Our sweet beagle boy, Baxter

I feel like I'm going down the same road as I did with Sasha: a road of pain with a dead end. Yet I know the Lord brought this creature into my life for a reason. There's a reason for all this. Baxter has so many health issues like Sasha did. The biggest one we are facing now is his spine/knee needing surgery, but he has to lose more weight before Dr Cor will do it. Yeah, I could go find another Vet, but I've known Dr. Cor over 20 years, and he knows what he is doing. We started this challenge over 60 pounds. We are now down to 39.5. He can have surgery at 35 pounds. My heart just sunk yesterday when I saw that number. I thought he'd be at 38 or 37. It's what Dr. Cor calls "tough love." Watching Baxter starve, listening to him cry, seeing him fight over a tiny rawhide. It's like Don says, "Can you imagine losing half your body weight?" And the anger I have towards Dr. Baker for not treating him right for over a year which worsened his joints the whole time. And I feel soooooo guilty that I didn't realize his weight was so serious. So dumb for not thinking of the inuries it could cause. I called Dr. Cor today for anything more we could do. I've been praying for God's help. Maybe He would answer through Dr. Cor. He did. Dr. Cor said Baxter could have 1 cup of green beans with breakfast and dinner. Doesn't sound like much, but we both raced to give him the Green Giant green beans. We were happy watching him have something special-- just to be able to eat. And he'll get another cup tonight. He was allowed raw carrots unlimited, but he wants no part of that. And we can do unlimited rawhide and increase the pain meds and anti-inflammatants. So--- it is Hope. I think we all need Hope in every situation in life. Our Hope endures. Pending our weather, we're going to try & get everybody out to Ramah state park near us so everyone can run--including Baxter. We have a bunch, huge bunch, of new toys to run after. So we are gonna get there. Four more pounds. But for now, we will aim just for one. Lord, help us be good guardians over him who you created. Give us wisdom, discipline, and perseverence! We are nearing the end of this race when the runner becomes so exhausted they can't take another step. But give us that euphoric rush where we suddenly feel such a soar of new energy to run yet another mile. Thank you for providing for Baxter. I forget you're in charge, but you are. I just let it go, Lord. Take it. Take it all from me as I surrender. For we seek your peace amidst the storm. Be my peace, Lord. Be our peace.