How did this happen?

 It's been a year, ah-hem, over a year since I've last posted on this blog.  I think it's unreal how time flows though this journey called life.  I don't have really any words to put the past year (plus) into perspective or even jumble up some kind of cute meaningful illustration to make it all come together.  I guess it just happened.  One day at a time.  And then one day turned into a week, turned into a month.....  And here I sit today over a year later thinking of all those "moments" I wished I had captured and documented here....but didn't.
I'm human.
I'm a mom.
I'm a whistle (insider analogy)
I'm exactly who God created.
...and I'm learning how to be.

So tonight I sit, not looking at what I've missed. but looking at the chance to start.  So what better place to start than where I left off... back in January 2016.
A piece of my soul was painfully but gently filled as we welcomed a new puppy into our family.  Welcome Rocky Top Phipps!

 Ever since Hank's passing, the girls have been begging for a new dog.  I kept thinking I was ready too, but the minute we began searching something welled up inside me and I just couldn't do it.  I wanted Hank.  Not another dog.  I wanted my dog back and I wasn't going to replace him with anything else.
But God knew better and had a plan.
We set out on a Saturday and visited several adoption days at local pet supply stores.  Last stop and there, trembling like a leaf, was "Marco."  Wasn't what I had in mind, but my precious girls couldn't direct their focus elsewhere but on the scared little doggy that wouldn't even bark.  He wouldn't even be coaxed out of his kennel with a treat.  Pulled out, he sat curled up on us shaking and trembling.  It was all over now...we could not leave this scared pup behind.  So six-month old "Marco-the-rescued-from-a-kill-shelter" pup, joined our family.
Trembling all the way home, he got a name change to Rocky (named after his place of birth, TN).  Once home, Rocky became loved on like never before.

As for my heart....it was OK.  What I thought was replacing Hank really wasn't replacing.  As I watched Emma and Hope with Rocky, it didn't take long for me to realize it was going to be OK.  Hank had been with me before the girls were born.  He was my dog and he was loved immensely by the girls.  But Rocky...Rocky is the family dog.  A shift in dynamics if you will.  A shift, not a replacement.  And I'm pretty sure Hank would approve.