My sweet Mabel woke up this morning with green goop coming out of her nose and a bit of bubbling breathing. We’re now home from the vet, grateful for their urgent care option, with antibiotics, as it’s possibly something contagious or still the long game of allergies.

She’s not going to be happy about not going to daycare until she’s better, but I’m so glad that she’s napping at the other end of the sofa, quiet and content.

Just last night, I thought as I watched TV,  and Mabel was curled into me as tightly as she could be how settled she seemed. And how by not following me downstairs when I went to get a glass of wine, she seemed more at ease every day in our home. 

Mabel’s even rocked out 15 minutes of home alone time, not getting off the bed when I left or returned. Those seemingly small victories remind me of what’s important, our and our loved ones’ peace of mind and wellness on every level.

At the shop, we’re still troubleshooting issues with Felix, the piston filler, and Mark, our local fixer-upper, is on vacation next week, as are Jordan and Pandora. Still, Miranda is stepping in to help us kind of keep everything in stock until we’re back in full swing.

It would be easy to dwell on the fact that after hours of videos, phone calls, and emails with the manufacturer, we’re still trying to figure out what’s causing the machine to malfunction only at the beginning of the filling process.

However, there’s always something to help us learn lessons like perseverance and peace under pressure. Or to say to ourselves, “It’s time to take a break and look at this again with fresh eyes tomorrow.” And there are always beautiful moments with dogs still getting to know us who trust us enough to seek comfort when they wake up feeling gross.

So, for the rest of the day and this weekend, may we find something to be grateful for. There truly is always something.