Sharing Jaxson’s 2023 Doodle review seems like the right way to –

• end 2023
• celebrate another BarkDay
• share plans for 2024

THE FIRST HALF OF 2023 – 

we were in full swing with the Charleston PD, providing much-needed canine therapy to our courageous men and women in blue…

As well as supporting medical staff…

Harley, by mid-February, had slowed down considerably, so when the humans were gone – Jaxson stayed home in charge of hospice care. He took this assignment seriously, and did a dog-gone good job #Imightadd…

On those days when he didn’t work, he loved spending the mornings in our bed, just lounging around…

As the weather warmed in anticipation of Spring, Harley’s days and nights began to mirror each other. Translation? – he slept all the time, therefore Jaxson’s therapy workload began to pick up. There were more patients and more staff to spend time with…

Early Summer brought more work with PT/OT patients…

Along with an occasional surgical pre-op request to lower blood pressure…

If Jaxson wasn’t working, playing ball, or looking after Harley, you could find him next door, sitting on the neighbor’s porch – people-watching. A routine created all by him and approved by both households.

This new pastime continues to this day….

THE SECOND HALF OF 2023 – 

By June, Jaxson had a regimented routine. Therapy work four days a week; Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Wednesdays I worked from home, giving my Jaxy a weekly pre-approved non-negotiable scheduled PTO (Puppy Day Off). He truly benefits from a middle-of-the-week break to be a pet.

I wanted him off leash and at whim to; sleep, lick, sniff, play, and repeat!…

The day before the 4th of July (my wedding anniversary actually), we gave Harley his much-deserved Independence. He was suffering physically and his cognitive functions were in bad shape. Jaxson rode with us, but was not present as Harley “crossed the bridge”…

Harley was and probably always will be my ❤️ Dood. Letting him go was hard, but he had been in a hospice lifestyle for so long, I could no longer be selfish.

In those immediate weeks and months following our loss, Jax and I immersed ourselves in work. Providing therapy to others was like therapy to us…

OKAY TO BE HAPPY –

It took me a while to feel okay to be happy. I struggled quite a bit – but privately. While I was able to pull it off with most humans, Jaxson knew how broken I was, and he helped tremendously with my healing. #moreonthisoneday

The human children flew in for a week and Lee took me to Atlantis where I lived by the pool all day, every day, lost in my thoughts and memories, riding my emotional roller coaster – which helped me begin to heal. #Iwillleavethisrightherefornow

With my faith, family, and dear friends, the rest of the year we adjusted to our new normal, re-learning how to smile, laugh, and love life…

As Summer packed up and Fall moved in, it was time for an office makeover. Our office-mate fell in love with the Disney Pixar AI app, and before we knew it, Jaxson’s corner office wall was born…

Winter – the season of gratitude, snowflakes, and surprises, I took all of that literally and bought us a new Doodle mobile…

This was not a mid-life crisis, just something I decided to do, and I have absoDOODLEtutely no regrets! Jaxson is obsessed with the top-down life. He’s buckled and secure and loves for his hair to blow in the wind. Still working on the doggles for added protection. #keepyoupostedonthat

9TH BARKDAY –

A 2023 Doodle review would not be complete without mentioning on the last day of the year, Jaxson celebrated his 9th BarkDay. Which in a weird content creator’s mind – makes me think about what the New Year means for Groovy Goldendoodles. LOL

I will not share resolutions – because I don’t intend to make any. I will share this: more content via this website, social media, and of course the podcast (Girls with Dogs) which I share with Kimberly of Keep the Tail Wagging.

My wish for 2024 is to be a better, kinder, nicer me. With that, I hope to help more, love more, give more, and be more!

And I have no doubt, that hanging out with this Dood, will give me a better chance of doing it all…

So as we all welcome 2024, let me just say –

What a year! I’m so thankful for your friendship today and every day ❤️