Cheers to Jason & Francie!

Jason & Francie sneaked off to the court house last November to get married, but we weren't letting them off that easily! So Pam & Steve threw one fabulous marriage celebration for them in Gig Harbor to celebrate. The day was filled with sunshine, their closest friends & family, amazing food and unconditional love. We couldn't be happier for this lovely couple!

Congrats to Jason & Francie!

The cousins all dressed up!

Aunt Jan & Uncle Mike

The Browns & the twins made it too!

Complete with cutting the cake!

Labor Day Weekend

Shaun, Lanie & I headed out to Gig Harbor this year for Labor Day weekend...quite different from last year's which was spent on two house boats on Lake Roosevelt with 30 of our closest friends. :) The weather cooperated pretty well! The weekend was spent boating, teaching Lanie how to swim, BBQ'ing with Julie's family, taking a 4 mile walk with Steve & Pam...just good ol' fashion R&R.

Happy Boaters

Beautiful Day!

Lanie LOVES the water.

Julie, Kiera, Abi and Me

Gig Harbor + Tycen = Tired Lanie

A Dog's Purpose?

If you know Shaun and me well, or even read our blog once in awhile, you know how big of a dog family we are. At every Kehrberg family gathering, we have almost as many furry family members as we do humans...and we wouldn't have it any other way. :)

But with this love comes extreme sadness when we lose one of our pets. Earlier this year we lost Harvey, who will forever have a huge place in our hearts that belongs just to him. And yesterday, Harvey was reunited with Gunther. We are all going to miss Big-G so much...he was such a gentle giant and a wonderful companion to Julie, Kevin & Kiera. There is very little anyone can say to ease the pain of losing a pet, but Shaun's dad sent this to all of us this morning. I think we can all learn from this 6-year-old's wisdom...

A Dog's Purpose? (from a 6-year-old)
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try to live.

He said,''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?''
The Six-year-old continued,''Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
Enjoy every moment of every day.

Say Yes to the Dress

This past Sunday, Sara & I went wedding dress shopping with our besties & little man K! I feel so lucky to be going through this wedding planning process with Sara...not to mention how blessed I am to have such fabulous ladies in my life. We started out with a delicious brunch at Mere & Kar's, followed by the wedding dress extravaganza. The day was a success, as Sara & I both think we found 'THE' dress. Love these girls to the moon!

Brunch

Mrs. Eshoo & Mrs. Kehrberg!

The best friends a girl could ask for...

Happy Birthday Kiera!

Even though little KierBear technically doesn't turn five until tomorrow (9/2), we celebrated in true Scooby-Doo fashion this past weekend. We also got to meet Kevin & Julie's newest addition...little Abigail. She's so darn cute & tiny! Lanie is no longer the new kid on the Kehrberg block. :)

Happy Birthday, Kiera!

Meet Little Abi

The babies...

Getting acquainted. :)

Go Team!

Although we're no longer good, we still know how to spell. Go Team F.I.E.S.T.A.! You can find us at Leny's on Thursday nights. :-)