Life has been busy...

Things are looking up for the Lutringer clan. Jonah Mark Hughes was born on Wednesday, June 16. He's a healthy boy! Everyone is well and they went home from the hospital on Friday, June 18. Amanda went into labor late Tuesday night. I was able to drive to Houston and made it for his birth. In fact, I was standing right beside my Amanda Grace and we saw him together. James was so proud...completely in awe, but so proud!

Amanda has handled this enormous change in her life with ease. It is a joy to see her so happy being a mom to little Jonah!

This photo says it all, don't you think?









Can you believe that I now have 3 grandsons? Just think how much fun it will be around here on holidays and at family gatherings! Blessings all around us, and we are ever thankful.

Spencer Thomas has been home for over a month now. He has had a checkup and all is well. Kate is one amazing mama the way she has looked after him and maintained balance with her family. I believe she told me that Spencer now weighs 9 1/2 pounds...go Spencer! And Logan is busy as always. He has grown tall and is looking less like a toddler by the day. He is taking swimming lessons this summer, and I'm going to observe Friday. Maybe I can get some good photos!

Another good turn of events has occurred. Jenny will be teaching in the Lake Travis Independent School District this coming year. Of course, that means that she'll be moving from Forth Worth back down to this area. Kate, Jen, Amanda and I are thrilled that it will be easier to have all of us together. And I'm excited for Jen to have a new opportunity in a different area, plus she will be in a beautiful part of Texas. Being the outdoors person she is, this will be a great spot for her.

Caleb and I completed Canine Good Citizen class a week ago, and we took part in the official CGC test yesterday. The instructors out at Lee Mannix Center are all helpful, kind and supportive. I'm sure Paul could tell I was more nervous than Caleb. He was right there reminding me what was needed, and Caleb was a superstar and passed with flying colors! Now we'll go on the therapy-specific training so that he can move into being an official therapy dog. Progress! And I know for a fact that Lee must be proud. He saw something special in Caleb and encouraged me along the way with his training. On top of that, Caleb will want to find Jyl to do his pyr dance with her. Long story, but Jyl knows what I mean. :)

Zeke has returned home to us. He spent 3 months with a loving family in Mobile, Alabama and was loved by 3 generations of that family. Bless his heart, Zeke just could not adapt to life away from home (me), and was declining physically and seemed depressed. His sweet foster mom and I drove to meet each other. Needless to say, Zeke was glad to see me. He greeted me and jumped over my shoulder to get in the front passenger seat of my 4Runner! That told us that we'd made the right decision. I appreciate all of the love the R family gave him during a time I was too busy to be there for him. Something good came from this because now I have some very special friends in Mobile, Alabama!

Zeke will begin a series of tutor days with the trainers at LMCCB and then we'll move on to classes and eventually back into agility. I loved working agility with him, and, now that things have settled down, I'm looking forward to getting back into it.

I'll be off work this week. Tuesday is my birthday, and it looks like I'll be able to spend some time with Jen, Kate, Spencer and Logan. No big plans other than to rest and catch up with home projects. Time to kick back and take it easy. With these new changes in our family, I'm guessing I'll find it easy to sleep well. Mark must be proud, don't you think?

Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.   ~Mahatma Ghandi