So the decision has been made by me. I guess I have decided that I have done so much work over the years on this website and with the friends I have made that I have decided to continue to write in our blog.
My spirits are so so right now so I don’t really feel like writing a whole lot in our blog today, but I just wanted to say hi to everyone and let you know that I will write from time to time-so keep checking in and hope all is well. Amy
Hi to my friends who read our blog. I am writing to ask you sincerely a question if I should continue to write in my blog now that I am no longer going to be working with our dogs in a breeding program as I have in the past. I don’t want to write and no one is going to read it. The blog and the website will stay up regardless, but I don’t want to write to no one. So let me know by commenting on this blog or by e-mailing me what you think and I will do as I feel through your responses. At the present time I plan to continue to write, but I want to hear from my readers if there are readers to know if you still want to read or not because I don’t want to write to no one.
Thanks for reading and take care,
Amy Gerber
Hi there. I just wanted to write a post and thank all of you for all of your prayers. It has been a hard week here. My Grandma, Millie Moore, died last Monday, 4/7/08 at 1:52 am Pennsylvania Time. My dad and I were the only ones still there when she died. I could not sleep if I went home so I decided to stay by her and my dad felt the same way. I was not going anywhere. Everyone else left between midnight to 1:10 am. She went very peacefully and she was ready to go. There is no more suffering for her. I miss her so much, but am very glad she is not suffering from the cancer anymore. Like most of you, I am very frustrated with cancer.
Anyways we set up funeral arrangements later on last Monday and had the viewing on Tuesday and funeral on Wednesday. Not easy days for us. I have a lot of emotions pouring out lately. And if the right thing is said I can break down in an instant. But I know she is in peace and there is no more suffering anymore and she is in the care of Jesus Christ.
I just felt strongly that I should write a post for you that read the blog regularly and let you know what is happening and that my G’ma that I often talk about has sadly died. Sadly for me; happy for her. Sad in my heart; happy in my mind. I went through the suffering that has occurred since she became sick almost two years ago so my mind says she is better off, but my heart aches so very badly. Anyways…
Thanks for reading and take care,
Amy Gerber
Blogging is the same as on-line journaling and so good to journal, read, express, and yes learn from self. So what is going on with me lately. I am trying to slow down. That is what is new; though it does not always seem to work that way. I have a handful of pups left that are Siberians and I think I have three males to place and that is it. I think the girls have homes or are finding homes rapidly. I am relieved about that. I have found I think all but three adults their new homes. They are all such good homes too and I can visit at any time and see my babies. For those of you who don’t know I am taking a well deserved break from breeding. And though it has been a hard decision; so many things have happened to lead me to this decision. I am very sad to be doing this, but also in many ways relieved. You know I am getting my life back. When you work full-time with animals you lose a lot of the “me” in the equation. I wake up in the morning; time to walk the dogs. I eat; they eat or more often vice versa. And so on and so forth. Traveling is not a possibility at all. If I leave, I have to pay someone to take care of the dogs and do the work involved, but there is always something that happens; so in the end it seems like a better plan to just stay at home. If I leave they *our dogs* miss me dreadfully too. I miss them too. Anyways I am not complaining; just explaining some of the realities that someone who does not work full time with animals would not understand. I am truly looking forward to living as my friends/family/and customers live and going on daily walks with my two dogs again (if not three). We are definitely keeping the original pair of dogs: Erik, my rescue dog and Cashmere. As for Glacier-we can’t decide. We really want only two dogs, but Mister Blue (Glacier) is pretty special to us, but in all honesty no more or less special than I feel about the whole group and he is such a great stud dog I hate to take him out of the breeding world…so that will be one of the final decisions made here. There is no pressure on that one yet.
There are just so many things we are looking forward to. I think the reason we feel this way is we are trying to take away from this sad and very hard decision to sell our babies and dogs the positive from the negative. So instead of looking back at what and why we made this decision; why not look forward to a bright, new future ahead. So that is what we are doing.
I am currently looking for work within my field with my college degree and when we catch up with some bills here LOL; We ALL HAVE BILLS; we will finish re-modeling the house: inside and out. We are probably almost 1/2 way done with the interior and exterior re-modeling; so that is a plus. I had hoped to have this all accomplished by now, but since that did not happen hopefully by summer. And let me tell you this chick is looking forward to summer! This will be the first summer in years where I am not so tied down and it sounds like a good time to me!
Also please continue to pray for my Grandma, Millie Moore as well. She is in St. Paul’s nursing home and is not doing well at all. If you think of her please pray for her in the early early morning hours. That is when she feels the most nauseous and at her down right low. This happens every single morning. I really appreciate your prayers and concerns and so does my Grandma. She is just so sweet and every time I tell her I am praying for her and so are so many people that I have met over the years through The Northern Manor and in many other ways; she just says, “Well thank you honey. I really appreciate everybody’s prayers. I know there are a lot of people praying for me and I need them to continue to pray for me. What I most want is to not be in distress, discomfort, and pain.” So I am praying for these things and hope you will as well. I also am praying that God would provide her with a miracle and kill this cancer from her body. If that would be the case, she would be completely healthy because all of her vitals are in tip-top shape. So I ask you pray for this too. I go to see her as often as I can. I am thankful the nursing home is only 10 minutes from my house.
I want all of you to know that I will keep the website up for a long time as well as the e-mail we have always corresponded to for those of you who have wondered how we will keep in touch. You can always make comments on this blog page as well and I can respond that way too. I also will try to keep writing on my blog so for those of you who care and read it you can know what is going on in my life.
I have truly put my heart into working with these animals and with our customers. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears were shed working and having The Northern Manor. I worked very hard on the website too. So no worries the beautiful pictures of some of the loves of our lives: our dogs will be up for you all to enjoy for a long time to come. Hey this is my on-line portfolio of my web design skills as well. Though I never did finish the Elkhound side. Who knows I may still do that if I have time as well. So I can go back and smile and remember.
Keep in touch and I still will love to see new photos of the pups/dogs you have gotten from us during this phase of our lives.
Thanks for reading and take care,
Amy Gerber
Well I hope all is well with all of you. Life is busy and strange here. We are downsizing for reasons quite a bit here. So things have been really busy with the Siberian Huskies and the Siberian Husky Puppies and the Norwegian Elkhounds.
Grandma is just hanging in there and so are we. They say that they only expect her to have three months and we are just praying for a Miracle. Anyways that is all for now. We have had a hard year. Wish I could fake it; but I can’t. God Bless…Amy
I hope you all have a very Blessed Easter Season. Always remember the Great Sacrifice Jesus made for all of us and what the meaning of Easter is. Remembering you in our prayers and I appreciate all of you who are remembering us in your prayers.
Thanks for reading and take care,
Amy Gerber
I will be gone from Monday to Thursday this week. Matt will be home to take care of the dogs.
Thanks for reading and take care,
Amy Gerber
I want to first thank all of my friends who have written me lately and have been sympathetic to the hard times Matt and I have been dealing with lately. Since we have been breeding dogs, we have made a lot of friends along the way and have enjoyed it.
A quick update on things here. Grandma decided to stay at the hospital and I respect that decision. She has the support she needs at the hospital and she feels more comfortable being there. So we are all praying for a miracle and that is what I am asking friends and family to pray for that God provides her with a miracle and kills this cancer. Her vitals are fine if it was not for the cancer. If God provides her this miracle and kills the cancer in her body she will be fine again like she was the past year when she did not have the cancer and she golfed, gardened, and felt good. So please if you would pray for us and her. We are very grateful for your prayers for Mildred Moore.
The huskies and elkhounds love this weather. I have been wanting to video tape them lately and hope that Matt will be able to get some footage of them tonight. He is home early.
Thanks for reading and take care,
Amy Gerber
I spent most of the day with my Grandma today. She is really sick and is taking a turn for the worse. I think I spent 75% of the day crying. I hate cancer. I have decided that I am going to go to the hospital tomorrow and see if they will let me take her home with me to stay. I am also hoping that she will be willing to do so and that when I have things to do that other family members will be willing to come over and to take care of her if I have to leave. This makes more sense than a nursing home or a hospital. I am hoping she will go for it. I just think this will be best. Please pray for us here and this situation and this pain. My Grandma is the best person and never did anything but make healthy choices which I can not say for myself in life. I just want to help and love and take care of her so please pray for me as this will be hard but useful for me and our family.
I have no more to really write though there are things going on and things with the dogs that I will post later.
Thanks for reading and take care,
Amy Gerber
Hi All, I am really going to try to get out of this funk I have been in lately due to the stress and pain that has gone on here over the past few weeks/month and start talking about the positive. Today is a New Day and a New Week and I am going to try to relax, press forward, and enjoy what I am and what I have.
So the weather is FREEZING here this morning. I am sitting here at 8:49 am 2/11/08 knowing I need to do chores, but am reluctant to do so as it is probably around 6 degrees. Would anyone like to do them for me lol? The dogs are hilarious; they are outside playing in the snow like it is the best thing they ever have experienced. I always get worried when it gets below 10 degrees especially with high winds because that is cold and though they can go into their kennel any time they please most are out loving the COLD. Siberian Huskies and Norwegian Elkhounds were created for climates much colder than our weather here in northwest PA, but to me it seems so cold that I am afraid they are cold. But this morning just like every time in the past they have proven to be tough as nails and are instead not cold, but happy, playful, and loving it.
Matt’s sister’s birthday party was yesterday. His mom made a delicious meal. We spent most of the day at church and then at Phyllis and Lloyd’s house celebrating. So it was a fun Sunday.
We have some puppy sales over the next couple of weeks so we should stay busy with all of that.
Okay all for now. I have to do my Frigid chores and just get them over with. I think I am going to video tape the dogs today or tomorrow. I love to watch them play. It always brings a BIG and Loving smile to my face.
Thanks for reading and take care,
Amy Gerber