Nuts?

What am I?
Nuts?

I am offering to host Christmas Eve at my house.

Enough said.

A Heavy Heart

This is my first time dealing with a death of someone close to me...and having the holidays sneak up.  They say that the holidays are hard on people and I guess that they are right.  Now that am I here, it's definitely getting hard.  As I do, because it's in my nature, I try to analyze the WHY so that maybe, in some realm, I can more easily deal with the emotions.

Am I more sad because it's darker outside?
Is it a bit of seasonal depression meets mourning?

For the life of me I can't draw a line in the sand to clearly identify the emotion, other than it is here and I do not feel as though I can control it.  I want my sister back.  I want the stress and worries that I am carrying around every day to just go away.

Can't they just go away?

I believe in God.  I believe in a purpose.  I believe that minimally speaking I know what my purpose is and that I am currently filling that purpose to the best of my abilities.  My purpose is to love God, love others (including my enemies), and to serve.  I feel that between raising my own children and caring for the other children that God has put into my life...I have a lot of purpose.  I believe that teaching all the kids that I have around me that God loves them is a big part of my purpose.

I also believe that all the trials that I am experience are not to be experienced in vain.  I pray that they will serve a purpose, though it's hard to understand what and how it's going to happen.  Am I going to become an advocate?  Will I at least be able to help someone in a similar circumstance?

Sorry I am just rambling.
Just trying to get through the emotion...

Emotion that has me paralyzed and exhausted.

I desperately need to prepare for Thanksgiving and I am just feeling DEFEATED.

A New Me

Every morning I wake up with a mile long list of things to do.  I am often amazed at how many things one must complete in one day...and then realize that although trivial things they are nearly impossible to complete!  Well, at least it seems that way.

The new me.

I have to think of myself like that.  There have been so many changes in my life that I am accepting a new me to deal with all of these things.  No, I am not creating an alternative personality, just an adjustment in my life and way of thinking.  Instead of planning for this new invented me, I am BEING this new me.

Most of you know that I watch a little girl every day.  She is now 21 months old.  She holds a very special place in my heart...my little Bug.  To me she is like a little niece: part of the family and adored as my own.  Isn't that what being an Auntie is all about?  Loving your nieces and nephews as they were your own???

Well, this adventuresome toddler is nearing her two's and of course, that bring a whole new set of trials.  This week I also began watching another little boy full time.  Little Romeo is a sweet boy who is close to being 3.  More or less, the kids are one year apart: just like my Tony and Sarah were.  Having two comes with a whole new set of rules on running errands and going on "field trips," so this week we are adapting to each other.  Of course the little Bug is having to learn how to share her Boppy.

You do know who Boppy is, don't you?

Hi.
I am Boppy.

I created the name Boppy because when the Bug began to come here she would call me mom, because that's what the kids would call me.  She had a terrible time saying my name...so Boppy was born.  Mr. Romeo calls me Boppy too!  Most of the kids on the block now refer to me as Boppy and during the day I talk about myself in the third party so much that it is only a matter of time before I reprimand a grown up...

"Now, Myrna, give Boppy that chair."

After getting acclimated with each other, next week we begin a learning program.  Up until now we have just been playing and enjoying...but now it's time to add in some learning.  So...next week's program is brought to you by the letter A and the number 1.  :)

With the addition of another little person, I can no longer have breakfast with my friend, Ms. Jean.  Ms. Jean became a widow last October when I was finally able to meet her.  She's a young 83 year old who has the spirit of someone far younger than myself.  She's sweet and silly and just a blast to be around.  I enjoyed taking her breakfast every morning and spending that time with her.  The Bug would eat with us as well.  Unfortunately it would be very difficult to have breakfast with TWO little kids...not to mention all of Ms. Jean's breakables.  I will have to find a solution to my problem...

The new me is watching a toddler and two year old.
The new me only has one sister alive as well.

I was able to spend nearly a week with my sister, Tracy.  She came for a visit and although we didn't go and have any adventures, we spent time together.  We both needed that therapy of each other.  I think of my sister Amy often.  It is hard not being able to call her tell her about all that is going on in my life and listening to her sweet voice as she asks me, "what else?"  I have been so busy with my life that I have been unable to truly call my niece and nephew...and brother-in-law.  All things that I need to put in place for the New Me.

One thing that I have been experiencing is in my dreams.  For a long time I could not remember my dreams.  Immediately after the wake and funeral I had some not so pleasant dreams.  I don't know that I ever want to see someone I love in a coffin.  After that though...it has been seemingly quiet.

Until this week.

This week I have had two separate dreams, both of which my sister was alive.  The first one she had just been released from the hospital post-op and I was in the car with her.  I was AMAZED at how well she was doing after having a serious surgery.  She was laughing and talking...and driving.  We pulled up to her house and my niece ran towards the car and Amy jumped out of the car and ran to her...car door still open and all!  It was a glorious home coming.  When I awoke there was definitely a longing to go back to sleep...because it just felt soooooo good.  If you have seen the movie inception then you know what I am eluding to.  The second dream did not last very long and the details are a bit foggy...as it would seem my mind was trying to argue with the dream making her be alive when she was not.

Such a weird concept.

Well, that's where I am at.  Once upon a time I told you guys how I was going to be new...new to being a mom of three.   Then I told you how I was going to be a new me...and become a housewife and stay-at-home mom.  Then I became a caregiver to a sweet baby girl.

Now, this is the new me too.

How are YOU doing?  Are there any NEW YOUS????

Hope.

All around my sister's house were messages of hope.  Some of them were inside the house, and one was hanging by the front door.  

One thing that we could always hold onto, so long as Amy was alive, was that there would be another day.  Hope that one day there would be a cure.  Hope that all this was just a bad dream and we would all wake up and Amy would not have cancer.  

But that type of hope no longer exists.

A year ago Amy and I were email back and forth and this is what she said, "1 Cor. 13:13 - 'And now these three remain:  faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.'  Faith and hope carried me this past year, but love is what is going to carry me this year."  For her, she had moved past that part and into thelove part.  Her faith was cemented that God had a plan and even if we did not understand it, it would come to fruition.  She also knew that she had to extend love to some people that drove her up a wall - even though it was going to be hard.  

And she did.  

She extended love.

Webster defines hope as:

1. to cherish a desire with anticipation

2. to desire with expectation of obtainment

3. to expect with confidence

Psalm 39:7"And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?  My only hope is in you."

Matthew 12:21"And his name will be the hope of all the world."

Romans 5:5"And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

Philippians 1:20 "For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die."

She lived Philippians 1:20.  I shook so many hands and hugged so many people at my sister's funeral.  My sister would lift EVERY ONE up and encourage them.  Amy was very involved with the youth group in her church.  She taught them and planned and went on the work camp trips, etc.  On her last day she received a text message from one of her teens.  A recent graduate, she had just endured the loss of a grandparent just one week before, Amy was there to console her and help in however she could.

She was the last one to "talk" to my sister.  

Two days before that she was at the grocery store and giving everyone a smile!  Her pain was immense.  So much that I was not calling her because I knew it would be one more thing she had to "do" and I would rather her rest and heal.  Her light, Christ's light, just shone from her.

 (July 21, 2010 - two days before she passed)

I realize that everyone mourns in their own way.  In some realm I feel I may have moved onto the "this isn't real" stage.  I know she's gone.  I can say she's gone.  I haven't tried calling her...but if I look at her smiling face I can feel her.  

I know that my sister just wants me to continue to be Christ-like in what I am doing.  Whether that is improving my relationship with my kids (who are driving me up a wall), having breakfast with my widowed neighbor...but that I do everything with JOY and with a PURPOSE.

God is my hope.

I expect Him.

I have no fear that I will see my sister again.  I have full security in that.  My faith sustains me in that.  My love for others will help me to continue on and to love.

She taught me that.

Clash of the Personas!

Most of you who know me from reading my blogs...you can wrap up my personality from those blogs.  I write from myself, by myself with every personal flaw out there.

I am me.

In my life I have been blessed with many many friends.  In high school I did not hang out with the cheerleaders but I did know them.  I had no desire to be anything other than myself and I felt that to be friends with them...well I would no longer be me.  I may have put that judgement on them myself, but that is how I felt.  They were in a class all their own and quite frankly...they could remain there.

Even though I am somewhat quiet and reserved (until you know me, that is) my best friend in high school would tell anyone whatever she needed to.  If she was mad, she'd let you know what you did to get her there.  I look at that as not being over powering, but rather being completely honest with herself and others.

Something that I may not always been.

Be it my personality...or inherited insanity...I have battled being honest with myself or others, especially when it comes to a clash in personalities.  I am an anti-confrontation kinda girl.

SAVE YOUR DRAMA FOR YOU LLAMA.

Ignore it and maybe the problem will go away?

No?

For the most part, personalities concerned, this has worked pretty good for me.  If someone rubs me wrong well, I just steer clear of them.  I'm nice to all I meet I just know who not to get into bed with.  My personality will not compete with another and I will not get into a position in which I am run over.

Honestly, it's never really been a concern.

Until recently.

Be it that God is trying to teach me another lesson in life, I still have not quite figured out how he wants me to handle this one?  

You see, I have told you the love I have for my neighbors.  Our group has been growing in love and experiences over the past several years.  Family trials.  Hugs.  Parties.  We have become a really close group of friends that are more like family than neighbors.  

Well, our group has grown.  

A neighbor that I did not know due to working etc, made her way down to our end of the block a while back.  She was amazed at how fun we were, how honest we were with one another, and how we encouraged and supported each other.  She wanted a piece of the pie.

And so here she is.

Now this neighbor is a good woman.  She has a great heart and cares deeply about all of us.  She has us in mind wherever and whatever she is doing and will surprise each of us with a find (like plastic kid cups)...just like we all do for one another.  If you find something your sister loves well you just buy it!  She calls and checks up on us, hugs us at the bus stop, etc.

Based on what I wrote it seems she needs an award, right?

This is my problem...

I feel as though I have been steamrolled by her friendship.  You see, our relationships as neighbors into friends and then further into a "sister" type relationship was gradual.  We waded into this pool and it grew and grew.  Even though we do not know every detail of our lives we know a lot.  We also, I truly believe, know the heart of one another.  Even with skeletons, tragedies, mistakes and lessons learned we trust each other with our lives, with our children's lives...

I know that God loves all of us.  I know that God wants us to love others even if they are not like us.  I know this.  I really do.  I know that I need to embrace this neighbor but for whatever reason I get all stressed out instead.  

I have questioned myself...

Can I say something to help her understand it's too much too fast?

Should I say anything at all?

Do I just continue to love and embrace her and on the inside feel attacked?

It's just the weirdest thing for me to ever experience.  This is the first time I have encountered someone like this.  Maybe it was her upbringing as a navy daughter or the fact that she's Italian.  I guess it does not matter the WHY.

You see, if my Spanish family stresses me out, which they can, I know that eventually they will go home.  As much as I love them they are not living with me NOR do I have to deal with them on a daily/friendship level.  I do not come to them with problems because I do not need them to solve them for me.  I can distance myself from them...

And the stress they create within me.

But this is my neighbor.  This is the first time that she will not be moving because of the military.  Her husband has finished up his time and this is their house forever.  This is the first time that they get permanent friends and neighbors.  It's good to be there for them.  To be there friend...

But I have to learn how to deal with...

the personality.

I was reading an article by Rick Warren in which he talks about clashing personalities and trouble makers...

THE SHERMAN TANK - will run over you if you let him.
THE MEGAPHONE - will talk your ear off.
THE BUBBLE BUSTER - deflates everyone's enthusiasm.
THE VOLCANO - has a temper like Mt. St. Helens.
THE CRY BABY - is a chronic complainer.
THE NIT PICKER - is the unpleasable perfectionist. 

THE SPACE CADET - is on a different wavelength.  

God says to love your neighbors.  He does not say love your neighbors IF they have a good personality.  I should not love any neighbor any LESS then another, right?  It is not as though my neighbor is trying to stress us out.  She's trying to love us...as we love one another.

So...what does one do?

Let's here it peeeps.  Have you had to deal with a clashing personality that you knew you had to learn how to love?  How did you do it?

Look at the time!

It seems my life these days is monitored in minutes...and since I only have 6 before I need to head to the bus stop I guess I better type fast!

Excuse the errors.  :)

Starting a few weeks ago I began watching my neighbor's daughter (1 year) during the day and their oldest comes home off the bus in the afternoon.  It is such an exciting adventure for me and I love ever moment of it, but there has definitely been some adjusting.

I have not had a baby in 10 years.  

God really moved lots of mountains recently, especially with the coming of the bug.  You see, I had been praying about it for a while...what if I watch the Bug?  Her parents work full time and I knew she was in daycare.  I felt weird approaching her mom about though...because it just seems weird.  

"Hey - what do you think about me watching your baby?"

The day I was going to approach her, after speaking to the hubby (of course) she called to see if I could watch the Bug.  Now...I had never watched the Bug before so you have to see the irony.  I said sure...and told her what I had planned to talk to her about that night.

Strange.

We left it at that and we met a few days later to talk about the what if's and in-betweens.  I left knowing that there was uncertainty and a heavy feeling in my chest.

And a need to write.

So...write I did.  I poured out my heart.  I poured out my love for children.  I poured out my desire to stay home AND I poured out what I wanted to be for them.

I told them to pray about it...

We found out that they did have apprehension about it as well.  They felt discouraged and were praying about it and asked God to show them a sign.

Then pops checked his email.

And found my heart.

So, now the Bug is with me!  We have lots of adventures which you will now hear about, especially since I am all better!

BUS STOP TIME!

Talk to you sooooon!

Matters of the Heart.

The heart is a muscular organ found in all vertebrates that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. The term cardiac (as in cardiology) means "related to the heart" and comes from the Greek καρδιά, kardia, for "heart."

******

We all have a certain plan about how our lives are going to proceed.  Even those that hate planning ahead there is a certain amount of planning that everyone does.  

What do I mean?

Even if you are not a planner and you accidentally get pregnant your life, from there on out, is kind of mapped out: when you will have your baby, give or take a day or two.  You also now know when your child will head off to their first day of school and when they will get their drivers license.  You have an approximate time in your mind of when your own child will get married and one day you will be a grandparent.

Plans.

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

******

A Sick Heart.

We all know how quickly a heart attack or stroke can change the lives of those that we love and adore.  In a heart beat someone can be gone or unable to communicate through various consequences of damage.  

I am part of a group of people that have the same type of cancer as my sister.  Through that I have learned something about those with cancer and how they look at their lives.  You see, my sister in the year 2008BC (before cancer) was going on youth group trips, working part-time, enjoying baking and hanging out with her kids, hosting parties with those that she loves and being a part of the world.  

Amy loves to entertain.

Most of you know that my sister's cancer is on her heart.  An unlikely abnormal place to get it, even for the type of cancer that she has...but I tell her "you would get it somewhere weird..." 

Oddly enough, her cancer healed a lot of things in her life.  Yes, the thing that could end up taking her cured her as well.  I will not go into details about her life but I am telling you the truth.  It healed her marriage.  It healed relationships because through it we were all able to get through the garbage of life that pulls us down to see clearly.

We learned that there is just no time for it.

My nephew graduates from high school in just a few short weeks and my niece will be turning 13 soon too!  By the grace of God my sister has been able to be here for the past two years and we are so very thankful!

Yes, most of her time is on the couch, but it's TIME!

Today she talks to the doctor and finds out how her scans went yesterday.  To make it a little harder my uncle passed away this week, his body riddled with cancer.  With all things I must put it into perspective: my uncle was in his 70s and has smoked and drank his whole life, in excess.  He had quadruple bypass surgery a few years ago.  

His body was tired.

He is a place of no more suffering.

******

A Broken Heart.

During difficult times it is hard to not completely turn against God.  Why does HE want to take my sister home so soon?  

What I realized through this is that Earth is just temporary...and honestly if I had a chance to go to Heaven and have no more pain and suffering...I might sign up!  Of course, as a parent, we all want to make sure our children are raised completely and totally and I know that is a heavy weight on my sister's heart.

It does break her heart.

But God made her a beautiful heart.

AND God has healed her beautiful heart.

Even through her cancer.

And when God calls her home then I know that Heaven will be blessed.  I also know that I will see her again.

In due time.

For a parent who's child is suffering from a disease, addiction, or physical and emotional set backs...this too can cause a broken heart.  

A parent who looses their child...their heart is broken and shattered.  A broken heart beyond my own comprehension.

Completely broken.

The parent can only hold onto the fragments that are remaining; the family and friends that they love and love them, and hold on tight. I pray that for those that suffer in this way that some how I can be there to help them hold on.  

I think about that kind of loss and know that having God in my life and faith in Heaven, that is the only way I would be able to get through it.  

Faith, family and friends.

Jeremiah 24:7

I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

******

Life is not easy.  

The pain and suffering of this world are heart wrenching.  God gave us life and the enjoyment of every day we are blessed with.  Sometimes that time is filled with grieving of a loved one that has gone home.  Other days we are stuck on the couch dealing with cancer or having heart issues.

All of the above things can lead to anger, depression and a life time of disappointment if we stray from God's truth.

Every day that we are here, we have to remember that Heaven is an awesome place with no pain and no suffering.  That every day that we are here is to serve others and offer a spirit of love.  

To thank God for another sunrise, even through our pain and suffering.  

There is HOPE.

Always.

So long as we can keep in perspective who has our heart?  Who gave us our heart?  Who knows our heart?  

We, as Christians show that love through our words, thoughts, prayers and most of all...our actions.

Love heals the heart.

*****

How is YOUR heart?

Have you  someone who needs it?

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Good vs Evil - (repost 2/2/09)

Good vs Evil.

I believe in good, therefore I believe in evil.  I say that you cannot believe in black and not believe in white.


It doesn't make sense.


With that I am going to take a quote from a book that I am reading.  It is called The Shack.


"I suppose that since most of our hurts come through relationships so will our healing..."


This sentence really struck me when I read it.


How profound.


Many times we are hurt by something that someone we love says to us.  We build our wall, nice and tall and stronger then anything we have ever built before.
  
A fortress.


A fortress that is impenetrable.


A fortress with a moat that we built when more then likely we miscommunicated or reacted.


More then likely we forget the reason for the argument.  Yet that little argument took something so beautiful, like a marriage, and destroyed it.


Or so we let it.


Words.

"We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.


When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.


All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."  
~James 3:2-12

Have you ever said something that was misunderstood and it snowballed?

At the same time, how soothing are your words to your child when they scrape their knee?  Or your friend when her parent dies? 
 
With the same tongue you can heal and hurt.


Good vs. Evil



.

It all comes down to taming it.
Teaching yourself to control it.

What comes out.

How it comes out.

When it comes out wrong...owning up to it and apologizing...yet learning what not to say.
More often then not, it's thinking about others more so then thinking about yourself.

............

Has your tongue gotten you into trouble?

............

I'm here!

Sorry kids.


I've been a bit busy!



God moved many mountains which I will go into more details tomorrow, but I am now at home for good. I am watching a little BUG during the day and she is just adorable! :)



Today was day 1.



Trip to the grocery store. I brought my friend who's son is about the same age. She is updating me on what to do and what not to do. 10 years is a long time to not have a little baby!



I plan to write during nap times 2-3 times a week.



First will be tomorrow!

A haircut.

Once upon a time there was a dog names Duke. His hair was getting so long and matted that his mommy decided she would cut his hair.  The first time was a big ordeal trying to use the clippers.  This time she decided to use teeny-weeny scissors.

And now the Duke looks like...

Am I really Brittany Spears?

Note:  I do wear underwear.

My fellow blogger friend, Stephanie, just wrote the following blog Revisiting High School and my comment about it made my head start spinning.

Thus a blog needed to be written.

I moved BACK to Northern Virginia the summer before my freshman year in high school.  It was a different county then I lived in before, and I was coming from WV.  West Virginia was a five year stint due to my father working for the government.  I was angry after leaving the boy that I was SURE would one day be my husband.

Teenagers are so dumb.

I should know. 

I have one.

Any ways...

I met my best friend Shannon the first day of school.  Shannon had a great self esteem and would talk to any one.  I, on the other hand, was very quiet.  Shannon would speak to anyone in any group: cheerleaders, football players and nerds alike.

Over the next three years of high school she dated some of these football players and for the most part I stayed in the background.  I did not realize my own beauty: internally or externally.  My junior year we started to hang out with a bunch of people that I guessyou could say were popular?  They were more of the party crowd and not the cheerleader/football player crowd.

Does that even make sense?

The quiet me was able to tap into a more confident, beer chugging kinda-girl.

Does this mean that I became a Paris Hilton?

Or even worse...

a Brittany Spears or Lindsay Lohan?

Oh please.  

Tell me NO!

Even though I was there...flirting, laughing at vulgar jokes...I was NOT there farting and burping. I had a friend who did/does that.

Gross.

As oddly as it sounds, even when I was a drinking fool trying to keep up with all of my guy friends they would still look at me and say, "You are the one who will be barefoot and pregnant."  

What kind of signals was I sending out?

At the age of 17?  

I did end up getting married at 20.  Had two kids right away.

But who was I?

Brittany Spears was a good-girl gone party girl.  Paris Hilton was a stuck-up girl.  Lindsay Lohan was the girl with the completely screwed up childhood. 

 

Is it possible that Audrey Hepburn could have had a party girl side to her?  And still be Audrey?  Or does that make me one of THOSE girls?

And after I question which one I WAS...and come to the realization that I'm closer to a Brittany Spears...

Which one were you?

A day at the park.

You all know that I have dogs.  Or at least MOST of you know that I have two dogs.  I have a poodle named Bear that can barely be called a dog AND I have a goldendoodle (golden retriever & poodle) named Duke.

Duke is 1-1/2 years old.

Approximately 70lbs.

Neutered.

Bear is 7 years old.

Approximately 10lbs.

All original parts.

The above picture was taken at the doggy park.  We found the doggy park the other day and decided that it would be good for both of them to go there.  The big dogs are separated from the little dogs so that there is a "safe" environment for all.

It makes sense.

Bear, who could be renamed Sir Humpsalot, was disturbed when a jack russell terrier began to hump him.  He was like, "wtf?!!!"  I switched sides to check on Duke, noticing that Bear followed me to the fence to watch us.  

Duke would not approach the other dogs.  In fact, he would not do any thing.  I tried to get him to play with his ball and he could not do it.  I tried to get him to say hello to the other dogs and he wouldn't.  If another dog approached he would hide behind my legs.

My husband was getting irritated.

It was my fault that I created a gay dog.

We had my son try to get him in the mix with the other dogs...

Nothing was working...

And then the hubby said to bring Bear in.  Now as you can tell from the pictures, Bear is REALLY little.  The dogs that were in there were HUGE: chows, golden retrievers, rottweilers, german shepards, siberian huskies...you get the drift.  There were no midget poodles running around.

Except for ours.

When Bear came through the gate it was as if he had finally been put in the right area!  He began to have a lively step and held his head up high!

And Duke!

Duke ran up to Bear and was his sidekick for a good 10 minutes.  Then they split up and Duke began to interact with the other dogs.

And then we realized that Bear thinks he's a big dog and Duke thinks he's a little dog.  Short and scrawny Bear is the alpha male dog in our home.  Apparently little balls are greater then no balls.

In the following video Duke made sure he was out of Bear's way in case he bullied him.  Bear is a bit of a bully.  Apparently he has short man syndrome.

But those that know Duke would agree...

he's a sweetheart.

Even if he pee's on you!

  

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Any funny pet stories????