Life is Bittersweet -- and Snowy

For Sydney's second birthday today, we decided to have a snow theme party. I go outside with the camera and Zoey runs to find her ball -- for some reason she thinks the camera means a game of fetch :)

Here is our fancy show dog





Sydney really appreciated the snow theme party :)


She wanted everyone to know that Zoey is not the only one who likes to chase balls -- here she is with a blue snowball...


Mac thoroughly enjoyed the party!


In fact, he thought maybe he should have the red ball and told Zoey to go find a pink one because red is a boy color...


He also played with the birthday girl...


Asia thought it was very fun to just lay in the snow and look majestic...


Halo thought it was the perfect time to work on branch pruning again.



A good time was had by almost all...


I say "almost" because our morning also included an urgent vet visit -- Maize was not herself this morning and I took her in immediately. She likely has some type of cancer -- we will know more tomorrow.

I am reminded that life is just a series of ups and downs. We cannot let worry and fear about the inevitable downs ruin the joys associated with the good times -- both are part of the fabric of our lives. I know it is possible -- and even necessary -- to coexist with happiness and sorrow -- and in fact, that bittersweet sorrow reminds us to embrace the joy that comes our way.

So we celebrate Sydney and her littermates who are two today (pictures later or tomorrow), and we grieve that our beloved Mrs. Maize is likely facing the final part of her journey.

Such is life -- smiles and tears, birthday cake and funeral potatoes...