10 life lessons I learned from Lucy.

This weekend we noticed a change in our Lucy. Something was different. She appeared slower, less responsive, uninterested in food and kinda sad. Today is Tuesday and not much has changed. It's hard not to prepare for the worst at this point.

As you recall from this post, we found out Lucy had cancer around Thanksgiving. We didn't know how much longer we would have with her and as of this weekend, our fear is not very long. In honor of her legacy and as a tribute to my first "baby"...I'm sharing 10 life lessons I learned from my beloved beagle pup:

1. Go ahead, lick the bowl: Lucy lived life to the fullest. She wasn't going to let a few extra snacks get in her way of utter happiness. Whether it was a dropped french fry or string cheese...she never hesitated to take a bite outta life.
2. Make your presence known: Lucy was a "barker", also known as a beagle. You always knew where she was in the house and she wasn't shy about it. She always let people know she meant business.
3. When your body tells you to take a nap, take a nap: She was completely unapologetic about her napping ability. When your body tells you to stop; you just listen. I like that about her.
4. Love unconditionally: It didn't matter if we just reprimanded her for chewing a shoe out of my closet...she always returned with lotsa licks. I suppose you could also add this to the "forgive and forget" bucket because Lucy always forgot. Imagine if us humans did the same?
5. Sniff some butts: If it smells stinky...it probably is stinky. Trust your gut. Boy, it took me a long time to learn that lesson. She nailed it at such a young age!
6. You don't have to like everyone: Sometimes Lucy would be unwelcoming to other dogs. I don't blame her. You can't love everyone. Why fake it? Be true to yourself.
7. Go with the flow: Often when we vacationed Lucy would bounce from our house to a grandparents' house. Never a complainer. She would simply find her napping nook and stay outta everyone's hair. She was a pleasure to be around.
8. Don't take "no" for an answer: She may have been a sweet pup but when she wanted her bed moved or extra pets...she sure made it known. We're talking head butting the palm of your hand and nudging your leg. After enough nudging, pretty much anyone would succumb.
9. Use all your senses: Lucy would always step outside and raise her face to the sun sniffing the air. It was almost like she was relishing the warmth or fresh air in the most appreciative way. Somewhat like stopping to smell the roses; never in a rush.
10. Fake it till you make it: No matter how sick she was feeling, whether it was a bad bout of grass or her recent surgery, Lucy always rallied. Even on her first day home from surgery she was jumping up for treats. She never let you know how much pain she was in. Honorable really.

Thanks for indulging. The house is still and we are sad trying to navigate what to do with with a sick pup and how to make her comfortable in her last days. 

* Check out today's link ups: Fizz and Frosting, Style Elixir, I Do deClaire, The Fashion Canvas