our sweetest stella

I haven't been writing much because August has proven to be a very hard month for the Hubbard household. It seems when it rains it pours around here, but everything has a time and a place and lesson to be learned. We have done some of our first canning this year and we have celebrated Kalib's birthday (pictures to come of both), our chickens are getting big (more pictures to come I promise), and lots of other great things have come in August also, but sometimes unfortunately, I get hung up on the not so good things and because our blog is called Nothing Short of Thankful, I feel like I have to wait until I write something to be thankful for rather than complaining because really, who wants to read a blog where the writer isn't happy, but the truth is, I'm really thankful even for the hard things that happen in our lives. There is always something good to be gleaned from the things that bring us some strife and I have learned a lot about myself in the last few weeks and I am ALWAYS eternally grateful for that. Anyhow, I tend to stay away from the blog when I'm not feeling like I write from a truly joyful place...

Today, I'm writing to share a HUGE sadness is on home. Yesterday, we laid our beautiful dog, Stella Blue, to rest. She had an incredible life of 15 years. (we haven't been able to remember if she was 15 or 16.) She was old - especially for a dog her size. It was a hard day for all of us. She was really ready to go, but seemed to not know how. She reached a point in her life where she moaned with every movement and was beginning to lose the ability to use all 4 of her legs. Getting up and down was hard for her - especially on our hard wood floors and she didn't really like to be loved on anymore because I think it actually hurt her. It was a hard decision for Jason and I to make, we had hoped she would pass on her own, but she just didn't seem like she could get there. I laid down in the floor with her yesterday before we left to go to the vet's and told her where we were going and what we were doing and she looked into my eyes the only way she could, licked me, and put her paw on me as if to comfort me. Now I know there are plenty of you who will read this and think I'm full of it, but I believe Stella knew and was thanking me and telling me it would be all right. Then she made to get up and of course I had to help her up, because that was where she was at in her life. I got her leash and put it on her and we headed out the door. Jason and I cried and cried at the vet office, they were so kind to us.

Stella was the first real responsibility the two of us shared together. We had other pets before her, but she was our first REAL love. She passed gently and we were with her when her spirit left this world. As hard as it was to watch her life come to an end I am so thankful I was with her and loving her and that I am able to see all the wonderful things and feelings and lessons she brought into my life. She was a truly wonderful dog. A dog we will always cherish the opportunity to have had in our life as one of our familiars. When she was a puppy she ate every single pair of shoes I owned, she was a barker... always barking... When I got pregnant with India every where I was she was. She would even follow me into the closet when I went in there. She was by me the whole time like she knew our lives would be changing and she wanted to be there for it. When India started crawling and walking she would sit by Stella's food bowl and reach her hand in and feed her straight from her hand and Stella never got impatient with her, she would just eat it really slowly and wait for India to get bored of feeding her one piece of food at a time. I remember my folks and other people being concerned about it, but Stella NEVER offered to bite her though she would get all over anybody else (meaning other animals) if they messed with her food. When Kalib came along she was even more patient when he would use her to stand up or crawl over her or just come crashing down on her as though to wrestle. No matter what the kids did to her, she was always patient and when they cried if I wasn't in the room, she would come and get me and stand beside me until I made the move to get up (please know when I say this that I had the ability to distinguish between the different types of cries, so if it was an urgent cry I always got up fast). She couldn't stand to hear them cry or fight. She was not just our dog, but a member of our family. We are grateful for all that she gave to us and we will miss her. Her place in our lives will NEVER be replaced. We buried her at Jason's grandparents out in the field under a tree. It is a beautiful place where her body lays. Jason's grandfather was kind enough to dig the hole for us, and leave us to bury her on our own and for that I am also thankful. We are at peace, though very sad for our loss and we know that each day it will get a little easier. Thank you Stella Blue for all that you gave to us. We are so grateful for you and we WILL miss you so much.

just pump it

We went to pump it up on Sunday to celebrate Aarons birthday. What fun that place is. Unfortunately, I have a hurt ankle from twisting it on a pine cone and couldn't get in there like I usually do, but Jason and the kids certainly had a good time. They were all sweaty and smelly when we came home, then we finished the night out with a second round of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Two times to the real movies in less than a week to see the same movie! Crazy! We do love some Harry Potter around here! Anyways, here are some pics from pump it up!


The slide that everyone loves (including little Luca). We all went down it and I took a ton of pictures of it because it is so fun, but they all came out blurry.

Get ready set race!
Jason looks like he has no arms, but he's actually got these gigantic gloves on inside this screen where wrestling and rough housing is an accepted part of the pump it up schedule! Of course, the boys love it and the girls hate it!
Cake time!
The party crew! What a great bunch of kids!

chicky chickies

All right, after the mass slaughter of all our girls, we decided to show those critters (racoons) we mean business and that we ARE going to have chickens! We shall not be overcome by the wildlife. We CAN live in harmony with it - we just needed a big lesson in the reality of sharing life with wild critters and that even though we repsect them, it doesn't mean they respect us. (Not that humanity has given them a lot of reason to respect us.) We ordered more chicks. They came last Thursday July 30. They were teeny tiny. Obviously very freshly hatched and put in the box to come to Georgia. We couldn't believe how much smaller they were than the first batch. We ordered 13 and Darrin and Sarah Cook got 12 more for themselves. We now have 4 Americanas (they will hopefully lay colored eggs) 3 Black Austrolorps, 2 Black Star, 1 Rhode Island Red, and 3 Black Minorca's. We were a little disappointed because we missed out on getting more of the silver laced Wynendottes (my favorite) and I wish I had have ordered a few more Rhode Island Red's, but I'm sure this is NOT going to be the last time we have to purchase chicks, though if we decide to get a rooster we might not ever have to purchase chicks again. Who knows! We have been thinking a lot about getting a rooster because they help to protect the flock, but they are noisy and they can be hard to deal with, so we are still weighing the option there. Roosters seem pretty easy to come by in the Market Bulletin.

Just like the first time we are smitten with the new girls, though I must admit I do miss the first round. We really got to know them and love them, and I'm sure we will feel the same about these, but I feel us all not getting as involved with them - maybe on some deeper level we don't want to get so attached in case critters get these too. We are slowly naming them as we get to know them rather than trying to figure out who is who each time we look in the box. The more we love and handle them, the more we start to notice the subtle differences between them and which ones like us and which ones would just rather us leave them alone. Their peeping certainly feels the house and is a welcome sound, but as soon as they get a few more feathers they will be heading out to the back porch to start getting ready for the yard!

Here are some pictures of our newest babies!
This one is an Americana or Auracana (whichever you prefer)- she doesn't have a name yet.




This is the only yellow one, though she is also an americana... her name is rascal and she is well named! She is quite the little rascal.

girls rock

Yes they do! This was the first year of Girls Rock Camp Athens which is an off shoot of Girls Rock. Most of the girls that were able to participate were there on scholarship. The idea is to give kids the opportunity to try something they may never have the opportunity to try otherwise. Instruments are provided and musicians donate their time to it. One of India's best friends got to go. She already rocks on guitar, but she hasn't had an opportunity to rock with other girls. For a week the girls just work on coming up with a song they write and learning how to perform it. After the week was over, they performed their songs at the 40 Watt. We of course went to support Grace. I was telling Grace last night when she got on the stage I had one of those choked up moments where if someone were to speak to you you might cry because you are just so proud and so happy that what is happening around you is happening. It reminds me of going to see the fireworks at Disney with my kids. I was just so happy to be there and experience something so great and to know and be so proud of Grace for getting up on that stage and performing like that. It's a really hard thing to do. Grace's band had her tell a story before they performed their song which really drew the crowd in. The crowd was sort of excited, but not super excited and then when Grace told her story people got up and cheered and when they were all done, they got a HUGE round of applause. I, of course, am biased, but I thought they did the best. They had a wonderful stage presence and really showed a lot of confidence. I'm really proud of Grace and all the kids for showing one another so much support and for just being who they are. India also knew the other two girls in the band which was an added bonus! We are really lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful and interesting kids! Anyhow, here are some photos from the show.
Best friends waiting to watch their other best friend

a human can opener

On Friday, our good friends the Brays came over to see the baby chickens (I'll be posting some photos later this week of the new babies) and ended up taking my kids home with them for the day. Thank you so much Jennifer. I was able to get the whole month at work closed out by 5:30 and home and ready to head out on Friday night on time without being totally stressed! Anyhow, while Kalib was over there he lost a tooth, one of his canine's. Then, on the way home from her house (because Jennifer and I were heading out together for a special evening with the Clan Mothers) he lost the canine on the other side of his front teeth. 2 teeth in one night! I guess the tooth fairy was really happy to pick up two at once. Saves her from making an extra trip along the way!