I hope you don't mind me being a day late

Bulldogs World Forum Archives

These archives contain a copy of the contents of the old Bulldogs World Forum for reference purposes.Posting is disabled in the archives.
Click here to visit the active Bulldog Forum

I hope you don't mind me being a day late

Submitted by CathyandAudrey on April 21, 2010 - 12:35am

Archived General Bulldog Chat

with my About Me post. I was gone all day yesterday preparing for the arrival of our newest family member.
My name is Cathy and I just found BDW in November. My husband and I met when we were 10, started dating at 12, and we've been together ever since. We have 3 kids, 24 yr old son, and 18 and 15 yr old daughters. They are the absolute JOY of our lives and make life worth living. We had our son when we were 16, so life has been challenging for us for a very long time. When we were 18 and all our friends were finding out what colleges they got into, we found out our 2 yr old son was brain damaged and had to see what medical organization we could get him into. We always wanted more children, and knew daycare was not an option for us, so we have been a one income family for 19 years. The family has always been first, everything else (house, car) was secondary, so getting an expensive dog was not even an option. We have always had a dog, and for the longest time had 3, but when my oldest daughter was heading off to college I knew I was not going to handle it well at all.(I can not even describe how CLOSE my 2 girls are and one leaving CRUSHED them both-it is not easy to be hurting yourself and see your girls hurting just as bad) My old sweetheart dog Bridget was 11 and I knew my time with her was near the end, and I just could NOT deal. I have loved bulldogs for as long as I can remember. They are the dogs that make my heart soar everytime I see one. I read about them, watched videos of them, looked at pictures of them. My 40th birthday was coming up, my daughter was leaving, and I found Audrey's little face one day, available and ready to go to her new home. I showed my husband, and he knew there was no way that baby was going to someone else's home. He tolerates dogs, but never bonded with one. Until Audrey. That tiny body held some pretty powerful love! He adores her just as much as I do. She is a stubborn, tough little booger, so sweet and loving to her people but not to other dogs. I was ecstatic when I found this board, so much to learn and so many warm, kind people willing to share their knowledge. Our youngest daughter decided not to listen to a thing we told her, and is giving us our first grandchild in April, so he will be our focus for the next year or so, but there WILL be more bulldogs in our lives, eventually.

Cathy
when she first came home

no need to clarify!

Submitted by CathyandAudrey on February 3, 2010 - 9:39am.

I really am not an emotionally fragile person at all. I mainly don't give a crap about what anyone else thinks, and I was NOT offended by your post at all! My son has cerebral palsey, and thankfully it is very mild. We took him to FIVE different doctors when he was a baby and they ALL told me I was way too young to have a clue about what 'normal' child development was, and that I needed to play with him more. Cause you know every teen parent just sticks their kid in a crib then leaves them all day. @@ So when he turned 2 and was barely walking, Dr #6 looked at me and my husband and said, "Ok, he has had enough time to develop, your son is brain damaged". W H A T!!!!! We got the heck out of backwoods NC and moved to Massachusetts with my in-laws. Found a wonderful Dr, got him into the Shriners, and he is now 24 and living on his own and in college. Those 5 Drs though were the LAST TIME I ever let anyone ever again talk down to me. Made me truly not give even the slightest care to what anyone thought. They were wrong, I was right. Having him so young really gave us perspective too and clarified what was important to us. We have never been materialistic, and always managed to get by. And as we got older and our financial situation changed, we still had the same perspectives on what really matterd and what just didn't. My husband now makes in one MONTH what he earned in a whole YEAR when our children were young. Our income increased 12 times! We still put the kids first, and now it will be our grandson, and our family is still the most important thing in the world to us.

Cathy
when she first came home

oops need to clarify,

Submitted by Miranda on February 3, 2010 - 8:09am.

When I say it's nice to know there are others in the same boat, I don't mean it in a mean way. I mean it makes me feel more comfortable to share. When people find out I have a teenager, I get stared at like they seen a ghost, because I am 29.
My son's special needs are not as severe as your sons, and I didn't mean to compare, just to sympathize in a way, it was not meant in an offensive way.

Thank you for sharing your story with us.

Miranda and the SB gang in Toronto.
The spina bifida babies,
[linked image]
Pugsley

Piper and Rosco
And always Chance

And Matilda

Awsome!!! I am glad you shared, my story is similar,

Submitted by Miranda on February 3, 2010 - 8:05am.

But I don't share it much as I'm affraid to be judged. I have been with my husband since I was 11, this June will be 18 years together, and I had my daughter when I was 15. I have a special needs son aswell. Thank you for sharing, it's nice to know others are in the same boat. Congratulations on the grandbaby!

Miranda and the SB gang in Toronto.
The spina bifida babies,
[linked image]
Pugsley

Piper and Rosco
And always Chance

And Matilda

it is exciting!

Submitted by CathyandAudrey on February 2, 2010 - 9:52am.

My youngest (Hannah) has never been her age, she was born a woman in a little body. She has adhd, is very impulsive and NEVER thinks first. She's very strong though, emotionally and physically, so I know she will be fine. Her sister (Danielle) leaving was the hardest on her, she is all alone in the house now.

Cathy
when she first came home

Bulldogs World

I hope you don't mind me being a day late

Bulldogs World Forum Archives

These archives contain a copy of the contents of the old Bulldogs World Forum for reference purposes.Posting is disabled in the archives.
Click here to visit the active Bulldog Forum