So much has happened over the past year and Max has been right in the middle of it all. As I think back over it all, I'm in awe of him and Gracie. Watching them grow together has been amazing. That said, yes, it's had its rough times too. Like when Max was attacked by Cooper because Coops felt his position in the family had changed and it left Max with only half an ear. Or when we were going through not only the teething phase but also learning when Max was alerting and he ended up eating the sofa in the family room. Learning what it's like to travel with a dog EVERYWHERE you go and finding that you're late and forgot to let him go potty ahead of time and then get the privilege of cleaning up in a very public place with people laughing and taking pictures to make it their FB joke of the day. Or nearly having the airline not allow you to fly home because there's a female service dog in the airport as well and she's in heat, causing Max to bark nonstop and act like a hormonal teenage idiotic boy (incidentally, he did awesome once we were on that plane and even saved Gracie's life because she had dropped low and was going unconscious and I thought she was just sleeping). Trying very hard to incorporate a puppy in all that you do and knowing that you look totally inept and it's not a good image for service dogs because you not only are you still struggling to learn how to handle all this but you're a frazzled mom dealing with 4 young daughters along the way too.
As I think back over this past year with Max, would I change a thing? Of course I would. I'd have forseen the problem with Cooper, and Max would still have both his silky ears. I'd had known that the water in Florida was very different than the water at home and we wouldn't have had to clean up messes in all the stores at Disney or all along Mainstreet after the parade. I'd been paying more attention to the fact that he might have been trying to tell me to check on Gracie and not just being an energetic puppy, and I'd still have my sofa intact. I can go on about all the "I would if's" but why?
Our journey with Max is a beautiful mess, just like life itself is. There's many things in life that we'd love to change, but then EVERYTHING would be changed and would we really want that? God promises to use everything for His good. Read that carefully... it doesn't say that He will turn everything into good and make it perfect according to our desires. It says He will use if for HIS GOOD. Let's look at Max loosing half his ear. That was horrific and heartbreaking. I still sob when I think about it (even now the tears are stinging my eyes and the screen is a blur). However, I will never forget listening to Gracie a few days later, comforting this little pup who had his whole head wrapped like a mummy and was still hurting and on pain meds and antibiotics. Here's what I heard this precious 7 year old child say to her furry little guardian angel... "I'm sorry Maxi. I know it hurts. I'll help you feel better Max. You know what Max? It's going to be ok, I promise. I know what it's like to be different and now you're different just like me. We can take care of each other now." It was in those quiet moments that Gracie completely bonded with her dog... her service dog, the dog who's mission in life is to take care of her and keep her alive and healthy. She was finally able to totally relate to him on a level that only she can feel. God used Max's half an ear to help Gracie not feel so alone and different anymore as she goes through life. Would I take her diabetes away if I could? Absolutely!!!! Would I give Max back his ear? You betcha!!!! But God, in His grace and mercy used this for HIS GOOD.
So, as we come to another change of season and head into the glorious colors of Autumn, I hope we all take a moment and think back over the past year and see all the blessings, even the ones that were wrapped in hardships. It was one year ago that we began the journey to getting Max William. It's been a long year in some ways; it's gone incredibly fast, and I look back and am in awe of all that my family has faced, conquered, and enjoyed. And I look at Max William and can't help but smile at that goofy boy who loves to talk back at me and cocks his head sideways with his eyes shining as I talk to him as if he's just one of the kids:) Our life really is just a beautiful mess that God just continues to perfect with each stroke of His brush. I praise Him for it all:)
