Dress // Shoes (similar)// Bag
This past weekend we went to Florida. It’s been a pretty emotional few weeks for our family. We lost our beloved adopted Husky, Ophelia, to cancer abruptly. It was a merciful departure for her, but we were left absolutely heartbroken.
As my husband and I sat on the couch moments after she was gone holding each other’s hands in tears, he told me one thing she taught him was not to take tomorrow or the ones we love for granted. Because, as she taught us, tomorrow with those we love might never come.
We went through many stages of grief, and we are still in our own personal stages. But as we struggled to imagine moments when it wouldn’t hurt so much, we both toyed with the initial inclination to simply adopt another sweet dog in need in an attempt to fill the aching void in our hearts. But we both decided that wasn’t the healthy choice for us at this time. Might we always be comparing the poor thing to Ophelia? Would one of us feel resentment or sadness when the new pup clearly wasn’t her? It just didn’t feel like the right time. Although we know we will adopt another dog in the near future, we decided for now we would do a lot of one thing that made us feel guilty when Ophelia was still with us–travel. Although we always left Ophelia with our former nanny’s family whom she adored, saying goodbye to her was heart wrenching. Part of the joy of being away was always marred thinking she was wondering where we were and missing us. It’s for that reason we drove as many times as possible when the destination would welcome our furry girl. But now that she isn’t with us, we booked trips. A LOT.
Operation “Stay Busy by Traveling” commenced in a very natural way, consistent with the values instilled in us by Ophelia’s time with us and her departure. As we were contemplating our new objective of busying ourselves with travel, my 102 year-old grandmother was placed on hospice. It seemed only natural that I should visit her and spend some time telling her what she has meant to me.
Simultaneously, my husband’s brother and spouse from Norway were visiting their daughter in Orlando, just a couple hours away from my grandmother. So I flew down the day before and had some quality time with her before my husband and son arrived. The next day, I visited her once more and brought her some fresh key lime pie. Afterwards, I drove to Orlando and picked up my sweet boys and headed to the Marriott Grande Vista.
The weather that first day was bright and crisp. We had fun lounging by the pool and playing games during the day. Nothing beats Bingo poolside! That evening we headed out to a fabulous restaurant, Cooper’s Hawk Winery, that has delicious house-made wines and extremely reasonable prices.
The weather was just perfect for a bright, sunny, long sleeved dress. I have been sitting on this beautiful thing for a while, because the last thing a Texas summer requests is ANYTHING long sleeved. But this is just perfect for the spring, and I expect to enjoy it many more times in the upcoming months.
Chicwish is an online only company with lots of beautiful pieces. The standard shipping is a bit longer than most at 8-10 days, but it’s still doable and free if over $75. The sizes run true to the size chart. I’m wearing a medium in this dress and it’s oh-so-comfy.
It’s going to be a long journey getting accustomed to not having our sweet baby around. But I (have to) believe she is in a happy place, and we will see her again one day. In the meantime I plan to spend my time watching videos of her, writing down memories of her, and traveling like a lunatic.
Do me a favor if you’re reading this. Snuggle up with the pet you love, and let them know what they mean to you.
I’ll leave you with one of the hundreds of photos I have of our baby. We’ll never forget her.
XOXO
Elisha
