Peace.

Its that moment.

The moment when the house is completely quiet except for the sound of the computer keys.
The moment when you hold your breath and dare not move a muscle.

The moment the baby(s) have finally gone to sleep.
Eyes closed you let out your breath in a slow rush.
Blessed quietness.
Peace.

And then a small whimper sounds.
Then another...
and another ... this time much closer and you glare at the fiend who dared add to the disruption.

"Hooonestly!" The look intones. "You won't die of starvation if dinner is delayed an hour or two, or three, or however long the babies decide to sleep." This of course, directed at the much older and more knowledgable dog at your feet.

Another mournful noise emits from below the desk, this time a bit louder.

Its in this moment you could cheerfully strangle your dog.
In the nicest sense of the word possible, of course.

* * * 

My neighbors got puppies the other day. Two of them in fact. Not exactly sure why, despite text conversations this afternoon. They are out of town on a family emergency  and me .. being the good neighbor that I am... decide to check on them and see if they were still there or not.

update: apparently the puppies were on death row, and they rescued them. so ok. 

Not only were they there, they decided they wanted to come with me.

It was quite cold out and I couldn't leave them to the elements so I scooped them up and took them home with me.

They've been here ever since.

I'm calling them BeBop & Boom Boom ... the littlest pup is a female (BeBop) and the bigger is a male (Boom Boom). Both are very tenacious puppies with a lot of attitude  Here I am doing them a favor by getting them out of the cold, and they have the nerve to scream about it!

BeBop is the feisty one out of the bunch, while her brother totally runs over her, she's the one that figured out how to get out bathroom, by climbing the baby gate, not once but four times. She's the one that raced up to David and grabbed his leg (him being at least 20x her size). Boom Boom is much more reserved and easily offended. The first time David accidentally bowled him over, he went shrieking back to the bathroom.

Don't get me wrong, its NOT a problem at all, I brought this on myself, but they are very young puppies. And young young puppies are a looooot of work.

Two means:

Twice the water and food intake the monitor.
Twice the poop and pee to clean.
Twice the energy levels to exhaust.
Twice the teeth and nails to dodge.

But at the same time its a bit less work than just one. Its hard to explain unless you've had as many puppies as I have over the last five years.
I kinda of wish I could go ahead and request my next puppy just so David can be here to entertain her. (cause it will be a girl next go 'round)

But no, must take a break from puppies. Must. Take. Break.
Sigh.

Monday Musings

Ways to know its Monday:

(In case you are like me, and are wildly hoping you got itconfused with Friday)

• Waking up at 8:00AM [time you need to be up]
• Waking up again at 8:30AM [the time you need to be in thecar]
• Prying yourself out of bed and almost getting hit by a kamikazebird, IN YOUR HOUSE.
• Standing on the porch, with the door wide open straining tosee (with your near sighted vision) if the bird is still fluttering around inthe house.
• Giving up, and dashing for the bedroom to complete yourmorning toilette

Welcome to my life.

The good news is, by the time I got dressed, and the glassesin place, the bird was nowhere to be seen. I declare, I have never had such anissue with vermin, wild animals, or bugs in my entire life!

Things Are Looking Up!

At the beginning of the month, I started writing a draftregarding my goals and such like for February, [a draft that has yet to beposted] it went a little something like this:

“…I just so much more optimistic about February, like things might start to happen. Perhaps, I'm still just giddy from the fact, that the Judge dismissed my ticket yesterday. (As long as I don't get another one in thenext 30 days) or maybe I'm excited that my puppy will be born this month.. regardless,I believe February will be a good month.”

And things did happen.

Just not in the “good” way I was thinking.

• Losing a loved one?
• Gaining two new bills in a week?
• A fruitless job search?
• Living paycheck to paycheck?

Not exactly the good I was thinking.. 

Last week, seemed to be especially hard, for reasons I can’t explain, it just was. So God knew I needed the ONE of the phone calls I got Friday morning. (The other I really could have done without but whatever)

By 12PM Friday afternoon, I had secured something to fill those lonely, long hours for the next year at least.

Life is Officially Good. 

[You want pictures? Check out his blog here: Chronicles of a Puppy Walker] 

Goal Update: 

• Early to Rise[Otherwise known as my 12 in 12 goal]  - This month I've been working on getting up at least 30 minutes early, as well as attempting to be at least 5 minutes early- on time for things such as work, church or etc..  There were a couple of days were I just couldn't get it going, but for the most part I've done really well on this. 
• Continue working towards my 100 books in 2012 goal. [ 25 down!]
• Continue to drink more water and less soda [ so/so]

Short,sweet and attainable. :)  

Photos from the Week

I have nothing of great import to write about today. 

Disney Souvenir and Subject for my Metal Assignment in Studio Calss

Hence why I am bombarding you all with photos. I've sort of reached a plateau in my blogging experience, ha, with life in general at the moment. I'm placing the blame on the summer like weather we've had over the last couple of days. The warmth just cries out for me to be lazy and lay out in the sun. But then my homework will jump up and smack me in the face, for not using those valuable hours to get the afore mentioned things done. 

Rob laying quietly on his blanket while I worked on the above photo

 Its just soo hard to focus when the weather is sooo pretty! 

Rob waits patiently for me to produce a treat for him.

My sister Kristen 

Thank God we only have a few more weeks left!

Bubbles lounges in the grace with me. 

From Twitter 04-06-2011

• Spent some time cuddling with my puppies before work. Had to pry myself out of the pile and make myself go to work.

• Also I want a Dr.Pepper #30daystillcaffeine #thiswaterdoesnotcutit
  
• Ha. Rob just wagged his tail in his sleep.. #amused #boredinclass
  

Tweets copied by twittinesis.com

Research Project..Can you help?

Hi everyone,
So over the last few weeks, I've been mulling some different thoughts around in my mind, and have been wanting to do a research project on it, and what better time, when I'm in school, up to my ears in  research projects anyways?!

I have my own experiences, but given that I've only had seven puppies in the last four years, I don't think my findings would be enough to base a claim on. (Oh man I've been taking statistics much too long.)

I'm not going to reveal the MAIN purpose of this survey until I get some data.. (at least 60 responses? So PLEASE tell your friends!) as I don't want my thoughts to influence your answers at the moment. :)

So could you PLEASEEEEE fill it out really quickly? FOR ME!? You can submit for as many dogs as you want. I would love you guys for ever and ever and ever if you do!

Thanks a Million!!

Today I....

Slept in until 12:00PM. 

(Well technically I cat napped after I got up at 8:30am, then 8:45Am, then 9:00 am..) 

Cleaned my house.

Did Laundry.

Sat outside.

Read a book.

Listened to a book on tape.

Folded Laundry.

Vacuumed my floor.

Swept my floor.

Wrestled the broom out of the pups mouth. 

Took puppy outside.

Brought puppy back inside.

(Repeat x25243) 

Made Dinner 

(Lasagna)

Talked to my sister. 

Played Words with Friends 

(I'm up to 7 games at the moment) 

Took puppy off of the coffee table. 

Took bottle cap out of puppies mouth.

(repeat x2343 with other various objects)

Taught puppy  "AH-AH' means "look at mom". 

Went out with friends for dinner. 

Played games.

Came home.

Pretended to study.

Felt guilty and actually started taking notes.

And got distracted. 

An hour later still utterly in the dark in regards to confidence intervals for estimating population proportions. 

But I have thorough notes on it.
Went to sleep. 

And...
two days late
Was my weekend.
How was yours?

One Word...

One word to describe the year Two Thousand and Ten.

Stress.

I think I knew from the first day of January, this year had the potential to be a "toughie." Over the last...shall we say, 21 years, I've learned to trust my gut feelings about some things, and I just KNEW something was not right.
I'd had such high hopes for this year too. I made the difficult decision to quit my second job, in order to relieve some of the drama and stress in my life, as well as go back to school full-time, starting a new major.

However, quitting that job was not an easy task. My boss was very difficult to work with, and she had me doing two people's job at once...getting all that work delegated to other people was a chore. A big chore. Add a brand new 9 week old puppy, that I'd volunteered to raise for the Guide Dog Foundation. Yes, I'd planned on getting another puppy, but.... I didn't plan on it coming a week after I'd hinted about wanting another pup.

Then top that with a $5,000 tuition bill from the school, since I hadn't lived "in-state" for two years. Oh! And lets not forget the teacher who was determined to make my life as difficult as possible while we're at it.

Is anyone depressed now?

Life really didn't get much better, as the year progressed.. I was paying out much more than I was bringing in, the school's financial aid system was sending me through the ringer, and the billing center at the college, kept harassing me, about payments that I could.not.afford...to the point I was about to break down.

Summer saw me fostering a "demon dog" determined to make my life and my dogs lives miserable. Which she succeeded in doing. My roommate even moved out during this time, and left me to deal with her by myself. She didn't do it on purpose I know, but explain that too my sleep, and stressed out brain. We finally found her a home, and life started looking up............

The Fall semester started ok, but progressively got worst, as once again the financial aid office, dropped the money noose around my neck by only paying $350 towards my school. Thanks guys! That'll cover...one book...maybe two.

And we'll not mention the near loss of my driver's license, $200 in court fees, drama, not to mention the invasion of some annoying, extremely hard to get rid of pest in my home, that nearly sent me over the edge.

Some how, I'm still alive through it all. Thank you God.

However, words cannot describe the feelings I get when thinking about December 31, 2010.

I can only get better from here..right?

So my word for 2011 is simple:

Puppies. 
I picked that word, because that's the only "sure" thing, besides the fact that God is in control here, that I know about next year, I refuse to dwell on all the uncertainties that will carry over from 2010.

~ Erin 

Join in with many others at Reverb10, and get daily prompts throughout the month of December!  

A Series of Adjustments

I have this bad habit of starting a post and never finishing them, so in an attempt to go ahead and post them here are some I started last week. Let's hope I can remember WHY I started those posts! :) 


- Monday October 11, 2010 


Life is a series of adjustments.
And most of the time I hate having to adjust.
Its the before God, Honest, Truth.
I don't like big changes.
Hence why it took me two years to move to TN.
I couldn't comprehend laying aside all my plans and diving off a cliff into the unknown.
God had to straighten me out on that one.
However I have found that I'm sort of a control freak.
I hate it when things don't the way I've carefully planned them to go.
As in go into slight panic attack, shortness of breath, tightening of chest sort of "hate". 


After the first six months of this year, I'd thought I'd gotten past this stage. If you haven't notice, this has been a, less than ideal year for me, I hate complaining or even mentioning anything about it, because I know there are those going through MUCH WORSE then being broke. At least I have a job to keep the money coming in (as it goes out the back door).  But that doesn't mean its any less serious. 


Without any money that meant a LOT of what I had planned for this year, in regards to trips, and just life things such as school etc.. had to go by the wayside. I had to change a LOT of what I had in mind for this year. 


So one would think I'd be used to it by now. 


I'm not. 


So I had this plan, Pompei (the yellow lab/golden pup I'm training to be a future guide dog aka seeing eye dog) was to stay with me for about a year. I raise and train him during that time, and then send him back to the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, so he can continue his journey to becoming someone's eyes. I found out around May that my group leader was housing a German Shepherd that was to be used as a Breeder for a new line of dogs that GDF was going to work with. I asked our representative if I could raise one of the puppies and was given the affirmative. So I began planning my life towards getting a fifth guide dog puppy around late November, and sending Pompei back around that time as well. 


Now this may seem like a little thing to those who are not puppy raisers. Its just a dog.  Um..No. When I say I'm a volunteer I mean I pretty much center my life around this pup for the year its with me. When they are puppies we can only leave them alone for a certain amount of time, so I have to arrange for someone to check in or watch said puppy if I can't do it. Since my job doesn't allow me to have the pups at work with me, I having to make my schedule so I can have time to go home, pick up the puppy and proceed on to school. 


So 75% of my life is spent wearing my puppy raiser hat. And I love it. My plan was to go ahead bring puppy number 5 into my home and after that take a break for a couple of months, just to have a little down time. 


That was MY plans. 


So when I heard that we welcomed 9 more future guide dog puppies into the world  on 10/10/10. I was estactic! Not only would I get to follow my newest baby before he/she got here but I was FINALLY raising something without "retriever" in its name. 

All those plans were shattered today. Yes shattered may be a bit dramatic...but I had the last couple months of this year set to go in a certain vein, I had my trips and school planned around it. I had my mind getting prepared for it, and within five minutes of sending an email those plans were tip off the self they were sitting precariously on. 


Apparently my name was never written down on the list for one of these special pups, thus knocking me out of the running for one. 


I'd forgotten the puppy raiser motto to "write it in pencil" and had most satisfactorily written that down in ink. 


::Saturday October 16, 2010:: 


Now that I've had time to work through my feelings, move on, face bigger more important "problems" such as my $193.50 charge for those registration tickets, and having the money for that....I've come to realize this is a little deeper then just not getting a GSD pup. Its more about loosing Pompei.


Pompei is special. This is another one of those "you've got to be a PR to know what i'm talking about moments" but I'll try to explain. 

With the high volume of dogs going through my home, you don't BOND  with every dog. There are some dogs you just live with. Out of 12 trainee's only four would I have kept as a long term pet..had I been given the option. The fourth of that group being Pompei. 

I think I was hoping by getting a GSD that it wouldn't feel like I was replacing Pompei's presence in my house. This next puppy has some high standards to live up to, and I guess I didn't want just ANY puppy that was available. I can understand a little better why people don't get new dogs soon after their previous one passes. 


Now that I've had time to work through my emotions and adjust my thinking, I'll most likely wait and see what I feel closer to Pompei's IFT. I've never been through a semester dog-less.  I've never been without a service dog pup for more than a month in the last five years.


I don't know if could take a break now, even if I wanted to. 


We.Shall.See. 


Though I've heard rumors that Midnight (first picture) is supposed to go into heat sometime soon....thinking about waiting for one of her pups...  

Until another thought strikes me,

                                             

Commitments

Have you ever committed to doing something and then realized you over committed yourself? No?
In my desire to bring in as much extra cash as possible this summer, I was excited when I heard their was overtime available that I could work! (I can't work just any event cause...well I have restrictions due too my uniform.)
So I rush down to the board, and sign up for Thursday and Saturday evenings. Woo. Money! Alright! Yay Me!! I come back too my desk, and start filling in those appointment's on my calender.
Then I realize...Thursday I'm already working eight hours, and then we have a Revival at our church all week as well.....
Being the good dogma I am...I'm going OMG my puppies are going to be locked up for 10-12 hours!?!
AaaaHhhhHhhh! 
I sometimes wonder if I'm missing out on a lot of my young adult hood, being a single dog mom and all. My life pretty much revolves around them.
On top of that...who wants to work 10-12 hours??

I have two options that I can see thus far:

1. Send the dogs too Grammy and grand pops (o.m.w they are going to "LOVE" those names) for the day. After bribing them all with Sonic Drinks and coming home in the middle of the day too interact with the dogs etc..etc.. 
2. Ask my boss to let me string out my hours, and work: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday & Saturday.
3. Oh wait a third! - Switch my 8 hour day to another day, pull of 4 hour shift on Thursday + however long over time is.

hmmmmm.

Dear Puppies: 
Do you see the sacrifices I make for you? The conniptions I go too make sure you guys are happy, and cared for? DO YOU EVEN CARE!?!?!??! 

*Sigh* I know they'd be fine whatever I decided too do, but I'd still feel guilty.
This I will commit too: That extra cash (which I really need save towards a car) will be used to add too my measly summer wardrobe. Amen.

Daily Thoughts

The random ramblings of me in 140 characters.....

• 10:47 Happy International Puppy Raiser day! Tore up my room looking for my shirt this morning. #
• 12:06 @LeaderDogMom Wow! Good luck to her!! Will you be raising another? #
• 12:08 @K9_Kirsty twitpic.com/1453ej - Such a Cutie! #
• 12:09 @K9_Kirsty Lol yep! puppyraisingshirtday.webs.com/ #
• 13:54 Suuuunnshiiiinnnnnneeee!!! #
• 15:0 4 I love how we communicate through email subject lines around here. #
• 16:02 Studying outside while the dogs play in the yard. Loving this weather!! #
• 16:08 Texas has decided that Natural Balance is better than Wellness and is refusing to eat his food, and trying to eat Pompei's #
• 16:20 I knew when I saw @GuidePupPompei running joyously towards me that he had found something dead. #gag BUt it has been disposed of. #gag #gag #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

...But I'm working on #23 and the weekend :)

#23 - Set A Strict Schedule for Puppy

I know this isn't my dog blog, but its kind of hard when they are like the 3rd most important things in my life right now (God, Work...Dogs).

After 4 puppies you start learning some tips and tricks of a little thing called potty training.

• Consistency. You have to do the same thing, every day the same way. 
• Go out the same door to go potty, to the same spot...always sit to eat, or to go outside, or to get a treat etc..
  
• Confinement. Letting a 8wo puppy roam the entire house is ASKING for accidents.
• Mr.Pompeii is limited to my kitchen unless I'm going to get off the computer/stop whatever I'm doing and watch him. Right now I'm using baby-gates, but have purchased an x-pen so that he can have his area, with out confining the dogs that have earned their freedoms. And so I don't have to do the crazy baby-gate-hop every time I need to go into my kitchen!

• Crates - What would we do without them?
• With my first 3 pups, I struggled with using the crate, just because if felt mean. Now? Not so much. This morning I woke up, took Mr. Pompeii out to potty, than put him and his food in the crate while I got dressed, and fed the other dogs. Most puppies have to potty immediately after eating, and  I knew I couldn't get him out that soon, so in the crate ya go.
  

On the days I'm home, my day gets to be broken down into 30 minute increments. Which for someone who has such a hard time focusing is actually a good thing. So when I get home, it'll go something like this:
The dots represent 30 minutes
(Hour 1)

• Pottying, Exercise and Play time 
• Potty,Crate Games/Nap Time/Hang out by yourself time
  

(Hour 2)
HOPEFULLY SLEEPING

• Potty, Indoor Playtime
• Potty, X-Pen Time/Playtime 

 And Hour 3 - 12 - Repeat

I know a lot of you are going OMG, that is too much work..well ok don't get a puppy than, and two you don't HAVE to do that.....but its a WHOLE lot easier later on if you do. Think of all the stuff you are saving, and the valuables that won't get chewed up.

I have actually upped that schedule to giving him an hour of free time in the room with me, and than napping however long he will in his pen, however long he will. Which as it turns out, he's put himself on the 30 minute schedule, so even if I don't pen him, he's crashed by the heater or on a bed, or under something after about 15-30 minutes of playtime.

The only thing with having him loose, is that I have a greater risk of having my carpet peed on if I don't see him as soon as he gets up.

But ok enough about the dogs. That's what my other 4 blogs are for.....

__________________________________________________________________

5 days till school starts.....

And its the weekend. Finally! I have survied my first week of 2010! Let's hope the rest of the year doesn't go this  "well". I think about 80% caught up on my sleep. Pompei is not screaming his way to tiredness anymore, but is still getting up in the middle of the night.

Since it started snowing on Thursday, I had to cancel all my puppy classes at the kennels today, due to the road conditions, so I got to spend the entire day at home with my puppies.I wanted to take a nap...that just didn't happen. Even still I'm planning on going to bed at ..10:30PM.
 
Yeah wish me luck, I'll need it.  I am a night owl if there ever was one.

Something that makes early morning classes detrimental to my grades....and so do early job schedules...though some how I rarely miss those!

But I did get the majority of my To-Do list down. (YaY Me) And Scrapbooked Pompei's first couple of days with done....

 And I think I might be ready for next week.
Anyway I trust you all had a great weekend, I'm off to wash dishes and go to bed.

TTYL

....But I'm running outside every 30 minutes

Read More about him HERE.

Right Now....

 {Right now, my puppies are cuddling...were...I guess NOW}

Right Now.....it is 12:12AM
Right Now....I am thinking I should be going to bed, but really want to get some ice cream real quick

Right Now....my "dog room" is a mess and needs a good vacuuming and scrubbing
Right Now........I'm excited about some decisions I've made this week, that ended up good.
Right Now......I am listening to Neil Bortz information overload hour.

Right Now....I am going to get a small scoop of ice cream before bed.
Right Now....I'm turning off the fans, and cutting the heat back on.....its FALL! :-)

Right Now.....I'm packing up puppies and heading to bed.

One of THOSE Days

Granted now that I write that down as a title, I can't really say it was a "BAD" day, in fact it really went unusually well. I got up early 8:30AM (gasp), exercised the dogs for about 20 minutes before giving them breakfast, getting myself dressed (in matching apparel I should clarify) ate breakfast (gasp) and being was fully prepared to leave when the time came.

Work was...work, <--Titus is starting to "See the light" that and the fact that I've changed up my training regiment with him, his behaviors are starting to shape up. Yay!

I tried to wait for the Bouvier puppies but alas they were long past my "get-off-time" I'll see them sometime I'm sure. :-)

Gideon and I ran through Wally World, picked up a Pizza and came home....where I WAS surprised how perky I was feeling until a few minutes and it all came crashing down on me. *phoozle*

"So why did I title it one of THOSE days?"

Well I can't really explain it in a logical way, but I don't feel personally I was at my best; Maybe I should have worded something differently, or just kept my mouth shut about other things. Nothing sinful at all, but just humanly I still have areas I need to grow in!

Just enough to put a damper on my evening.

Oh well, live and learn; just gotta put these events in my memory bank & before God so I won't do them again.

But all in all? It was a good day.

:-)

Erin
(I really need to create myself a siggy or something :)

10/12/09 - Goals Update

This weeks Goals: 

• Go to bed early  - Ok this would be #FAIL
• Get up early (Twice Counts)
• Walk dogs before work  (I did this TWICE! YAY ME!!)
• Make Grocery list for Month
• Call potential Foster family  (Boss gave this fam to another trainer. yay)
• Keep up my daily photos (SO Proud of myself, I have a photo for everyday!)
• Laundry ( Got that knocked out Tuesday)
• Drink Water ...daily #FAIL

Week 2 of my new schedule, and I'm literally on the verge of exhaustion. 

Ok its not THAT bad, but I can foresee that in the near future. My week was...busy, I started off great, and slowed as is my norm. I did wake up ...earlier on two occasions this week, and found out how NICE it is to actually get out of the house on time, and know I've gotten everything I needed to get done DONe! 

"It would defiantly be a benefit for me to go to bed earlier, but I find that I have a hard time prying myself out of bed regardless how much sleep I've gotten."

This week the weather has taken a turn for the worse..I think someone forgot to remind Winter what day it started, cause WOW has it be COLD! Wednesday and Thursday it pretty much rained ALL DAY without stop. Which of course those were the two days I was out at the Kennels. And of course I only had a thin jacket, and sneakers that were like wearing sponges. 

It was miserable. If I have any extra money left from this paycheck, first stop will be a nice rain/winter coat, and those oh-so-adorable rain boots.

Speaking of clothing, I was looking through my closet this morning, and was nearly knocked out the scream. It was pretty garbled but I managed to make out " You Need More or New Clothes" I can't figure out which one exactly. But the essences was clear. My winter clothes selection is sorely lacking...TIME TO GO SHOPPING!!!!! 

Whenever I can find the time.....and money for that matter.

Tomorrow Long day at the kennels...cleaning, puppies coming and going with volunteers, than a two hour drive to pick up a poodle pup I'll be baby-sitting for a week... Fun Times!

Oct 4th

From October -31

The day I can get beautiful, clear, non-flash photos inside my house...I will count myself a great photographer. Until than...you get theses burnt flash photos. Grrrrr I am SO hoping I can go to school for photography next semester!!

October 1st

From 0EDIT

First day of a new month, the first day of a new job position, First day of a possible new resolve. Its time for me to start cracking down on some of my bad habits that I've allowed myself to develop over the last year. A work at home job was very detrimental to my mental state of mine, and really invoked a lot of lazy habits...mainly because I had a rediculous amount of time to do things....Procrastination anyone?


Now that I'm running to the ends of the earth everyday, I'm starting to streamline my getting-ready-to-leave process. I'm getting a little faster at it, right now it takes about 20 minutes to get ready, take care of the dogs and leave.

It was faster when my dogs could go to work with me, but .....not yet. yeah; *cough* I supposed if I got up earlier........NAAH.

I am going to work on that, but I'm so useless in the morning, I don't know what the point would be.....oh yeah exercise the dogs...some how that doesn't sound appealling at 6AM...for me or them. Believe me if we get up before 9AM, I have to go back and get the dogs out of bed.

I should also try and go to bed earlier...man I'm more productive in the evenings its seems like a pointless venture. But I'm going to TRY.

Also I would like to take the time to say Good-Bye to my Weekends. It was nice getting to know them over the last 9 months, but all good things must unfortunately come to an end. I really hate that but it comes with the territory, one perk though....I can set my own hours I won't be going in all that early ... BELIEVE ME.


Saturday:
Vols VS. AUBURN

{Terrifying Tuesday}

Today I will be responsible for running the Wilderwood Puppy Class.....SOLO.

To tell you the truth, I'm not terrified per se, but nervous is defiantly a word I would use right about now.
I was a part of 4-H for over 10 years, and during that time, I've probably done 5-6 presentations, for various groups, and I also took Public Speaking in college, and loved every minute of it.
I like talking about something I"m passionate about.

But teaching...and not just teaching, but Adults!!!

Its kind of an unspoken thing between adults and teens...that the other party doesn't really believe the OTHER party knows what they are talking about. Well that's how its been sometimes in my case. When we teens offer suggestions and etc...and we're ignored. Yeah, not exactly a confidence booster.

This is not to say that, our fosters have ever treated me like that, but its always in the back of my mind, that there is this possibility. And its kind of a daunting thing to get over.

But anyways, I have my game-plan, and am trying to figure out how to execute it; so yeah that's me! I bundle of nerves!

Puppies Vs. Children - Teen Perspective.

Today at lunch, part of the discussion flying among my friends and I, were what we would rather have. Kids or Puppies. Don't ask me why, just read. *ahem*
For me as a 19-year-old, the thought of being a mother, is scary; 18 years of, training, teaching worry, stress, "fighting".....what if I do something wrong and turn my kids against me?
While I don't NOT want children, the responsibility of them is soo great, its not something I take lightly.
So at this moment in time; I am for the puppies 100%.

Puppies:

• Potty trained by six-months-old
• Adults by 1 year old
• Can be crated when you need a break
• Can't talk
• Are willing to be with you where ever you want to go
• Aren't demanding
• Don't Complain
• Mature quickly
• Comforting
• Are happy with the same old meal 365 days a year
• Are happy to see you no matter how long you've been gone
• Can't hit you and or punch you...although a bite would be worse then that....

Kids:

• In Diapers until at least 3
• Are demanding
• Can't walk until 1-3 years old
• Can't be crated in order for you to have a break.
• Will fight naps
• Can't be walked to make them tired
• Can't be re-homed if its not working out..*snicker*
• You can get sick if they do
• Have to a variety of meals
• Complain
• Talk Back
• Throw Tantrums
• Have fits
• Grow up and think they know more then their parents

The list could go on and on with both sides. Which is why I say once again (as I know my mother is reading this in horror) I want children, but not in the near future!

If you think about it, really and truly, my parents and other adults should be happy I feel this way about children, because that means the likely hood of me being a teenage mother is pretty much nil. There is no way I'm going to put myself in a position where this could be the result.

Good Bye

For the remainder of this week, I will spend my time saying my goodbyes, to a dear friend. I have known her for just a year, but our time together has been awesome. She has been so supportive of my through every endeavor I have taken up. She has been my comfort through hard situations, and helped me get my mind of pressing matters by the offer, not of words, but a small wag of her tail. In turn, i have trained her and socialized her to as many different situations as I possibly could, and she has excepted each challenge with dignity.
I'm really proud of the dog she has turned out to be, and can only hope that she will be able to change someone else's life as she has changed mine.

{Midnight in my lap at our 4-H Teen Retreat}

Alright you made it through the sappy stuff. But now my life is coming to another point. I have nothing to do with myself but work..and prepping for the move.

Moving means a lot change including but not limited too: housing, church, job, school, stores, food brands, prices, friends, guide dog group, etc..etc..

The biggest worry I have is with the school and job and puppies. With the school we've already spoken to someone there who gave us a LIST of things we need to bring. *sigh* Oh well. Its worth it.
But my worry is starting in uncharted territory with no *close* assistance. My A/C came to my community college with me, and spoke to the person...but this I'm going it on my own. YIKES.
Puppy #4 is due in late March..which is right in the middle of the semester....close to finals.
I'm not too worried about having a small pup during that time...with a schedule and proper exercise I'm fine. But its introducing it to a class during the semester which worries me.
Maybe ...depending on my schedule; puppy may get to stay home for the first semester.

Then the job thing, I can't afford to live on my own and work at a doggie daycare. The pay is just way to little. And I'm truthfully tired of working in those places. I love the dogs but.........yeah.

Now that I know when Midnight is leaving, I'm ready for things to speed up already, and lets get this done, so I can get my next puppy. But alas, only one day at a time.