My puppy with our son, Kyle~

Mike and our new puppy~

She has a great appetite, and Mike is beaming. All is well~ :")

She's home!

She's home! I am soooooooo happy! She couldn't be any prettier or sweeter. She is sooo layed back.
I will send more later.

Can't wait to hear from Cherrie'.  Hope she picked up Tiffany Rose ok.

Love to all~

Mama Sue

From Pat and Sasha~ Toronto~

We've been watching the "puppy alerts" for both Tiffany and Peaches-Debby. How
exciting!!!!

Two more beautiful pups for the High Calling Family!
Yeah!

One more hour before Peaches-Debbie gets to Buffalo and her forever
home. We don't find them - they find us. Would love to be a fly on the wall
when Mike sees her.

Thanks for the updates.

Pat & Sasha

Update on my new baby~

Now my puppy is coming in an hour and a half late. That's ok. As long as she arrives safely, that's all I care about.

Cherrie' is getting her puppy about a half hour before I get Debbie. How exciting! They both left Houston for Chicago on the same plane, and then Tiffany is halfway to Asheville as I type this, and Debbie is taxiing to the gate to take off for Buffalo.

I'm going to hand her to Mike and say "Happy Father's Day". LOL (Sneaky, eh?) I'll let him think she belongs to him. LOL

Update on Debbie~

Just heard my puppy is coming in to Buffalo an hour behind schedule. This is torture for me. LOL


Sue

"Miss Bailey Glory" from Buffalo, New York~

Dearest Sue,

Three years ago today, at around 4:45 in the afternoon, you sent
out an e-mail with a link to a web page. That web page contained seven photos
of seven adorable puppies, including this one. Two minutes later, your "She
will be yours!" took all of my sadness at losing Peanut away and gave me
something happy to look forward to once more. You did that for so many families
for so many years and we're all so excited that today it's your turn! I'm just
sorry the weather in Buffalo isn't better for welcoming your new little girl
home to!

Three years later, Bailey is still the light of our lives. She is
never far from my side. I missed her May 27th birthday. I had to go to
Burlington, VT for a conference. The sunset that evening was the only nice one
I got during the three days I was there. It rained the rest of the time. I
hope that's not going to be the theme this Summer!

Good luck today, Sue!
With the puppy and with Mike LOL! Alex's face blanched when I told him that-he
said "That sounds like something you would do." Your entire High Calling
Cockers family is cheering for you and we can't wait to read all your updates in
the coming weeks!

Love,

Sarah & Bailey Glory

Note from Mama Sue~

Thank you so much, Sarah! Each time I see one of my cocker puppies who has grown up into a beautiful adult dog, I just want to hold that dog close to me and love it. I am so thankful to the Lord for giving me the opportunity to do that once again. He knows my heart and what I need. :")

Today is the day!!!

My baby is at the airport and will be on her way! I can't wait! May the good Lord bless her home that she came from and keep them all safe from the bad weather they've been having in Texas.

Cherrie', my friend in North Carolina, is getting Tiffany Rose, which is my puppy's sister. It will be so much fun talking about our babies and comparing their progress as they grow. God is good!

I sill don't have a name for my puppy, but will probably call her either Debby or Peaches. We'll see what she responds to.

Sue

"Miss Tiffany Rose" from Tuckasegee, North Carolina~

Sue,
Tiffany has arrived at the airport and will soon be on her way to North Carolina and my arms!

Cherrie'

from Cherrie' of Tuckasegee, North Carolina~

Sue,

Thank you for telling the High Calling Family our good news! The last two days I have carefully attended to puppy proofing my home.” I really slept late today but it felt wonderful. Now to be ready for Tiffany’s arrival tomorrow. I’ve already posted my puppy rules on the back entrance door. Hopefully this will help the greetings of smoother.

Keep up the excellent work and maybe we’ll get to see each other at some point this year. Wish Mike my very best and what does he think about the surprise.

Can’t wait to hear everything and see those first photos!

Love,
Cherrie’ and Bethany

Note from Mama Sue~

Mike doesn't know about my puppy yet. I will let you all know how the surprise goes tomorrow! LOL

Note from Mama Sue~

I am so excited. Today is Friday. Two more days and I can pick my baby up from the airport. She is coming in from a breeder in Texas, so please keep them in your prayers, as the weather there has been soooo scary.

More exciting news! My friend Cherrie', whom I sold two puppies to over the years, has arranged to adopt my puppy's sister! She has named her Tiffany Rose. The breeder was originally going to keep this puppy, so Cherrie' is getting the pick of the litter!  It will be wonderful...with Cherrie' and I having littermates! More reason to feel like we're all part of the High Calling Cocker family!

Here are Tiffany's pictures so far:

From Pat & Ron and Sasha, Toronto, Ontario, Canada~

Hello Susan and Mike
This note is to let you and Mike know that we are cheering for you here in Canada. Rehabilitation and recovery can be a long road but it sounds like lucky Mike married a great lady who knows exactly what he needs.
I always say that my dogs "ground me". They make me realize what really counts in life. A sweet cocker puppy is a perfect addition to your lives.
We love the photos of your precious little girl and look forward to more. We check your website regularly since the updates give us our morning smile.
Blessings to you both.
Pat & Ron & Sasha

Note from Mama Sue~

Good afternoon everyone~

          It certainly is a beautiful day here in New York State.  Wish I had air conditioning.  LOL   We have two fans going in our living room.  I just finished vacuum cleaning and that always makes me overheated.
We now have a twin bed set up in the middle of our living room for Mike.  He is sooooo happy to have a decent bed set up so he can get a good night's sleep.  The pullout couch did not work for him.  It was too low for him to pull himself up to stand.   For those of you who don't know, Mike had a below knee leg amputation done last week.  He is a diabetic from his time in the service when he was exposed to Agent Orange.  He is doing really well.  It pains me to see him like this....but such a relief to know his pain is gone.  He put up with this agony and infection in his foot for 4 1/2 years.
            Certainly is interesting having all the people coming to the house.  With nurses, PT people, people looking for contracts for the ramp to be installed, etc.  My new puppy is coming Sunday!  I can just imagine how she would be acting with all this activity!
             I was enjoying looking at past puppy owners' pictures.  I always thoroughly enjoy Natasha and Stitch's pictures from Florida, since Sharon and Lou have their own travel blog and professional type camera.  If you have a few extra minutes, just type in "Natasha" in the search window at the top left of the blog and enjoy!

         More later~

                Sue

From Mama Sue~

Hello to my High Calling Cocker Family~

         Six more days til my new baby comes home!  I can't even believe that I will once again own a cocker spaniel.  On my website I remember writing that once you have one, you can never be without one again.  And I was sooooo right!  Sunday can't come soon enough, when I will hold my new little baby girl in my arms.  Thank You Lord!
          Mike is doing so well after his amputation that they have decided to let him come home this week instead of sending him to rehab.  Please say a prayer that all will go well for him...that his leg heals quickly so he can get his prosthesis soon and get on with his life.   I still haven't told him about the puppy.  LOL  She will be good therapy for him.
           I am sharing the latest pictures taken of my new baby~  She is a sleepy little girl!

         

"Drummer Boy" from Grand Junction, Colorado~

Dearest Sue!

Long overdue greetings from Grand Junction, Colorado! Wow! Have I been out of the loop! Amazing what happens when I don't check the blog for a few weeks!

So sorry to hear about Mike. I know that you have battled long and hard with that foot and did everything that you could possibly do to save it. I know that the road ahead will be filled with ups and downs, but I also know that the Lord will see you through.

And congrats on your new baby! How precious! I know that she will be greatly loved and will bring you much joy! And what fun to have one just for the companionship.

Drummer has been such a wonderful addition to our family. We love him to pieces and can't imagine (nor do we want to imagine) life without him. He no longer has the long coat of the past and he has adjusted quite well to his short "do". And I'm enjoying a little less brushing time (I only have to do it twice a week). Do I ever miss the long coat? Yep, but not the work involved. He looks like a young pup again and still has just as much energy!

And why haven't I written for SOOOOO long? I've just been crazy busy. I always seem to have irons in the fire. This year I tried my hand at starting my own flower seeds indoors with grow lights and heat mats. That went really well, but it has taken forever to be able to plant outside this year. I finally went ahead and planted them in pots last week and 2 days later we got marble-size hail that ripped them up. :o( I think that they'll be OK with a little TLC and if the rain would stay away for a few days (we've had a LOT of rain this month - at least for Grand Junction).

My other big project started out small and blew way beyond anything I was thinking. Glenn and I designed and built a greenhouse. It's long and narrow (24' x 6') and holds my tomato plants. It was one of the biggest projects that I have ever built and poor Glenn got sucked into the process (during tax season, of course!). My intent was just to protect my tomatoes from insects and disease. It turned out a lot bigger but I really like it and it holds my 20 Roma (San Marzano) tomatoes as well as 4 cherry tomatoes. Right now it still has the plastic over it that I have to open and close to keep the plants at the right temperature. Once it warms up enough, the plastic will come off and a shade cloth will go over the top. The sides already have screens under the plastic, and they will stay there permanently. The commitment will hopefully be worth it. Tomatoes are "self-pollinating" but, since it is designed to keep out many of the insects, I have to pollinate each flower by hand. That sounds horrible, but it's not too bad because I just use a battery-powered toothbrush to vibrate the flower cluster. Works like a charm! I have lots of tomatoes growing on my plants. And what am I going to do with all of those tomatoes? I will can them to use in spaghetti sauce, chili, etc.

I'm attaching a couple of pictures for you. The first is of Drummer from February 2014. The next is exactly one year later with his new "do". I was going to attach one of the greenhouse, but I don't have a decent one right now. Maybe I'll get one to you later.

Gotta run for now. God bless and I'll be praying for you and Mike (and, of course, your new little girl!).

Much Love,

Mary (and Drummer) :o)

From Cherrie' and Bethany in Tuckaseegee, North Carolina~

Sue,
I know how hard you and Mike have worked to save his foot and leg. It has been a difficult and stressful time for all of you. But, thank Christ he is doing better. I know how all this has been such an emotional ride but with time and prayer he’ll heal well. I know about many of the things which you must endure during this type of recovery but he has so many praying for him, I’m certain he’ll begin the to feel the love and strength sent his way. If you ever need to talk I’m here.
I’m so excited about your new baby girl!! She is a true blessing from God.. I know you’re floating on air and this will encourage Mike as he sees and feels the love surrounding him. Truly your emails vibrate as you talk about Mike and the baby girl. She is absolutely a beautiful Cocker Spaniel Girl! Have you decided on her name? Peaches or Debbie, they’re both beautiful!

Where did you find her? She is as cute as a button. I’m just so happy that you decided to get another puppy. That unconditional love brings joy straight from God. Write when you can as I’m excited to hear all the new. Please give Mike all my love and prayers. as one individual who understands the needs of an amputation and what one must face as you get further along in the recovery process. Yes, there will be good days and bad days but even then Christ is there helping quietly. We’ll sometimes feel alone but this is all part of growing and learning about our new life. I can’t think of a better way to be guided into a new part of our life than to have a loving baby which needs our love too!

I hoping to get a baby from Kelley Bowman if everything works out well with Flower. It’s very obvious that Bethany needs a companion and I pray I’ll be able to train her as a Therapy Dog. But I must wait patiently to find out if Flower is pregnant and if a baby girl is born. I’ve searched several kennels and breeding programs, have e-mailed as requested and offered references but still no response. Kelley was the only one to respond to my waiting list request after giving a detailed account about my home and love of cocker spaniels. Anyway, I’m so excited for you and would like to know where you found her.

I know you have much to prepare but if you ever feel like calling please do. Keep me posted as you can on the progress of Mike, Peaches or Debbie and of course you!

Love to all in Christ,
Cherrie’ and Bethany

One more picture of my new puppy~

That is her standing in the puppy playpen~

Puppy-Wuppy~

The puppy will be coming at the end of the month. I am hoping she will be great therapy for when Mike gets home.

Mama Sue

Update on Mike~

I want to take a few moments to thank you all for your prayer support for my  husband.  Mike had a below knee amputation done on Tuesday.  I am beyond "numb".  We tried for 4 1/2 years to save this foot but we finally reached the point where he could not go even one more day with it.  (I will not share the graphic descriptions of what we went through.)  He has a long road of rehab ahead.  Please continue to keep us all in your prayers and I will try to update you as I can.

Blessings to all~

Mama Sue

My baby~

Here's a picture of Debbie (or Peaches), in action. LOL

Congratulations from Sasha!

Sasha, Ron and Pat congratulate you and your family on your new little girl. So
adorable! We are so happy for you. No one knows better than you the love these
little pups bring. Our doctor calls them little "Love Machines". And we know
that you and Mike love her right back.

We look forward to lots of pictures.
This is one lucky puppy!

Hugs and best wishes from Canada

Pat, Ron &
Sasha

My new baby!

Isn't she a beauty? She reminds me of Bonnie's baby pictures, who belongs to Pastor Syd and Sharon who now live in Alabama. (originally from Michigan)
I have a few more pics I will share over the next few days.

So excited! Can't wait!!!

Mama Sue

More Congratulations! From Emily and Cooper in Quincy, Massachusetts~

Dear Sue,

We were so happy to hear you & Mike will be
having a new baby girl coming to live with you;
and what a lucky little girl she is.

Emily, Cooper, Tim, David and I wish you many
years of happiness and love with this precious
new "Bundle of Love."

Please keep us posted with new pictures.

Love,

Donna

Still excited!

Here is my puppy's 3 week picture I have new pictures of her now after her first grooming that I will share with you soon!

I am debating on calling her "Peaches". We'll see.

Still excited!

Mama Sue

Congratulations from Bentley~

Mamma Sue

SOOOOO HAPPY for you! I know our lives were not complete until we
had a new puppy in our home!

When will Debbie come to live in her forever
home? How old is she now? Keep us posted.....we all would love to hear about
her!
love n licks,
Kathy and Bentley. Buffalo NY

From May 5th:
Momma Sue,
Almost 90 degrees here in Buffalo today! We are not complaining since we had all of the snow.

Hope all is well. Buffalo is really changing. Lots of new restaurants...entrepreneurs compared to chains. Thai, Chinese, Indian, Mexican! Plus downtown is experiencing growth in loft type apartments. The area were The Aud was is completely changed. It is an exciting time.

Take care!
Kathy n Bentley Buffalo Ny

Congratulations from Mikey, Bailey, Cubby and their best bud, Jakey!

Hi Sue!

Wow- congratulations on your new puppy! I knew you couldn’t go without for long! I hope she’s as wonderful as ours are for us- absolute joys!
I hope she gives you and Mike lots of happiness!

Susan and George

I have an announcement! (Big grins here!)

OK.....I can't stand it anymore.   We have been without a dog for wayyyyy too long, and I just can't stand it anymore.   I bought a puppy.  Yes, I did!  She will be great company for us.  When I have to go places, I will no longer have to leave Mike home all alone.  I am so excited I can't even stand it.

Her name will be "Debbie" because that's what my daughter wants it to be....and it's also the name of one of my best friends....so Debbie is a good name. She is #3 in the line-up. Not the lightest...not the darkest...not the biggest...not the smallest....Just perfect. More pictures to follow.

Please rejoice with me on my new baby! MrsSusanMartin@aol.com
Sue

"Happy Birthday May 5th to Lacey, Lewiston, New York~

Guess who's Birthday it is?????? That's right Lacey Lu! My most beautiful girl in the world!!!! Happy 5th birthday Lu Lu. We love you so much!

Chris

"Charlie"~

Charlie loves his tennis ball! He is guarding it! Mrs Susan Martin he is the puppy I got from you! He is such a sweet boy!

Lisa

"Miss Bailey Glory" and her best friend, Curley from Buffalo, New York~

Hi Sue,

The days go so fast...I'm sorry we haven't written since last July,
after losing our beloved Chica to skin cancer at the age of 12. Since then,
Bailey has latched on to poor Curley. At almost 13, he is surprisingly tolerant
of a two (closing in on three!) year old. About the only time he moves when she
curls up next to him is in the mornings. He knows she doesn't want to go back
to sleep-she wants to play with her ball-so he moves to the other bed across the
room. It's always the same thing. She lays on Chica's old bed, I sit a few feet
away in front of the full-length mirror getting ready for work. She rolls the
ball to me, I roll it back. I have to get up 10 minutes earlier, but I love
this time with her.

She just got her Spring shave. She always looks so
different! She goes from being my fuzzy puppy to a very grown-up looking young
lady. But she'll always be my baby. She loves to cuddle! If not with me, then
her Dad. If not her Dad, then Curley. If not Curley, then her giant pink dog.
She looks forward to our morning walks more than our afternoon walks because the
neighborhood is so quiet at 5:30 in the morning. The only other person we see
is the man delivering newspapers. The change in season has brought out the
"fair weather walkers", which always throws off our routine, plus her
nemesis...skateboarders! I don't know if it's the sound or the fast
motion...she's just not a fan!

She remains in great health and is a
constant source of joy and love! You gave us a great one!

We hope all is
well with you and your family! God bless!

Sarah and Bailey Glory

"Miss Bethany" from Tuckaseegee, North Carolina~

Hope you have a wonderful day filled with many blessings!

Cherrie’ and Bethany

"Miss Bethany" from Tuckaseegee, North Carolina~

Cocker Spaniel Love everyday, even on her special day!
 Happy Birthday Bethany and all her litter mates!

Mamma Sue,

It’s me BETHANY!
I can’t believe it, but I’m 5 years old. I really missed my Mom, Daisy, and Daddy Tic-Tac, when I first arrived at my new home. I still love all the things I did when I was just a little baby. I still love my little duck, my blue ball and lots of other toys. It’s fun to run around the living room dragging all my toys out of the toy box. Mom can’t help smile when I act silly!
Our weather has really been strange, one day it is pretty and Mom and I can go for a walk then suddenly the wind picks up and the next thing you know cold rain is falling. I try very hard to get my Mom to do something about the weather but she tells me we much be patient and soon the weather will change. That’s how God blesses us.

Its been hard this past year. Mom was very sick and it took a long time for her to walk well. She still needs to take care of herself and I try to remind her every day. It's also been hard since Bella died last year. I found out I really miss my big sister. We had such a short time together. But everything is getting better and we know we’ll see her again when it’s time for the crossing of the Rainbow Bridge and Mom tells me of a special place called Heaven. Mom read all the blogs from the people who expressed their sympathy. She said they really helped to mend part of the heart.

Guess what? I’m going to get a little sister! I really miss having someone to play. I found one of Bella’s bones, it was well hidden under the bed. Well, I’ve had the best time playing with it and I can still smell Bella. When I hear her name I get sad and will even bark and cry. So Mom said she thinks a new baby will help. Mom is beginning to search for a new cocker breeder, we miss you and remember how you cared for us newborns! Maybe you know of a cocker breeder that has many of the standards you had! You were the best!

Pictures are included and I hope you get a happy thrill at seeing your Bethany at 5!
Mom, hopes you can come visit one day as we’re not too far away and maybe she’ll get to visit you.

Well, all my love Mamma Sue! You’re the best! Hugs with wet happy kisses and tail wagging love from your little girl of 5. Please wish all my brothers and sisters happy birthday and much love. In the photos you’ll see my new toys and a tired girl!

Love,
Bethany