Work and a Few Tidbits. . . Here and There. . .

I am not able to post a lot about my job because of privacy and things like that but today we had a staff meeting and they introduced a new out reach campaign to get people to sign up to be organ, eye, and tissue donors.   It is called "Be the Hero your Dog Sees."   We have a lot of animal lovers in our company and they decided what better way to reach out to the community, than with their animals.  Basically, if you have dogs you know that your dog thinks the sun rises and sets with their human.  So our campaign wants you to be a hero to everyone by signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor because your dog already thinks you are a hero.  If you are interested or would like more information about organ donation if you are in North Carolina go to Donate Life NC, if you are somewhere else you can go to Donate Life America.

#Betheheroyourdogsees

My job is not easy and many nights I cry on my drive home thinking about the sweet folks that gave so much of themselves for someone else.  I think about that year that my sweet hubby was laid off and how God had a plan for our family and more importantly he had a plan for me.  I do love my job and I am very thankful for the opportunity I have been given to make a difference and to be a hero my dog sees. 

Photos from the Beach. . .

Snow, Snow, and Snow. . .

We got more snowfall than the predictions and it was in the teens this morning.   The sweet B loved being in the snow yesterday but, she is less enthused today.   The hubbs said she could have been the ASPCA spokes doggie for keeping your pets inside on cold days.  It was absolutely pitiful.  She has the height of the pug, so with almost 10 inches of snow her little naked belly was buried in the snow. 
We laid down two boards before the snow started so when it was over she would have a grassy spot to potty.  
That works great for a quick squat but for the other it would not do, hence the cold belly. 
They have already called school off for tomorrow and Church was canceled for today due to road conditions.  
I love the snow, I always have.  I called my mom the day after it had snowed and hollered, "it snowed, it snowed, let's go out and play, hurry up."   Mom got a kick out of it as I reminded her of early a start I would get sledding with our neighbor.  They had the best hill, it was almost like a ski slope.  

 It is so peaceful when the snow is falling.  It is like nature's way of cleansing itself and starting new. 
Here's to the new year and a cleansing of my own, a new start for our family.  

Odd Things Around My House. . .

I was watching an old episode of Designing Women the other day, it was the one where they were to redecorate a house of an older woman.   If you do not know what Designing Women is, it was an 80's show about four women interior decorators and their lives.    This particular episode was about the quirky things they found in this house and the very interesting reasons why they were there.  It  made me think, what will people say about things they will find in my house one day when I am gone.  On the show the lady had a portrait of her husband hung upside down in the living room.  The reason was the lady had to lay a certain way on the couch and if the picture were upside down she could see it better.  She also had fishing lures in a glass case as if they were priceless jewels.  I laughed at that one because I got it immediately.   Her husband made those lures and sold them, that was like his display case of what he could do and since he had passed away it was evidence of what he had done.
I started thinking about all the odd things I have in my house and what people might think when they see it.  I have a zip lock baggie in my jewelry box with my precious Frito's baby teeth in it.   Sweet Frito was our very special Chihuahua and when she was a baby and her teeth fell out I would put them in the baggie to keep.  I am not sure why I did it, it just seemed right.  I have a baggie with Basil's teeth too.   I also have baggies with my kids teeth.  In my living room on a book case there is a pewter urn with my sweet Frito's ashes and a ceramic piece with her footprint along with her picture and her collar and tag.  She was a huge part of our family, my kids grew up with her.   On that same bookcase there are two wooden boxes that contain the ashes of our sweet Cainie and Jake our Labs that were also a huge part of our family.   There are no labels on these, so you would not know what they were just to look at them.  On this same bookshelf at the bottom are an assortment of turkey feathers.  Big T loves turkeys and my mom and dad always have turkeys in their yard and mom sends Big T the feathers that she finds around the house.  I also have little glass jars with sharks teeth in them.  The boys and my hubby love to look for sharks teeth when we are at the beach.  I have a jar for each beach and those teeth that they found there.  
I am sure I have more odd things laying around but to me they are not odd, they represent our lives as a family and all the things we have done.

The loss of a pet?

As an adult you would think I could handle this better.  I think because I am older it is harder.  I know that animals don't live forever.  I know that God has been at work in my life this week because I have had two substitute teaching jobs.  I say that is God at work because I don't think I could have been at home alone these past two days.  I really believe if I had been at home I would have driven myself crazy.  Every where I look I see my little Frito.  Her toys, her little sweater she wore when it was cold, and every time I look at the couch where she used to lay.   There is a big empty feeling in this house since she is no longer with us.  I thank God for getting me out of the house these past two days.  I also thank the teacher that called me.  I know I will get over this and some may say I am being silly.   I just feel like there is this giant hole where my little angel used to be.   I still catch myself reaching for her during the night in the bed, looking for her on the couch, and looking for her in her little bed.   I am an adult.  Why is this so darn hard?   Why can I not just get over it?  
When Mark and I were first married and we would have an argument of course I would get upset and cry and pout.  Frito would find me and want to lick the tears from my face.  That was the only time I would let her lick my face.  She would always help me to get over my mad spell.  She loved her toys.  When she was little we would have to hide her toys so she would go to sleep.    Usually that would take some time because every time we hid one she would go and find another somewhere in the house.  Her favorite treat was peanutbutter.  She only got a little but that was all she needed.    She hated riding in the car, but she would rather ride in the car with us than stay in the garage without us.

My Dear Frito. . .

You know, if you have read anything in my blog, that we dearly love our animals.  My Dear Frito passed away last night.  She had congestive heart failure.  She would have been 14 on May the 22nd.  Mark, the kids and I are very sad right now because not only was she a dearly loved pet but a big part of our family.   She practically grew up with Jack and Thomas.  She was always with us no matter where we went.  She even went on vacations with Mark and I before we had the kids.   This is going to be very hard for us to adjust since she was such a huge part of all of our lives.   I know that she is in a much better place now and is no pain and can run and chase whatever she wants.  She also is able to see what she is chasing. 

My dear Frito you will be missed by us all.