for our day. We were on a mission to find a dress for the Christmas party I'm attending next weekend, and it was proving to be more difficult than we had originally anticipated.
After a quick (and I mean less than 20 minutes) trip to the Allen Outlets, we went to the Shops at Watters Crossing, where we found TWO super cute dresses at Ann Taylor...for my mom.
And seriously, she looked awesome in both of them. It was a no brainer. She HAD to have them, so I talked her into it, and then told her I'd be happy to borrow them sometimes. See how this works? Ingenious!
After that, we went to the Shops at Willowbend because that mall is NEVER crowded. I was thoroughly disappointed in the selection at the major stores there, although I did score some awesome pajamas for the boys: Guitars for N and race cars for B. They've gotten so tall, they outgrew their "winter" pajamas I bought last year. They very rarely wear them, only when it's cold, so they last forever!
Since we struck out at Willowbend, we grabbed some lunch and then headed to Stonebriar in Frisco. As we were headed towards Macy's, my dad called my mom. I didn't think anything of it...at first. But then the mood changed a little. I was getting discouraged, my mom was getting tired, and we still hadn't found anything. So, we went back to where we found a possibility on Thursday and had them check around to see if the right size was available anywhere else. (I know. This is all super fascinating, but hold on. I'm about to throw something new your way.)
On the way to Flower Mound, 6.5 hours into our shopping excursion, I called my dad. We talked for a few minutes and then he asked if I had talked to my mom about why he called, and when I said "No" he said, "It's Lacey."
And my heart sank. Because today, she had another seizure and couldn't stop coughing, so he took her to the vet. When he carried her in, the vet said, "It's time. She's suffering now." And my dad put her to sleep. So there I am, driving to Flower Mound, with tears streaming down my face and sobs escaping every now and then...because Lacey was the best dog I ever had. She was the only dog our family ever had when my sister and I were growing up, and like I said in a previous post, she was an amazingly good dog.
In fact, before the boys and I came home from Houston after Thanksgiving, I got down on the floor with her, nose to nose, and loved on her for a while. I stroked her little head and talked to her (even though I knew she couldn't hear me) and put my hand in front of her so she could give me kisses like she always does. Only that time, she didn't. She just didn't have the energy. Her little stump tail didn't wiggle either.
I think I knew, even though I didn't want to believe it, that I wouldn't see her again, even though I'm going down there on Friday. While I'm so sad, I'm even more sad for my dad. They were best pals. They've been together since the beginning, and she ruled the household. The love of an animal is something so many take for granted, but it is truly unconditional. Pets only want to please their masters and Lacey was no different. Yes, she was mischievous at times, but she was a good girl.
Through my tears, I told my dad, "I bet she and Tabby are chasing each other around, terrorizing the shit out of each other..." and we both laughed a little. And I realized that, as hard as it will be for me or my sister or my mom, it'll be ten times worse for my dad. She relied solely on him...and he on her.
So, we got to White House Black Market and the only dress I've even remotely liked (when it was on me, not the hanger) was there. It looked okay, but it's black and silver and not the bright dress I've been picturing in my mind's eye to match my, um, bright personality. It's kinda drab...but I bought it so I'd at least have SOMETHING, and maybe I can brighten it up with shoes and a different belt or something.
Or maybe I'll find something else tomorrow. I'm counting on you, good ol' Vista Ridge!
Aubs
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