Mark's sister is looking to move up toward Raleigh, so she asked us if we could babysit their 3 kids while they met with a realtor. Both Mark and I love our nieces and nephews so happly said "yes". Mark's mom didn't want to miss the chance to hang out with family so she came up to help. Michael and his girlfriend, Evelyn, also came over. The kids 
made sand art, played a game, took Gizmo for a walk, and played on the neighborhood playground. I think they had a lot of fun. After Jenny and Matt got back from their meeting we ate dinner and enjoyed being with the family again. As a side note, I am so happy with the family I got when I married Mark. I have always heard horror stories about in-laws, but mine are all very normal, happy, and fun to be around. It's great!After everybody left for home, Mark and I ran to the store to buy hangers (it seems like no matter how many we buy will never have enough) and eggs (thanks Missy for letting us borrow some earlier today). We stopped by a pet store on the way home to look for a coat for Gizmo. For those who are unaware of our dog and his problem here is a quick Gizmo Smallwood history:
Mark's aunt Paulette runs the humane society shelter in his 
hometown. We told her we were looking for a dog when we moved to NC and she picked out this very handsome guy. He was found as a stray, chained up outside a house on a pole for awhile, and finally turned over to the shelter. Many people didn't want to adopt him because he has a bad under bite (you can see his teeth 24/7). We picked him up in July. A few months later we noticed he was loosing his black hair and only his black hair. We took him to the vet twice and they said they had no idea. Finally Paulette was just as tired as we were about hearing how nothing was physically wrong with him, but having more and more hair fall out. She got a pet dermatologist to look at the case and they decided Gizmo has a rare genetic disorder where he will lose ALL of his black hair
sooner or later and it is just chance that it started falling out after we got him. There is nothing anyone can do to stop the process :-( As more and more fur is lost the black patches on his back are becoming bare. When we go outside he is usually fine, but lately there has been a lot of frost and this morning he was shivering when we went out. As a result we bought him this coat he can wear on cold days. Isn't he cute!!
hometown. We told her we were looking for a dog when we moved to NC and she picked out this very handsome guy. He was found as a stray, chained up outside a house on a pole for awhile, and finally turned over to the shelter. Many people didn't want to adopt him because he has a bad under bite (you can see his teeth 24/7). We picked him up in July. A few months later we noticed he was loosing his black hair and only his black hair. We took him to the vet twice and they said they had no idea. Finally Paulette was just as tired as we were about hearing how nothing was physically wrong with him, but having more and more hair fall out. She got a pet dermatologist to look at the case and they decided Gizmo has a rare genetic disorder where he will lose ALL of his black hair
sooner or later and it is just chance that it started falling out after we got him. There is nothing anyone can do to stop the process :-( As more and more fur is lost the black patches on his back are becoming bare. When we go outside he is usually fine, but lately there has been a lot of frost and this morning he was shivering when we went out. As a result we bought him this coat he can wear on cold days. Isn't he cute!!
5 comments:
He is such a handsome boy. I'll help with a whole wardrobe of coats and sweaters!
I get to see you soon!?!?!?! What is the occasion?
That was a fun day. Thanks again for watching the kids. They loved it.
He really does look good in yellow. I think he needs a cow pattern, though, to match his white and quickly fading black pattern.
I think your dog is very cute!
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