MERRY CHRISTMAS

     This special time of year I have been reminded of the true meaning of Christmas!  Kelli and I have kind of made it a tradition over the last few years to try something new each Christmas season, this seasons new events have included Christmas carols and tree lighting at a local Methodist church, and a candlight service last night at the Stevensville baptist church!  Combine this with a candlelight service at our church in spokane, they had candlelight services last Sunday for people like us who would be traveling, and it's been a very festive and fun holiday!

     Through all of the different things we have done this year and all the different denominations of churches we have gone to for things like the tree lighting and candlelight service on the road, I was gleefully reminded at each event of the real meaning of the season.  No matter where we are or what name is on the front of the church the common denominator has been the celebration of God becoming man!  And when I'm probably going to be the kid at heart who always wishes for a white Christmas, when I wake up to this I have nothing but thanksgiving and joy to give to the new born king!!  Joy to the world indeed!!

Remember, the true meaning of Christmas today!!:)

The end of an era

     This past weekend was one filled with highs and lows, as many of them are, but this one held some high sentimental values to it!  It all started on Friday morning when Duchess and I went duck hunting with Ryan and a friend of ours.  We have a pretty neat little spot we go to that's on the upper edge of a lake where a creek feeds and there is a patch of water about 20 feet wide that stays open nearly all year so the ducks just pile into it!  We got there early, set out our decoys and settled into the grass to wait for shooting light.  The cool morning fog was so dense it felt as though it was lightly raining and the closer we got to shooting hours the colder it felt, thankfully a full thermos of hot coffee kept me warm.  I have noticed this year Duchess has began to show the signs of her age for the first time on our duck hunts, having always hoped she'd be able to hunt until she dies I just ignored them though because she still showed the same drive and passion she always has.  But on this hunt when Ryan and Kris shot the first two ducks of the day I knew things had definitely changed when Duch ran right passed the first duck and couldn't find the second one, even after I pointed her in the direction of it.  I had thought that her senses, vision, hearing, and smell, were starting to slip a little, and when she couldn't see, or smell either of these ducks I knew they had slipped much more than I even imagined.  

     A little while after those first couple ducks Ryan got another one and after running around looking for it for about five minutes, she finally found it after nearly stepping on it.  We then went through a little lull in the action so I let Duchess off her leash to just roam around a little, something we've done tons of times before without worry.  This time she went out into the open section of the lake where the ice was working it's way towards the creek inlet we were set up on and after swimming her way out to the ice she tried climbing up on the ice.  She couldn't get up onto the ice and she wasn't responding to my calls to her to turn around which was very abnormal so I had to walk out to her so she could see me and understand she needed to just swim back where she came from.  I got her back in the blind and leashed her back up for good since she couldn't hear me I was concerned for her safety for the first time in her life.  Moments later Ryan shot another duck but it was hit poorly and it sailed into the trees and brush behind us, I got up to go look for it with Duchess but as I walked past Ryan and Kris I told them that the way Duch had been acting I didn't have high hopes of finding the bird.  Every hunter's worst fear is loosing game so tensions were a little high as Duch and I went into the trees.  We got into the thick of them and I knelt down next to Duch and spoke directly into her ear in the hopes that she would hear me say the phrase she's heard me say hundreds of times, "get the bird, hunt him up!"  I let her off her leash and witnessed something I will never forget, she started running around through the thick grass and brush, 12 year old nose pinned to the ground, and in less than 30 seconds she picked up a scent and went right to the duck who had burrowed his way under the thick bunch grass and flushed him out!  The duck was trying to fly away from Duch and she took one big lunge and snatched him right out of the air!!  For about two minutes she had the eyes, ears, and nose that have made her who she is, in my mind clearly a God thing:)

     She brought that bird back to me and I could see in her eyes that she could read my mind and we were both thinking the same thing right then, this might be the final retrieve of her career.  I could see the pride in her eyes as she brought that duck to me and I know she could see the pride in mine as I'm pretty sure I was starting to tear up!  This entire waterfowl season she has just not quite been the same, she still had the same desire to be out there every single time, she just wasn't the same girl once the hunt started.  She has given me so many moments in the blind that I will never forget, but this lone drake mallard was hands down the best!  Under the circumstances it easily catapults to the top of a long list of amazing retrieves!  As we came out of the trees, bird in hand, Ryan and Kris couldn't believe it.  I was so proud of my girl that I couldn't come up with the words to describe just how awesome her retrieve was, and yet at the same time I was holding back tears as I knew that was going to be the last bird she would ever bring back to my feet.

     I knew this day would eventually come, and I admit that I've been a little naive thinking that my 12 year old lab could continue to hunt like she was 3 for the rest of her life, but never the less it isn't any easier of a decision to retire her from hunting.  After the day we shared on Friday and the emotions I went through I don't even want to think about how I'll react when her time on earth is up!  I think it's best if I just don't think about that:)  After a heavy day of emotions though things turned around on Saturday as I celebrated 12 years of sobriety!!  I did the math and I've officially been sober now for longer than I drank!  That's a very cool feeling as I know that nothing that I have accomplished in life could have been achieved while I was tied to my addiction.  I am so thankful each and every day for every one who continues to support me, I live every day knowing that I have the love and support of the best team anyone could ask for!

Remember, like the gambler said, you gotta know when to fold em, know when to hold em.