With thanks for the prayers

Wonderful news: the young man about whom I posted, who was in a coma, has emerged from the coma and is able to recognize and talk with relatives. He is off the mechanical ventilator. Long-term prognosis is still unclear, because of organ damage and internal injuries. But I thank you, as do others closer to him, for the prayers. His closer relatives hope that knowing that people all over the world have been pulling for him will help him cope.

Also good news: I have been offered the chaplaincy job I applied for some time ago, and I'm very excited. It is part-time, on-call work, but that is how one gets "a foot in the door" in that field in this part of the States. It is hospice work, which I love. I will have the chance to work with some folks I have worked with before, and it will be a challenge but also a wonderful opportunity.

And Toby Wolfhound, meanwhile, makes me laugh 100 times a day. I have told him that a puppy's job is to make things better, and he is applying himself to the task. As can be seen above, he has mastered the art of paper shredding/recycling, and Awful Mad Kitty is still in one piece although rather chewed. Toby may be able to get work in Records Management because of his talent for shredding, but it is early days yet. As he matures he may develop additional abilities. Like digging. He is very shy with others but very silly in the safety of his new home. Also, having been outdoors with minimal shelter his first five months, he has no desire to be left out AT ALL. And he likes, especially, being in where it's cool. I've been taking all 3 dogs walking at once, which has to be a sight, but helps Toby's confidence. If I didn't know that he feels that the World is a Terrifying Place, I would think he'd had a good time this morning. (I think he doesn't want to lose face by admitting that it is sometimes exciting and fun to go on walks.) I'm glad he is mine. It would take a team of teams of wild horses to get him away from me!