A Great Way To Live!

I got this several years ago from Chicken Soup for the Soul and wanted to share it. There really is a lot of wisdom in these words...

Things We Can Learn From A Dog:

1. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.

2. Allow the experience of fresh air and wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

3. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

4. When it's in your best interest, always practice obedience.

5. Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

6. Take naps and always stretch before rising.

7. Run, romp, and play daily.

8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

9. Be loyal.

10. Never pretend to be something you're not.

11. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

12. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

13. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

14. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

15. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

16. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

17. When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

18. No matter how often you are criticized, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

It's snowing here in Georgia as I type this...they're the biggest flakes I've seen in awhile! They say we might get up to 2"! I'm wondering if they'll call off school early today? Guess we'll have to wait and see! Hope each of you has a FANTASTIC Tuesday!

Cha-Ching!

I have a little entrepreneur on my hands...Abby! Yes, I think she may very well be the next Donald Trump, minus the comb-over, of course!

It all started the other day when she asked me if she could go on our neighborhood's message board and sign up for babysitting and pet sitting. I must admit that I was a bit hesitant, at first. I knew I'd be the main one to shuffle her around all over the place, but what else is new, right? So, needless to say, after much persistence on her part, she finally convinced me to let her sign up for the sitting services. I explained to her that since we live in such a large neighborhood (2,600+ houses), she may not ever get a call and to not be disappointed.

Well, the very next day, the phone rang and it was for Abby. A lady in another neighborhood had a friend who lives in our community and she had seen Abby's "ad" on our message board. She told her friend about Abby because she was in need of a pet sitter and she decided to give Abby a call. She was needing someone to let out her 2 Golden Retrievers and feed them while she and her family were away for the evening. Abby gladly accepted her offer without any hesitation!

Here she is with her notebook in hand before her job began. She'd written down very explicit instructions about how to get into the lady's gated community, how much food to give the dogs, what their names were, etc. So, on Sunday evening, Chris and I drove Abby over to the lady's house. She'd left their back door unlocked so that Abby could go inside and let the dogs out. They were 2 old dogs who were as friendly as could be! They got lots of lovin' from all 3 of us! They were thrilled to see Abby!As you can see, she was almost like the "Dog Whisperer"...she just had a special way with them.
We were at the house for only 15 mins. and everything went like clockwork. Now, want to know how much money Abby earned for her first real job? 20 bucks! She was so excited! Not too bad for 15 minutes of playtime with 2 adorable dogs, huh? The lady has already told Abby that she might call her, again, in July to care for her dogs while they go on vacation! Abby left her a thank you note on the kitchen table, as well as a flyer she'd created on the computer advertising her services. I'm so proud of her for doing all of this on her own! By summer's end, she may be singing, "I'm in the money, I'm in the money!" Hmm...wonder if she'll consider treating her poor ol' mom to dinner out at Chick Fil-A?

"The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more."~Jonas Salk


P.S. My good buddy, Tim, over at Fort Thompson is having a Father's Day Giveaway...check it out! My sweet friend, Lori, is, also having a giveaway involving JEWELRY! Head that way...don't delay!

Attention All Dog Lovers!

OK, so last night, since Brittany was off at a New Year's Eve party, Chris and I decided to seize the moment and spend some one-on-one time with Abby. She was feeling a little blue about Brittany being gone...again.

We took her to see the movie, "Marley & Me". Let me just say that it was a tear-jerker! I did fine for about the first 30 mins. or so, but then the tears started flowing! There were so many scenes in the movie that I could relate to. If you're a dog lover, you can completely understand the emotions involved. When you open your heart and your home to one of these loving beings, you are forever transformed. If you haven't seen the movie, please do...it's so touching!

I got my first dog when I was about 9 years old. My best friend knew of someone who's dog had puppies that they were giving away. I begged my dad to let me have one. He warned my mom and I both that puppies are always sweet, but they can grow up to be big dogs. After much thought and my continual pleading, Dad finally caved in. We brought Bobo home and he was a plump little thing with lots and lots of energy. Dad was so right, he grew to be a big dog in what seemed to be overnight. Before we knew it, he was jumping our backyard fence! He was half Collie and half German Shepherd, so he ate a huge amount of food.

He seemed to have a stomach of steel. We would toss him whole baked potatoes and he's swallow them without even chewing! He was like a canine garbage disposal. Would you believe that he even ate fish bones? Now, I, of course know that you should never give your dog fish bones, but Bobo was able to handle them, some way, somehow! We never quite understood it! Cheetos were his favorite!

Bobo was a roamer. He'd go out for several days, then come back long enough to get a quick meal, then he'd be off, again. There's no telling how many puppies he fathered! Shameful, I know! I remember looking out our backdoor and seeing about 5 puppies in our backyard that looked JUST LIKE Bobo! We came home from a trip one time and opened the outdoor storage room where he slept. Out trotted a tiny poodle, followed by Bobo, who had his head hanging low from embarrassment. I guess he was more of a lover, than a fighter. :) All I know for sure is that I loved Bobo a lot. I shared many things with him over the years and he was my constant companion who'll always hold a special place in my heart.

Here's a photo of Bobo...
And another one of him with Mom and I.

We had to give Bobo away when we moved to another area because we didn't have the room to keep him. I didn't want to let him go, but I knew it was for the best.

I didn't get another dog until after Chris and I got married. We got a Shih-Tzu that we named Gizmo. Remember the movie "Gremlins"? He made us think of the one named Gizmo when we first saw him, so that's how he got his name. We had him for 14 wonderful years. I grew very close to him in a short amount of time. He became my little shadow. Anywhere I went, he'd be right on my heels. I think he prepared us for becoming parents. He taught us patience, understanding, and unconditional love.

I still recall when my mom was dying in the hospital back in 2000. I had traveled from Alabama to Arkansas to be with her, and Gizmo came along. I didn't want to be alone in the hotel room at night, so he was a great companion to me. I remember walking in my room at the end of a long day at the hospital to find him wagging his tail for me. He'd hop up on the bed at night with me and curl up next to me. You can't imagine the comfort he gave me during that difficult time in my life.

Gizmo passed away a year or so later. His poor ol' body just gave out. That was such a hard thing to have to put him down. Chris and I went in the room to be with him, but I soon decided I couldn't bare watching the process take hold, so I left the room. Poor Chris had to deal with that on his own, but he understood. It was a very sad day, but we made a decision that was best for him. There is no doubt that Gizmo left an indelible impression on my heart forever. I will never forget him and the love he gave me and our family.

Here's Gizmo and Brittany...

He was having a very bad hair day...
This was the first time his lips got to touch and taste a Krispy Kreme doughnut...he was hooked immediately!

Now, of course, we have Maddie and Bella in our lives and we're so very fortunate. We love them dearly! I know that I will always have a dog...I can't imagine life any other way.

Have you ever heard the poem entitled "Beau" written by Jimmy Stewart? I, actually, have a framed version of it hanging on my wall. Here is Jimmy Stewart reading it on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Hope you enjoy it!






Happy 2009!!!

The Gift of Giving

We had a great weekend...hope all of you did, too! The only problem is that it went by way too fast!

Chris got home late on Thursday night. On Friday, we went out to lunch together, which is always nice. Gives us a chance to catch up with each other. Then, we had some errands to run. The most important one was buying some gifts for a very special little boy. You see, last weekend after church, Chris and I chose a tag off our church's Christmas tree of a 10 year old boy who's in need. On his wish list were items that included socks, shirts, pants, a remote control car, and, like most boys his age...a BIKE. For some reason, maybe it was Divine Intervention, we were we both drawn to this nameless 10 year old little boy.

So, on Friday after lunch, we headed to the nearest store in search of the items on his wish list. We found some warm-up pants and a matching shirt with footballs on it...perfect for a boy his age! We, also, got him a big bag of socks. Last, but not least, we got him a brand new bike! It was so neat...bronze in color with racing stripes. Chris and I just couldn't resist! When we made our decision, I got so choked up just thinking about how excited he'll be when he sees what he's gotten for Christmas! I seriously almost had to excuse myself from the store because tears were rolling down my face.

I'm not sharing this story to put myself on some sort of pedestal. I simply want to share the joy it brought to Chris and I knowing we were about to make a little boy very happy. That means the world to both of us. We feel that we have been so blessed in many ways...Chris has a job he loves, we all are in good health, we have a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and food on our table. God has been so incredibly good to us and we want to give back some of all He's given to us. To me, that's what the spirit of Christmas is about...loving others more than yourself. I pray that little boy has one of the happiest Christmases ever!

On Saturday night, we had family movie night and watched "Facing the Giants". I had never seen it, but I've heard a lot about it. Let me just say that it was so touching! I think I started crying about 30 minutes after it started! The theme of the movie was, "All things are possible with God." Oh, how true that is! If you haven't seen it, go out and rent it...it really is worth seeing for the whole family.

Here's a couple of pictures I took over the weekend. We got a few gifts (dog treats) for Maddie and Bella and I wrapped them and put them under the tree. Maddie is very protective of hers, needless to say. In fact, it's turned her from a docile dachshund to an EVIL dachshund! She, literally, sits under our Christmas tree all day long guarding her presents. If anyone walks within a couple of feet of her, she starts growling and snarling. If you get too close, she chases you out of the room. I get so tickled at her...she means business! Bella, on the other hand, could care less about her gifts...OR, maybe she's just too much of a chicken to get close to Maddie. I really can't blame her!

Maddie's guarding her Christmas presents, which are right under her nose...Bella looks too intimidated to move!

Bella went to the "hair salon" on Friday and came back with a new "do". She even smelled like peppermint!

Enjoy your day and take a moment to count your blessings!

Hugs!