I am thankful for...

I am thankful for Shaun - he's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I am thankful for such a smart, sweet and sensitive son. He will do this world some good one day. I am thankful for all of the volunteers who have helped me along the way and who are always there through the good times and the bad. I am thankful for my dogs (fosters, too!), who, even in times of stress can make me smile and laugh. Watching them play can relieve my stress like nothing else - it reminds me why my stress is worth it. I am thankful that I am able to help someone else. I may not have much, but I will always share what I have. I am thankful for all of my friends that have pitched in and helped me during my rough times - the kind words, the dog food, the puppy milk, the paper, the donations - wow. I am thankful for a boss that puts up with me - puppies at work AND I haven't been on time once since I took them. I am just thankful. I know that I have so much to be thankful for. I hope you do, too. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. ❤

My birthday was like "Whoa."

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but I'm crazy right now. I am overwhelmed with foster dogs. I have 13 dogs in the house - 4 of which belong to me, another 4 are toddlers, and the other 5 are rescue mutts. It has been SO MUCH WORK with the puppies since right form the start. At first it was bottle-feeding and butt-wiping every two hours, and now it's trying to keep them contained and cleaned up after. I would have been much better off if I hadn't taken them, but they would probably be dead. So. They're here and they're running me ragged.

Aside from that I'm pretty stressed financially. Shadow has this Beta Club trip coming up that I really want him to go to. I'm determined that he's going, but between that and all of the extra dog stuff I've been buying money is really tight. I don't have a clue about Christmas. I've never done it big, so whatever. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

The lady I foster for is now helping me with dog food and that is a great relief. I will be ok - I just need to calm the hell down and try to think clearly.

Anyway, for the last 3 Fridays in a row I've just come home from work and cried. Because I go to work and I work, and then I come home and I work. So mix that and the worrying about money and I'm just a wreck. A complete and utter mess - like I've never been before. I've been losing weight and having chest pains. Like... if I've ever been not ok, now is that time.

So today, of all days, [I'm not naming names so if you don't want anyone to know it was you don't comment and out yourself] I started getting nasty messages on FB about a dog I'd taken in. A member of the family wanted her back, but that is not how rescue works. So I got messages from several different people telling me that they're upset, and that I suck at rescue, and that I don't help dogs, and that they'll make sure no one ever gives me another dog, etc. Wow. Then I got a phone call that one of my fosters has an application in on her. This is happy / sad news - it's always bittersweet when one is adopted out. That's just how it goes. So I wasn't even able to wait until Friday to have my freakout. I broke down and cried and got sick and was late for work. Happy Birthday to me!

Work was better than home today. Freda made a cheesecake and it was yummy. Shaun took me to eat, which was nice. 🙂 But then we found out that Maggie Moo's and Golden Rule had closed down. That didn't ruin my day, but I wonder what was up with that. 😐 And since I'd come in so late I had to stay later than I wanted to in order to finish up my job.

Then it was time to go home again. And I was SO tired. I didn't get much sleep last night. And when I got here I just REALLY didn't want to go in my house because the puppies would cry and I'd have to feed them and clean up their mess before I could even do anything else. I ended up falling asleep - IN MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY - for like, 3 hours. Shaun came looking for me because he hadn't heard from me (I'd run out of minutes on my cell this morning) and he didn't know where I was.

He woke me up and was all, "Go in your house." And I was like, "I don't want to." And then he was like "You have to" and I almost cried. But then he said "I came over and cleaned up after the puppies when I got off work today. Go in your house." And I was just like, "Seriously? 😃😃😃"

It was the best thing anyone could have ever given me. When I walked in the house didn't smell horrible and I was able to take a minute and have slice of yummy cheesecake and unwind a bit. AND THEN I was able to go and PET my dogs. I was happy to see them - not crazy and rushed. I feel like I got a little piece of my sanity back. And then I came home to everyone being nice to me on Facebook. I just love everybody right now. The whole day might not have been amazing, but it had a good ending. It's definitely been a birthday that I won't forget. 🙂❤

I am...

I am heading to Shaun's man-cave to chill out for a bit.  My chest hurts.  I've never had that happen before.  Laters.  ❤

I just spilled...

I just spilled 3 gallons of water on my nice wood floor. The fact that I didn't lose my mind means that either I've already lost it or that something is WAY off with me. 🙁

This is about dogs. And it made me laugh out loud, in real life. 😃

This is about dogs. And it made me laugh out loud in real life.  😃

https://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html

Baby pics are up!

Baby pics are up!  These little sweethearts are available for adoption as of 11/15/10!  Please SHARE SHARE SHARE this album because the longer I keep them the harder it is to give them up!  I'm overwhelmed with 12 dogs here.  Help me out!  I NEED SOME ADOPTIONS!

Bottle-baby Brownie, birthday estimated to be 10/01/10. She's a rough and tumble little girl. She's got spunk!

Bottle-baby Chester, birthday estimated to be 10/01/10. He was my runt. He's the Mama's Boy. 🙂

Bottle-baby Cupcake, birthday estimated to be 10/01/10. She's the snuggler. And no one can resist those chubby cheeks!

Bottle-baby Lester, birthday estimated to be 10/01/10. He's the quieter one of the bunch - he likes to be held.