Caution: Do not read if "weak stomach" describes you

Welp, it's almost go time and I'm pretty unprepared. The good news is that we found a house sitter so we won't have that to worry about in our absence. The bad news is that I have yet to pack fully. I think my husband's habit of waiting until the last minute has rubbed off on me. I'll get there, though and it will all come together.

The bad news just keeps piling up. Let me just let you in on how my day went-

I brought Holly and Drifter inside while I cleaned the house so that they could spend some time with me (I'm so fun, ya know?). Then we went for a nice little walk around the neighborhood, only to find out that the mail hadn't been picked up since Thursday. In case you didn't know, I have the worst luck with the postal service. In the tan colored box with the red flag standing at attention is a bunch of bills that will no doubt be late this month. Anyway, when we arrived at the cabin again, I poured some water into their bowls because they seemed parched. Well, the little scoundrels chugged it, each wanting to down it before the other could. Throwing up ensued.

I put them both outside so I could re-clean my floors. There was only an hour in between then and the time we all had to leave for their vet appointments. How much trouble could they possibly get into? Never ask that question.

I walked outside to load them up into the truck and they had pooed all over the entry way to their cage. To let you know how grody it was, I will say that this particular bowel movement shouldn't be confused with a solid. It was definitely of the liquid persuasion. I was running late so I had no time to clean it off before I got them out of there so I maneuvered around the mess as best I could while I hooked them into their leash. Just as I thought we were free of the mess, Drifter backs up into it and starts moving his evil paws so as to splatter it all over my jeans and shoes. It was at that moment that I realized. I cannot wait to get home!

I'll be dog free.

Of course, I'm also thrilled to see everyone. I'll be traveling tomorrow. I don't know how much you'll hear from me over the next month, but I do plan on posting when I get the chance. I want to ask you for your prayers and good vibes for Captain J. He will likely be under a lot of stress and physical challenges during the next month so we're hoping he is able to handle it well. I'm worried about him going from this mild climate of 50ish degrees to temps of 90 degrees and above. Yuck! He's strong, though and I know he'll be fine.

I'll leave you with another thing that made this rainy day a bit brighter...a new award! Thanks to Lydia_Isabelle for this sweet thought-

 

You should go check out her page- Reality Check. I love reading her blog. She's a beautiful person inside and out and really seems to have a good head on her shoulders...ya know, as best I can tell from my side of the world! :) Now, onto those pesky rules:

I'm supposed to list 3 things I love about myself-

1. My eyes- They're the one thing I got from my dear ole dad. I have brown eyes that often give me away. I can't seem to lie because they always betray me! My eyes are also a conversation starter because I can do this weird thing (usually inadvertantly) that makes them go all "wonky" as Mama M. would say.

2. My conscience- It keeps me in check. If I've done something even remotely wrong, I know about it really quick because there's this nagging, gnawing pain that makes me realize I've wronged someone. I hate that feeling, but I'm glad it's there so that I can make things right when I need to.

3. My husband- What?? That counts! We're joined at the hip now that we're hitched, right? I love that I waited to find the best man for me (or waited on God to send him my way) so that there was no question when he came along that that is who I would marry. I love our life together up here in Alaska. Best of all, I love how he makes me want to be a better person.

The other rule is to post a picture that I love. How bout this one? It's fitting-

And now to pass it on...I never give it to as many people as I'm supposed to so that it's more special so I'm going to give it to just one. This little lady blogs at ACUs and ABCs and I think her blog is simply adorable! That's it! Oh, wait...I want to give it to Jenn, too because she's like my other bloggy half. Jenn and I (and a few other military significant others) have an exciting announcement to make in a few weeks. Stay tuned!

Love,

Muslims, Christians, & T.V. Idolizers Alike

It seems that everywhere I go, I'm hearing talk of the "mosque at ground zero." Church, Wal-Mart, Facebook... It's unavoidable. I tend to shy away from posting anything controversial or politically related anymore because so many people can be downright mean and un-accepting of others' opinions. While I will admit that I am against having the mosque built there, I will also say that it isn't for the reasons that so many people are vehemently against it. I wanted to write this post today because this debate is about so much more than religion.

It's about racism for so many people. It's about prejudiceness- something I really hate. We live in a world of fear and suspicion (and with good reason!). After the events of 9/11 and the wars that followed, it's easy to see how we've arrived at this place. We aren't recognizing the "good guys" from the "bad guys" anymore. We're simply generalizing and it's affecting how Muslim Americans are viewed. This isn't the spirit of America!

I love this country for what it stands for: Freedom. As citizens, we all have equal rights to practice freedom of speech, religion, etc. I do hold fast and remember that this country was founded on Christian principles, but that isn't to say that others shouldn't be able to worship Allah or their big screen T.V. if they see fit. That's part of what makes America so great. If we continue to flourish this fear of Muslims then we take away some of what makes America so awesome. Not to mention, we will probably miss out on some great friendships, too.

As a Christian, I'm called to share my beliefs with as many as I can. I'm called to not judge others (Matthew 7:1) and wait for God's judgement (2 Corinthians 5:10). I am also told to abide by the verse in Galatians 5 that says:

14- For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

And this doesn't mean I'm to only love those who are like me. I'm called to extend love and acceptance to everyone. Is that really so hard?

(*Please refrain from rude comments about my beliefs, opinions, or questions re: the mosque. I really don't care to hear that I'm a "Bible Thumping Republican" (although that would strengthen my argument here that we should freely allow freedom of expression and religion without judgement). I didn't write this to talk about politics. It's just something that has been on my mind the past few weeks.)

A Hair Post for the Extremely Bored...

Two Fridays in a row without doing 5QF? What is my deal? To be perfectly honest, I was embarrassed of my hair. For the past month, I've been going around Fairbanks in hats because I needed a cut and color so badly. It was  "terrible awful" as a character in the novel, The Help, often says. I'm happy to report that my hair looks much better and I can resume going out in public again without something to cover my head.

While at the salon, I was reflecting on the whole process and decided it was a very intimate thing. I mean, usually when one lets someone brush up against them, massage their head with shampoo, and run their fingers through their hair, it's typically a much different situation. I let a stranger do all those things to me yesterday. I can't help but to find it odd.

Anyway, when do you consider a trip to the salon a successful one? I think my definition is pretty simple. I think it's successful if I look better as I'm leaving than I did when I was coming in. Is that too relaxed, though? It seems like I'm never ecstatic about a certain cut or color anymore. I don't want to knock the girl who did it because (bless her heart) she did an excellent job considering I was her first customer for color (more on this in a sec).

My experience at this place was a good one. I tend to be impatient when it comes to these things. Sure, I enjoy relaxing but after a few hours have passed, I simply feel slightly narcissistic. I mean, do I really need to spend that much time on my outward appearance? Does it take that much time to make me look acceptable? I hope not.

The lady who did my hair was fairly new. She later told me that she had only graduated from beauty school in April. I liked her, though and I trusted her almost immediately. Trust is such a big part of getting one's hair done, isn't it? I do long for a day when I can find someone that I can say, "Do whatever you want to it!" But I digress...

The styler was very nice and I trusted her right away because she was so dilligent in everything she did. "Would you like some tea?" "May I turn your head?" Stuff like that. I cannot tell you how many times she stopped the haircut or coloring process to ask a question to one of her peers. This was when I was alerted to the fact that she really wasn't very experienced. The nervousness crept in for a split second until I realized that she was asking so many questions because she wanted to get it right just as much as I wanted her to get it right.

Later, I walked out of the salon feeling like a million bucks. Well, maybe half a million since I hadn't donned any makeup that day, but I definitely felt better leaving as I did coming in. Job well done to her! She might just have a returning customer on her hands.

Did I really just write an entire post about my haircut? My apologies! Perhaps the next entry will be a little more interesting.

Boys of Fall

The crowd is intoxicating with its loud sounds of war and the palpable excitement emenating from the fans that fill the stadium. If you look around, you're bound to see some attractive southern belles in skirts and pearls parading up and down the seat isles. They have their touch of Tennessee orange perfectly cooridinated with the rest of their ensemble. If you find me there though, I'll be the girl with the t-shirt or jersey on, standing up, emersed in every play.

 

100,000 plus fans come from all walks of life to come together for one cause: to cheer on UT football and scream out, "It's GREAT to BE a Tennessee Vol..." Oh, how I cannot wait to get home and back to the SEC- football at its finest.

Fall is definitely my favorite season. It brings with it beautiful, vibrant colors and crisp, fresh air. It also brings the best sport known to man- American Football. Someone remind me why baseball is supposedly America's Favorite Pasttime?

Fall also brings about Halloween which is the coolest celebration ever. Yes, I still go trick or treating! Maybe these costumes will give you an idea of how much I love watching the sport-

 

 

I'm so excited to head south and experience good football again. These Alaskans just don't know how to do it. Who can blame them, though? It's too cold the majority of the year to play outside. As you can imagine, there isn't an abundance of teams to play either. I look forward to spending some time on UT's campus and cheering on my Vols at Neyland Stadium while I'm in town. I was also really excited to see my little brother play for our hometown's high school team, too but he hurt himself  right before the first game and is out for the entire season. What a bummer! He was working so hard at practices and lifting. I think he'll preoccupy himself some other way, though.

Looks like a hard life, right? Happy Birthday, Jake (if you're reading)! I love ya and you're easily the best little brother a sister could ask for.

Go Vols!

Peaceful, Easy Feelin'

This morning has been so serene. I woke up without being startled awake by an alarm, a dog, or an F350 barreling into our gravel driveway. It was nice. I meandered my way downstairs to prepare breakfast for my hungry soldier who was due home any minute. I turned on a little Jack Johnson while I made eggs, bacon, coffee, and chai tea for me. When Captain J arrived, we spent the morning chatting and then later we talked about how the upcoming month will be difficult for us. Oh, how I'll miss him.

After he left for work, I brought our dear dogs inside. Drifter is chewing on a bone and Holly is demanding attention as we speak. She is such a sweetie! I'm going to miss these silly dogs of ours in September when I travel home.

I think I'd better take these yay-hoos for a run later, but I'm somewhat nervous to do so. Yesterday we had a mama moose with two of her young in our driveway and Captain J said he saw them in the neighbor's yard this morning after PT. I wouldn't want to alert the mama into fight mode. I'm afraid my flight just wouldn't be fast enough...

Happy Day to you!

Wonder Lake

I once watched a special on drug smuggling that told the story of a young woman who was captured at a Japan airport and held prisoner in their system for years. The program described how she wasn't able to enjoy the comfort of a chair nor was she allowed to lean or prop against anything during the day. She endured terribly long bouts of not being able to move much and she rarely ever was comfortable.

This is what sleeping with Captain J in a backpacking tent feels like. It's hell on Earth.

I told him from Day One that I was convinced his supposed two person tent was actually manufactured for one individual of a very small stature. Thankfully, this past weekend was only the second time we've used it. We typically pack the bigger tent when we're not backpacking.

Despite the incredibly uncomfortable (freezing cold, tee-tiny space, knee to the back) sleeping conditions I endured, the trip to Wonder Lake in Denali National Park was awesome. This trip was one we'd been planning on for awhile and we were so glad to have gotten the chance to go.

Located at mile 85 in the park, Wonder Lake Campground is the closest camping area to Mt. McKinley. No fires are permitted here so cooking is limited. The park provides bear proof lockers to store food in so you can keep your bear worries under control! There's definitely a lot of wildlife to be seen here, though. We actually saw a bear just about ten miles from where we set up camp! In addition to six bears, we also saw a moose (of course), 14 wolves, 10 caribou, and several dall sheep.

 

We arrived at our camp site and began setting up the tent at around 1830. We got set up just in time for the rain to start pouring down. We didn't mind, though because we had excellent weather all day which is a lot to ask in this area. Rain and mosquitos are known to plague the park in the summer months. We didn't have much of both. We ate our dinner under an awning and watched the rain fall. As we cleaned up the dishes, we noticed the sun emerging again from the clouds. Wanting to take advantage of this, we hurried out to a hiking trail about a half mile away to pick blueberries and explore the area.

We left the camp the following day with only a few minor bug bites, a whole bag full of the best blueberries I've ever tasted, and the memories of God's awesome creation that will last a lifetime!

Things that are sweet

If you know me at all, you are probably well aware of the fact that I have a major sweet tooth. I love chocolate more than I love air. Okay, that's a little extreme...but it IS right up there on the favorites scale. It's too bad I can't bake. Maybe I'll learn one day, but until then I can live vicariously through this lady's creations. Go check out her Little-Sweets blog and support a good friend of the family in her baking endeavors.

What else is sweet? When I receive a care package in the mail from my dear mother! I went to the post office yesterday to find thumbprint cookies, scrapbooking supplies, a book, and a new charm for my Pandora bracelet. I was so excited that I spent most of the day scrapping all the pictures I'm behind on. I'm finished through March now, though! I'm not going to lie, the cookies are almost gone and I only shared one with Captain J. #Bad girl! Oh, well...

Thanks, Mom!

State Fair and Snoop-a-Loop

This past weekend there was some excitement in our neck of the woods. First of all, the fair was in town. I mean, c'mon...How much more exciting can you get? I kid, I kid.

The Tanana Valley State Fair isn't much to write home about, but I'll share it with you anyway. Saturday was the last day of the festivities so we wanted to stop by and see what was going on. Honestly, we spent most of our time sitting around and chatting with some friends we ran into. The best part about this fair, or any fair, is the livestock. We saw lions and tigers and bears (oh my!)...Okay, that's not true. We did see reindeer, pigs, horses, chickens, sheep, and goats, though-

Before we exited, we stopped by a tent where this charming young lady was trying to sell a gaggle of meats and mustards. She really racked up when we walked by! We were ravenous anyway because it was later in the evening and we hadn't had dinner yet. We ended up leaving with 26 reindeer sausages! They are pretty tasty, though so I suppose all is well.

Then we headed over to Chena on the River to dine with friends out on the deck of the restaurant. What a lovely evening!

Let's back up, though...to Saturday DAY. As you may know, I recently booked a flight to Tennessee. To do so, Captain J and I decided to go to the airport to discuss redeeming our frequent flyer miles. As we pull up, park, and begin walking inside, I noticed this guy who was, I'm sure, the definition of supa fly. His suit screamed, "I'm important" and his stance did, too. Inside the automatic doors of the airport, the atmosphere seemed exciteable. It was easy to recognize that something was going down. Three other huge black guys in sweet suits were standing no where near each other around baggage claim and the gate exit. While this is perhaps commonplace in Atlanta or Chicago, it most certainly is not in Fairbanks, Alaska. In fact, I probably can't tell you the last time I saw anyone in a suit around town or at church aside from these fellas. The norm around here is ACUs or flannel!

Anyway, I remembered Snoop-a-loop (wait, that's not right) was scheduled to perform at a local bar that night. Less than a minute after that thought enters my mind, we see a  tall guy walking through the doors with a big teddy bear lookin' thingy on his head. That's the moment I met Snoop D-O-double G. Alright, I'm lying again. I actually just saw him about 10 feet from where I was standing. I didn't want to be the girl who was like 'OMGahhh, it's Snoop! Can I have your autograph?" so I just played it cool. Ha!

I tried to discreetly take a picture, but I only managed to get a scary look from one of the bodyguards.

Oh, well. Next time.

Tickets and Toys

I'm sitting at my kitchen table listening to a Chattagnooga, TN radio station and getting very excited about going home. I miss that accent! In my last post, I told you that I have more news to share so here I am with it:

I'm going home! I'll be making the dreadful flight from Alaska to Home Sweet Home and should be in at the beginning of September. I'll be home for about a month as Captain J goes off to some intense training- also down South. I won't get to see him graduate (if he makes it) and I won't get to hear his voice for the whole time he'll be gone. That's the hardest part- not knowing how he is, what he is doing, or when I'll talk to him again. I've never gone a whole month without hearing from him since we met...even during deployment. I hope I'll hold up well. More importantly, I hope J holds up well. This school is really trying so I'd love it if you'd send up some prayers for him. I know he'll make it through the process if that's what God wants for this family. The outcome of this school will determine when we leave Alaska so obviously we're hoping for the best, but I just want him to be safe while he's there.  That's the most important thing on my mind.

In other news, we've gone a little loco with spending money recently. We were saving for a new truck so when we accumulated over half of the money, we went shopping. Captain J We are the proud new owners of a Ford F350 crew cab gas guzzler.

Tree Huggers- Forgive us. We love it, although I'm not sure the feeling will last when we drive from Alaska to Georgia in the coming months. It might, though because it is so spacious and sparkly clean inside. It's a nice upgrade and should be paid off within the span of a few months. Maybe then we can start saving again. I know I want to be thrifty in order for me to be able to see one of my best friends get married in Greece next year!

I don't know if J was feeling guilty for spending all that money on his toy, but after we got the truck he surprised me with a Cricut! I finally feel like a real crafter now (Think Pinocchino and "a real boy"). I can't describe how much I love this thing already! I decided I was going to make all our Christmas cards this year. Lofty, huh? Anyway, I've already gotten started. Here's what I've come up with this morning:

I'm new to making cards. Sometimes I don't take the time that I should and it comes out looking like a small child's piece of work albeit a very gifted child. ;) As I continue crafting, I hope to get better. I'd also like to take a look at different layout ideas and such. The above card was just something I started cutting and pasting. Perhaps next time I'll have something more impressive to show!

Stay tuned for that and another post about this past weekend and how I totally laid eyes on a famous rapper in the airport...

Love,

Farewell, Friend

One sure-fire way to know you're getting old is when you get excited about new cleaning products. Before I go into that nonsense, I'll tell you about one thing that truly sucks about the military--the goodbyes.

Of course you've heard me talk read my posts about this before, but this time I'm saying audios to the first friend I made up here in Alaska. She's the girl who didn't know me from Adam Eve yet she invited me into her home to stay with her before I found a place for the Cap'n and me to live. She's also the girl that rolled up her sleeves and went to work on helping me build that fence. Basically, she's been right here with me during the day when J is at work- keeping me busy company. She's leaving tomorrow, but I don't think it has really sunk in yet.  This is likely because I think I'll be seeing her again at another duty station before too long. We'll see. That doesn't make it suck any less, though. Pardon my lack of a better term.

In short, goodbyes aren't fun, but not everything about them are terrible. Does that make me a bad person? Let me explain...

Alaska is considered OCONUS, an overseas duty station. Just knowing that, you can imagine it costs an arm and leg to get moved back down to the lower 48. Thankfully, the army pays for a lot of that if you do choose to move yourself (DITY move). Well, in the interest of saving space, Nicole decided to give me all this cool stuff:

A Chai Latte Maker! Yum



A Cabinet to organize my craft room



and Cleaning supplies!



Who knew a young woman such as myself could get so pumped about household cleaning products? I did, though. I've already sampled most of that bucket and I haven't had it any longer than a few hours.

Military folks tend to have moving sales or just give away a lot of their accumulated "stuff" as they PCS. Captain J and I got an extra bedroom set that way a few months ago! Looks like we racked up again...Thanks, Nicole!

Anyway, I've got lots to tell ya but I'll have to share with you on a later date. I'm tired and off to bed. Bonsoi!

short, sweet 5QF

To play along, go to Mama M's page- My Little Life

Military Reunions

I just cried after watching this video on youtube.



It took me back to reunions with Captain J after a long time gone, specifically a deployment. If ever you lose faith in humanity, go to an airport. You'll likely witness a reunion of any two people who haven't seen each other for awhile. Perhaps someone is carrying flowers. Maybe they make a mad dash to each other to get that hug faster. Perhaps they stand in awe and excitement at first at the sight of that person and the realization that the time spent apart is over and slowly registers on their face with a big smile. These expressions always get to me, especially if the party involved is in uniform because it's likely that the separation has been a long one.

I bawled, I mean bawled on our way back from TN to AK last Christmas as I witnessed a mom in uniform saying goodbye to her young daughter. She was headed to Iraq and would miss an entire year of her daughter's life. An entire year of first steps, first words, and hearing "Mama" for the first time. The only thing that halted my tears was picturing what that reunion would look like 365 days from then.

The first time I welcomed J home from Iraq from R&R after 7ish months away, I was nervous and excited and spent most of those last few hours in LaLa Land. When I saw him and was encompassed by his arms, all felt right with the world. I rarely have that feeling! I knew I was right where I was supposed to be and I was elated to have him home.

The second time I welcomed him home I blogged about here. :) Now, excuse me while I go dote on my husband to let him know I'm so happy he's home.

Letters for Donya

How's everyone doing? Aside from a few bruises and scrapes, I'm doing well! I'll be back with regular posting soon, but please forgive me if I slack a bit. Captain J is home! Anyway, I'm wondering if you might want to help bring cheer to someone's life? Who doesn't, right? I heard about a sweet lady, Donya, who is having a birthday on August 18th. She has Down's Syndrome and is, against all odds, turning 50 years old.  She loves getting mail so I think we should all flood her mailbox with birthday cheer from all over the world! Click here to learn more about this woman and how you can help make her 50th a happy one.

Wanna see what I came up with?

I hope she doesn't mind that it looks like a five year old made it! Go leave her some love :)

His & Her Thoughts

He unfolds his green mat as he settles on the soggy ground that has become his bed. As he closes his eyes, he can picture her in his mind. The odd color of her hair and her warm brown eyes fill his mind. He wonders what she's doing in the very moment the sounds of a helicopter fade away and the roaring of the humvee start up.

She drums her newly painted deep purple fingernails on her thigh as she flips through the channels to see what's on. The only thing on her mind is reuniting with her husband soon. The t.v. is on just to fill the awful silence. She wonders if his blue eyes are tired. Has he fallen asleep? Is he sore and exhausted?

His last thoughts as he drifts off to sleep are of missing his comfortable bed.

Hers are of how their bed just isn't very comfortable without him in it.

 

Cry me a river

Sometimes I'm a crazy, emotional mess. I like to blame it on my hormones because that's easy. Truth is, I could just be a big cry baby! I am feeling pretty good now- This coming from a girl who has cried three times today, though.

The first time (today) was this morning as I was getting ready for church. I don't know if this one actually counts on the crying tally because it was more of a situation where I wanted to cry I was so upset, but I really just had a few whiney why me's and then I was done. I woke up and brought the dogs in while I showered and dressed. While attempting to tame my nappy head, I heard the distinct sound of chewing. Dog chewing. Well aware of the fact that I didn't give anyone a bone, I opened the bathroom door to find Drifter chewing on THE FURNITURE! Ahh!! As I was scolding him, Solstice decided to throw up...TWICE because she was hogging the water this morning and drank it all too fast. Great. Just great. I really wanted to mop before going to church. That coffee I had in mind seemed out of the question due to time constraints.

The second time, I teared up at the slideshow at church. It depicted several children in China who had been helped due to an organization that provides money for surgeries they were in need of. The non profit also deals with adoption opportunities. The video was happy for cryin' out loud. I have no idea what my problem is. I was probably crying because I knew I was the last person that could contribute to their organization--I can't even be a good adoptive parent to 3 dogs!

The third time I cried was when I handed over Solstice to her new owners. A friend and fellow Army family took her today and I hated to see her go. It warmed my heart that she seemed eager to go with them and I've also talked to the wife via facebook and am happy to report that she is doing well. She even cuddled up to her one year old daughter today! I miss her, but I know she'll be happy with them.

I'm not sure why I'm teary. I miss J, I suppose. It's so hard to live with my best friend- share my entire life with him and then have to tell him goodbye for weeks at a time. He called me the other day and told me he was proud of me. He said he was proud of the way I handled "things" while he is away and that, dear readers, is one of the best things a military wife can hear from her husband.

Anyway, I'm getting my hair done soon so tell me....

Red?

 OR

[caption id="attachment_1299" align="alignnone" width="181" caption="Blonde?"][/caption]

mmm...warm cookies

To play along, head on over to Mama M.'s page- Our Little Life.

Rawr!!

I am woman....hear me roar!

 I never thought I was cut out for the role of a military spouse. I never really thought of myself as a strong individual...or independent even. I like having people around me that I know I can depend on. I think it's quite a different ball park when one has to step outside their little box and do something they wouldn't normally do. It's much easier to be independent out of necessity. The military often creates these types of situations where the one left at home has to step up, to make a decision, or be as strong as they can in support of their spouse. I experienced a little portion of that today...

Last night, I got a phone call saying that my animals had escaped (again). The fence that Captain J and I put up was not working. Mischievious little Holly kept squeezing through followed by the other two terrors sweeties. They're quite fond of rolling in horse manure in a pasture near my house which makes for a very cranky Mrs. K! I knew something had to be done so I enlisted the help of my dear friend- fellow Army wife, Nicole. She is such a good sport and always down for any of my crazy notions. She assured me that the two of us could definitely build a fence. We'd show our husbands!

After loading in the pick-up truck, driving around town, and purchasing materials we arrived at my casa at about 1030. The old fence came down and up went the new one-

 

 

Voila! I was very proud of our handy work. I never thought I'd build a fence. Does that sound snooty? If so, I don't care. :) That's man's work, right? Anyway, I proved today that I'm just a little stronger than I thought I was.

I've got to protect these dogs somehow! I really want to keep them all. Solstice is doing so much better here. Captain J is putting his foot down from far away, though. He says--absolutely not! Two dogs at the most. I know he's right.

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you my girl power. All in a day's work! I'm going to go watch some rented movies with two of my friends. See ya tomorrow for some vlog time!

 

Upset

So, maybe I have pet meds listed all over my calendar. Maybe I just bought a baby gate to keep out unwanted pets from the carpeted areas of my home. So what if I have three beautiful Alaskan Huskies nestled around me as I type? Don't judge me. I swear I'm not a pet hoarder.

Solstice wandered back into our lives last night. I heard Holly and Drifter barking like crazy so I knew something was up. I peered out the window and what did I see? Solstice's lovely face emerging from the wooded area behind our house. She came back! I was so excited to see that she was okay. Of course, catching her was a feat but I finally did and I'm happy to report that she is back and with her belly full.

As much as I worried about her whereabouts and pretended not to worry, I still didn't only feel relief when I saw her. I also felt a bit of panic- "Oh. no...what are we going to do with three dogs?" Two get along like peas and carrots, but the other is a skiddish outsider that doesn't even let me get close to her. Honestly, I don't know what to do with her. I know she's sweet and that she is just very scared, but how do I care for a dog that won't allow me to pet her, to leash her, or to even feed her? It makes me sad. It also makes me incredibly mad at whoever made her this way. I detest people who take their frustrations out on poor defenseless animals. I fear Solstice has lived with abuse for most of her life. I don't want to give up on her, but I also know that I can't have 3 dogs. I just can't. I want to surround myself with kids. I want to congratulate them on learning to tie a shoe lace; I want to oooh and ahhh when they roll over for the first time. Teaching my dogs to "shake" and "sit" are just not the same. I'm conscious in my decision making with these animals so much so that I wish to leave room for my future family.

I guess J and I just bit off more than we can chew. I recognize that getting Holly so quickly after losing Solstice wasn't the best idea and honestly...it's not too late to give Holly back with a full refund. Solstice, too. But I cannot send them back just to be homeless again. I don't want to play favorites, but it would break my heart to not have Holly around. She is the sweetest, most loyal husky I've ever met and I feel like she's mine already. So, what do I do? I have a responsibility to these pets so I'm not giving them back to the animal shelter. I am, however, searching for a home for Solstice. I want her life to be better. She needs a family with lots of time to devote to her. Or she needs a sled dog team, some place where she fits in, where she can live outside with other dogs and feel comfortable again.

I found a kennel called Where Spirits Walk that takes in sled dogs who are in unfortunate situations. They give them a home and give them a job. They work with abused animals and I truly think Solstice would be perfect for their program, but they are selective about who they will take in. I have been corresponding via telephone and email with one of the employees, but I don't know if it will all pan out. I just want her to be happy and she's clearly not happy with us.

I also have several people that want to visit with her to see if she'll fit with their family. Wish me luck in finding her a happy home. It makes me really sad to type this and I don't know why because I never considered myself an animal lover. I wish Captain J was here to hold my hand and remind me that we can't have three dogs. I wish he would set me straight. But the phone hasn't sounded and I haven't heard from him all day. Here goes another long stint.

I'm just really upset today.

a taste of wine (and regret) weekend

Hello Readers. Much has happened since we last spoke. Please allow me to update you with the goings-on around me. My hubby returned home, much later than we expected. It didn't matter much, though because I was in good ole North Pole helping out a friend (ahem...Shannon's Blog). Did you like my plug-in there? I've linked to this lady before, but I wanted to do so again because she is fabulous. Anyway, I was very happy to welcome Captain J home, but as I write that now it seems odd because he is already leaving again. I'll be saying my goodbyes again tonight.

We made the most of our weekend. Saturday we spent way too much money and acted like rockstars. To start the night off, we went to a restaurant nestled on the Chena River for appetizers and wine. We dined on the porch and talked about our future and starting a family. We sipped on Riesling and had a tasty fruit and cheese plate and thought about where we would head next. After making a quick run on post, we went back to our extravagant (well, extravagant for us) spending spree and found ourselves at Bobby's, a local Greek restaurant. We enjoyed a dinner of greek pizza, salad, and red wine and headed towards the door to make our last stop for dessert.

We love doing that--eating our courses at different locations. It can get pricey, though but we do it when we can. It's just that much more time we get to spend together at meal times.

Anyway, on the way out the door we spotted a friend who invited us to join his party of six so we decided to just have dessert in the bar area with them. We shared a hefty piece of Baklava and topped off the night with coffee and white Russians. Yum!

What a lovely evening after a hard days work! Oh, that's right...I didn't tell you. J and I built a fenced in area for our sweet doggies. When we left that evening, Solstice and Drifter were enjoying playing in their new pen. We returned home from our night out on the town and wanted to bring the dogs inside so we could spend some time with them before we went to bed. J had Solstice by the collar when Drifter charged after her, scaring her into running. She got out of Captain J's grasp and shot off out of the neighborhood with Drifter trailing her. We later found her collar, but no Solstice. :( I really regret not hooking her into a leash immediately instead of having J just hold her there. We picked up Drifter and continued to call out for Solstice and search the wooded areas around where we last saw her. I even called a friend that works at the animal shelter inquiring about her, but we've had no luck. I just want to know she's okay. She really is a sweet dog. I guess she didn't like it here with us, but I think that's because she had been abused. She didn't like any humans we introduced her to. I spent that evening and the next morning hoping she would wander back our way so I left her crate outside with the door open, but we've seen no sign of her. I fear she won't ever be caught because she doesn't allow people very close to her. Hopefully a nice family with a pack of sled dogs has taken her in. She's happiest outside with a bunch of other dogs. If you're in the Fairbanks area and see this dog, please let me know.

In her absence, we got another dog that seems to be very well suited for D-Nugget. Her name is Holly and she's two years old. They love playing together! She seems much more loyal to us already. I took them both to the park yesterday and she kept "checking in" with me every few minutes. What a sweet girl!

If Holly gets away it will break my heart and we will definitely be done in the dog department! I've got my hands full with these two little bundles of energy, but I also have much more quiet time now, too. Huskies are pack animals so having more than one is definitely much easier, in my opinion. Don't worry...we're done adopting!

Enough about pets, let's talk about kids! Not mine yet because those are non-existent, but you must check out this lady's blog to see all the interesting photos she takes while imagining what her sleeping baby is dreaming of. These pictures are so precious! I cannot believe the baby sleeps through all this-

Mila's Daydreams

I think that's enough randomness for now. Until next time, Ta-ta!

(Photo credit here and here.)