Something New: Capturing My Joyful Pause Moments. Weekly Recap.

Posted by Barbara Techel

garden off deck 1200Looking out my writing cottage and enjoying how my little perennial garden is starting to grow once again for the season.

I’m trying something “new.” While I do try and live a joyful life, I decided I wanted to try and capture a moment of joy each day. Something that makes me smile. Something that makes me forget time exists. Something that fills me up. While I will concentrate mostly on capturing it in photos, I may also include a quote now and then too, or whatever strikes my fancy as a moment of joy.

The name of my website, Joyful Paws, was born because of my dogs showing me the way to more joy. Even when Cassie Jo was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, and Frankie became paralyzed from IVDD, they lived each day from a place of happiness despite their challenges. They taught me that we always have a choice.

Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it everyday. -Henri J.M. Nouven

So each week I’ll recap my daily moment of joy and share it here on my blog (I’ll recap on a Saturday or Sunday- just depending on how my week plays out and what’s going on on any given weekend). I like this idea as a practice to look for, and choose joy, just as Henri J.M. Nouven said.

I hope you will find joy in my “joyful pause” moments I will share with you. And I hope it will encourage you to look for those little moments of joy in your own life.

Here is the rest of my joyful pause moments from the week:

flowers and rainbow outside cottage 1200Bringing home flowers for outside my writing cottage. A second, unexpected joyful pause moment was looking at the photo and it looks like there is a rainbow running through the center of it. I have no idea how that happened!

yoga gidget 1200Coming out of shavasana pose, onto my side, and seeing this sweet face.

cassy painting 1200Seeing my dear friend, Cassy Tully’s heart happy doing her art outside on a beautiful day.

tea and books e 1200Spending time on the deck in the morning, reading, sipping my warm lemon water, listening to the birds, and soaking in a bit of warm sun. These simple pleasures truly bring me so much joy.

tree frog e 1200Hanging out with a tree frog.

Meet Lucy! The 23rd Dog The Frankie Wheelchair Fund has Helped with a Dog Wheelchair

Posted by Barbara Techel

lucy eGet your dancing shoes on and join us here at Joyful Paws Headquarters as we do the happy dance with the news of Lucy getting her wheels because of The Frankie Wheelchair Fund! Could Lucy look any happier?!?!

Thank you to Red Flyer, The Handicapped Pets Community for sharing Lucy’s story and that she was in need of a wheelchair. Here is her story in her guardian angel’s and new forever home parent’s own words:

Lucy was found in the middle of the road by my husband almost a year ago. Someone had hit her and just left her there for dead basically. We took her to our vet to see how severely injured she was. The vet said when the vehicle hit Lucy it ran completely over her bottom half. From about the bottom of her rib cage on down. It compressed her vertebrae into her spinal cord & that’s what caused the damage.

When we first begin caring for Lucy she had absolutely zero mobility in her back legs. The vet said she could feel deep pain when he pinched between her toes & he said he thought Lucy would benefit from laser treatments. We traveled back and forth to our Vet which is about 2hrs. away so she could recieve the laser treatments. He also said any type of exercise/stimulation we could give Lucy would be beneficial.

We are now happy to say Lucy can stand on her own for brief periods of time & even take a few steps on her own. However, we are afraid she has come about as far as she can go. The vet told us there was a chance she could stand/walk again someday but advised us to get a wheelchair so she doesn’t injury herself further. It’s unknown if this is permanent, we are hoping not but it is beginning to look like it is. Lucy uses diapers & we have a drag bag but she’s not a fan of it as she wants to chase after her “dog sisters” Sontie & Izzy!

She is so very happy now! Once again, we thank you for all you have done & we will def. give Lucy a GIANT hug from you! Our other dogs don’t know what to think of her at the moment because she can actually run around with them now!

Thank you always,
Tara, Seth & Lucy

The love and devotion Tara and Seth have shown Lucy I have no doubt will come back triple that in love from Lucy, as I’m sure it already has! Keep on rolling, Lucy!

To learn more about The Frankie Wheelchair Fund and how you can apply or contribute please visit the website National Walk ‘N Roll Dog Day. The cost of a wheelchair, depending on the size and needs of the dog runs anywhere from $500-$1,500.

To learn more about dog wheelchairs, please visit Eddie’s Wheels.

As a reminder, 100% of proceeds of the purchase of this very roomy and durable tote bag from our friends at Beangoods goes to The Frankie Wheelchair Fund. Screen_shot_2014-02-17_at_3.16.20_PM

 

Can You Help Me Test My Blog?

Posted by Barbara Techel

gidget in onesie eSince this photo of Gidget was such a huge hit on Facebook over the weekend, I thought I best share with you, my dear blog readers who may not be on Facebook. Who’d of thunk a doggie in her jammie’s could cause such cuteness overload?

So, I need your help today. Can you please leave a comment in the comment section below? I need to make sure things are working correctly with my blog. This would help me out greatly! Thanks so much!