Home by Cindy Huff & Terri Noftsger
Home by Cindy Huff & Terri Noftsger
The idea of“ home” always seems to come to mind at this time of year. Whether we are traveling to where we were raised to be with family and friends, or preparing our own space for others to visit us,“ home” during the holidays is a place to gather, to share love and food and conversation. It is a place of community, of the family of our birth, the family we have created for ourselves, or a unique combination of both. Home is where we set aside differences and come together in connection and hopefully, love.
Home for Terri and I has always been our sanctuary, where we have created a space of safety, love, security, and peace for us and for our family of four legged animals. It is our space to which we invite in the friends and, at times, members of our family of birth. It has also become a place of work for me, as I now work full time there. Home for us ebbs and flows, changes and grows, and transforms with the seasons.
Our family changed a few months ago when our senior Basset Hound Obi passed away at home. We were able, with the help of Angel’ s Paws( a home hospice program for pets), to support him at home for his last days, and to allow him to transition here surrounded by his humans and his animal friends. Obi’ s energy and spirit were such a big part of our home – he anchored us and watched over us, and he taught our other two dogs a lot about being good house dogs. Our home felt empty without his physical presence, although he visits us frequently in spirit. We also have moved our horses to a boarding facility close by, and the loss of horse energy here has also been difficult to adjust to.
Recently, a friend contacted us about a client whose elderly parent needed to move in with her due to the death of their spouse. They had some dogs and one cat that the family was seeking to place in good homes. One of those dogs – of course – was a young Basset Hound. After much consulting with our two dogs and with each other about whether
10 we were ready to have a new dog in our home, we agreed to allow the dog to come for a short visit here. Things went well, and yesterday Beau came to live with us.
Normally we do not recommend bringing a new animal into a home at this time of year. However, we do not have birth family locally, we have no plans to travel over the holidays, so this is actually a very good time for us to bring a new animal into our home. This time of year is less stressful for us, as we have more time off to be here with our animals. We have followed our own guidelines for introducing a new animal into your home, and so far we have had only minor issues that were expected. Beau is grieving the loss of his former home and family, and he does not yet understand that he is not going back to them. This will make some time for him, but we are confident that he will adopt us in time. When he does, his energy will fully become part of the energy of our home and our family. In the meantime we are careful to have him move back from open doors to the outside, and do not allow him access to our back yard without keeping a close eye on him. When we do take him in to be microchipped, he will have a martingale collar on( which will not come off over his head), and we will be very careful not to open the car door until one of us has a firm hand on his leash.
Our home energy is feeling both unsettled and at the same time it feels more complete. Beau will never be Obi, nor do we expect him to be. He is uniquely himself, and his energy is very different, so it will take time for it all to blend, for the dogs to allow that blending between themselves. Our home will be redefined in a new way. In the meantime, we will allow home to be whatever it is, day to day, and be consistent in feeling peace, security, and love. If we focus there, our animal family members will feel safe and allow things to blend energetically, and our home will be transformed.
Please find guidelines around family pets and the holiday season. Thank you and Happy Howlidays
Dec / Jan 2017