I recently realized that I have been subconsciously putting off The Next Post because I do not know what to say about Doug Dog.
We attended the 2026 Heartland Pride parade last weekend, and it was so fun!
This one is in full color Friends, instead of my usual dog and cat vision photos, which are notably more muted. Because Pride. And rainbows.
Doug Dog stayed home, as he was two days post-splenectomy and for sure would have tried to party too hard. He is absolutely THRIVING and feeling back to 100%! Updates soon!
Doug and Kevin
Kevin got his new collar from MazzyCo, one of my absolute favorite local businesses! Thanks MazzyCo team! We love it, and Kevin loves matching his big brother Doug!
Kevin and his new collar
Abby and Blue decorated Kevin to match the bi flag colors for Pride. Two potty-training related baths later, and he is still gorgeous!
In the parking garage before the parade, Russell explains the morning to come to Kevin who is all ears - haha! Basset joke! He is actually not yet a great listener. He does try!
Maybe my favorite photo of Kevin so far! Those eyes! Of COURSE you can have my coffee Kevin! Wait, no! Go drink your water you little dork!
In which my overly emotional self cried through the start of the celebration and Kevin the Puppy learned even sounds as loud as motorcycles make are not necessarily scary.
The motorcyclists started the parade. I honestly cried through the first fifteen minutes. As fun as Pride is, I go to thank the community members who have paved and currently pave the way for my kids to have a better and safer and more supported life than generations before them. Because of you, Blue and Abby are safe. They are happy. They can be their authentic selves as out loud as they want and need to be. I can never say thank you enough for normalizing and supporting the brilliant range of humanity around us, including our dear family, who is everything to me.
We quickly learned that in a sea of toys (mulch), if we gave Kevin the biggest toy (piece of mulch), it would cut back significantly on us needing to take toys (mulch) out of his mouth.
So yeah, puppies and rainbows. That is the sort of thing that I am strongest at writing about and highlighting. I hope you know that by writing a post focused on puppies and rainbows, what I mean on every level is THANK YOU. I love and appreciate you all so very much.
Look who we found! My favorites! From left to right, Ashley, Dave, me, Russell, Abby and Kevin, Blue
Erika and me! We have been friends longer than we have been pre-friends <3
Last week I met a very nice guy and his puppy Theo. “Do you need a groomer?” I asked. “Yes please,” he said. Then we got to see them at Pride! Instead of saying “hi” like a normal person would (I assume…I don’t really know for sure…) I said “Do you want to meet your groomer?” and we looked down and Abby was playing with Theo. :) I got to meet his family. What a fun surprise.
Kevin said this is his BFF Theo he met two minutes ago. He’s kinda a lot, huh Theo?
NHS! Hi Friends!
Russ asked if Sirius was going to be there. As I was explaining how much <grief> they got online two years ago for bring at Pride and I would not blame them if…here they came around the corner! Sorry I doubted Friends <3 Good to see you!
Russell and Kevin
Russell, Blue, Abby and Kevin
Erika the Beautiful
Erika!
Erika kept Kevin cool and hydrated.
Russell, Blue and Kevin
One of my favorites! Just look at that bird!
Erika said it looked like she dragged her straight boyfriend to Pride. “In a weird way that’s good though, right?” I asked. “Yeah.”
Morgan was so sweet with Kevin. He is a keeper Erika-Freind.
Just look at this Poodle! All I did was put on a rainbow cat T!
We left when Kevin’s tongue was a half centimeter longer than THIS, about five minutes after this photo!
Happy Pride y’all <3
When I opened Dougie’s record, there was lymphoma staring out at me almost as if from Luna’s distant past.
I was gonna tell you our happiest news, then later I was gonna tell you what Dougie has been walking through. But life does not separate out like that does it?
If you ask for acepromazine, we will fish it out from the back of the top shelf and throw the bottle at your head. Just kidding! Also, don’t open that.
Many years ago, when I was first starting gardening, we got a Seed Savers Exchange catalog. That and the Square Foot Gardening book have been my very favorite gardening resources - besides YOU of course!
We got Grandpa Ott’s morning glory seeds from that first catalog, and they STILL come up every year.
We have since been to visit the Seed Savers Exchange farm twice, and I have written a joint post with the Square Foot Gardening book team, because I just love all things gardening. And people. And random fun connections.
And I love these flowers so much.
When Blue and Abby were little, we covered a stick tent frame with these morning glories and scarlet runner beans, also from Seed Savers Exchange.
Last year when a visiting nurse was over (my ridiculous cat allergies are a whole other post - or posts - as you know!) she asked if she could take a cutting from the morning glories. I hope they are everywhere in her yard now too.
They are just coming up again in our front containers, and I love them so much. It does not show in these photos, but if you are not a dog or cat or are not red-green colorblind, they are the most gorgeous bridesmaid dress purple, and they are my favorite thing in our garden.
Next week - the rest of the garden so far! Have a great week all!
If you want morning glory cuttings or seeds, lemme know. We will make it into a blog post :)
Another one in full color because…have you seen Mom and Dad’s yard?? It is my favorite place in the world.
My Mother-in-law-in-law gifted me a Bird Buddy - a bird feeder that takes photos of birds who visit.
My Mom and Dad gave me a Bird Buddy too!
I love them so much. Russ and I both do.
Doug does not. He - as a Golden Retriever - a bird dog by blood - does not hurt the birds who visit. He is as always the most gentle soul. He gets his feelings hurt if I call the birds my buddy. This is a real conversation we have had more than once -
Me to a sparrow: “Hi Buddy!”
Doug: mopes till I self-correct and tell him he is my only buddy.
Here are some of the birds we have seen. I left the post in full color instead of dog and cat vision as usual. Mostly because how beautiful is this male oriole?? And that woodpecker!
More to come! I wanted to show these to you to start! I have loved seeing your wild bird photos!
I love this so much. And Doug DOES love time on the deck with us. A win all around.
Hope you have the best weekend ever.
Kathi Ortmeier, the incomparable and amazing leader of Basset and Beagle Rescue of the Heartland, had donated a huge box of teddy bears, other toys and some snacks to give to our patients.
This story is not from today, but from several months ago when Dr. Soethout was a brand new veterinarian at the practice.
We were all getting a little overwhelmed, probably New Doc because everything was, well, new, and the rest of us, because seeing the mortality and morbidity of pets and sharing in the grief and uncertainty of the people who love them most sometimes can be just a little more than our hearts can bear.
We reached this point fairly early in the morning.
The wonderful dentist who works on the other side of our building ran over to the veterinary side of the building, down dove held gently in both hands.
Sarah took her. Dr. Soethout examined her. She had crashed into their window mid-flight. She was shaken but not broken.
Same little dove.
We watched her all morning as she gathered her tiny little bird wits and her mentation stabilized, grateful for Nebraska Wildlife Rehab in the wings (haha) but hopeful we would not need the transfer.
Mid-morning, with a hospital full of patients and their families - all understanding we needed a tiny win because they too needed a win - the entire team went out back by the trash cans and picnic table and opened the box.
The dove nestled in and waited.
Dr. Soethout picked her up gently, and still she waited. “You got this Snow White!” I said.
I bet you are grateful the nickname did not stick, huh Doc?
The dove nestled in further and waited still, seemingly comfortable with her rescuer. He set her gently on the ground. She looked behind her and then ahead and flew off without a hitch.
We all laughed in relief and got back to work. The day seemed lighter.
That night I posted this below on Facebook. That case still gets me through sometimes. Thanks Doc. Thanks Sarah. Thanks team. I am so very blessed to know all of you and walk through this career with you 🤍
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
Sarah and Dr. Soethout saved a mourning dove who bonked her tiny noggin on the neighboring dentist’s window first thing this morning, and we all stopped in The Middle of Everything and went outside to watch her be released, and that is just the Noah’s Ark miracle minute we needed to keep going in this FREAKING week. 🕊️
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
Thank you to the amazing Barb Ericson and Russell Finch for these beautiful photos! 🤍
I hope your new coworkers always put signs up to protect you from touching hot things and sharp things - and if you are lucky enough to work in medicine again - sterile surgery sites :)
This is gonna be the best chapter yet. I will continue to walk with you every step of the way through whatever comes next.
Emily attracted and enhanced the best in everyone. We are all gut punched.
Happy to report after over a decade of seeing ONLY dogs, I am now seeing stuffed dogs and (pretend) pandas.
Happy 80th birthday tomorrow to Russ’s Mom and my Mom-in-Law, Karen Finch! Love you so much! Hope this is the best birthday yet!
I will name her Lucky :)
My favorite TV comeback of 2026…SCRUBS SEASON 10!
I realized after I said it that I had just yelled at a stranger that he was a liar and quickly apologized.
Remember you are very very loved. If you forget, Dougie will be there with a mouth full of drool to remind you <3
I guess that was a weird aside in my Christmas letter post. So much for me staying on theme, but I realized I owe you all an explanation.