Remember my best friend who delievered a gorgeous baby girl in Feburary?

I finally met her yesterday and fell head over heels for her.

Now I never was that girl who had a large group of girlfriends, however I do have a few amazing friends. Best friends for many years. You know the ones where you just pick up exactly where you left off no matter how long its been since you last talked.

I met Karen at age 14. She was there when I first started dating him and now she's a mom!

I am feeling incredibly blessed.

Grandpups

I love my mother. However, she sent her youngest child off to college three years ago and is desperately looking for that next stage in her life....being a grandmother.

Now she never directly says "Please have a baby now". But everytime she overhears my response to children as "Probably closer to 30", she thinks that is way too long to wait.

That being said, Dakota and Daisy take A LOT of pressure off of me. Ever since we brought Dakota home almost 2 years ago, she spoiled her rotten. She spent more money on Dakota her first Christmas then she spent on him and I!

As soon as Dakota broke her leg, my mother did not hesitate to write on my FB wall, "I am coming down to get Daisy". But mom, I didn't even ask? Do not get me wrong, I knew something needed to be done to help Dak recover and am forever thankful. And when I mentioned a 6-8 week recovery time, she didn't even flinch. She responded with a "Well you can get her on Thanksgiving".

I needed to drop Dakota off at the vet/boarding place before I headed home this weekend. I felt so sad leaving her there, but knew it would be the only way she could recover. Not to mention I boarded her at the same place that treats her.

After coming home last night, I am seriously and I mean seriously afraid I will not get Daisy back!

My neighbor came over to greet me and told me how much my parents stinking spoil her. My mom just signed her up for a $100/year dog park (now half price since its September). I met my parents at the dog park when I first arrived in town.

That dog park is AMAZING! Now I know why so many people pay so much. I came during "Yappy Hour" where all the owners are served beer and wine as they watch their dogs play. Daisy looked incredibly happy (and tired). She is the center of my parent's universe.

I always knew my parents would make wonderful grandparents and how they treat my puppy furthers my convictions. Thank goodness for "grandpups" as my mom calls them.

Tale of two tests.

Remember that test I tried to study for merely days before he came home...

Well I needed to drive an hour and a half to the testing center. I laid out everything the night before including directions, my GPS, and my testing ticket. I arrived 2 hours early, found a Dunkin Donuts to review and eat a good breakfast.

I did not pass. I missed passing by 4 questions.

Fortunately/Unfortunately I could not sulk. Less than 24 hours later I picked him up from the airport. My very supportive husband and I signed up for a test two weeks after his return flight to the sandbox. I didn't want to wait too long and basically "re-study" the entire 18 chapters.

Somehow during these past 2 chaotic weeks, I managed to study. His mother made a comment to me yesterday to set a few alarms. I assured her that oversleeping is my biggest fear.

This morning, after no sleep due to a nasty storm, my clock read 7am. The storm knocked out one of my alarms and I forgot to save the one on my cell phone. I needed to be at the testing center an hour and 15 minutes away at 8am. I did not eat a good breakfast nor drink my cup of coffee. I still needed to print out my testing ticket. I forgot the GPS and the directions. It was still storming and I needed to drive through Nashville traffic at 8am.

After calling information for directions and a phone number, I called to notify them and they reassured me I could still take the test. I arrived an hour late on a college campus going through "Welcome Week" and many other fairs. I parked illegally and raced inside.

And I passed that SOB! I am now a Certified Personal Trainer.

Blessings.

Tonight I am feeling rather blessed so I immediately grabbed my laptop to type away. Considering my last blog consisted of dead bunnies and broken legs, I felt to the need to share.

First of all, Super Jeni welcomed another life into the world! She delievered a 9lb baby girl. Everyone is doing fantastic. I was able to visit just hours after her arrival. I loved sitting in the room with her little family.

I called to check on her tonight and the first thing out of her mouth: "How is Dak Dak?". Um, Jeni, you are lying in bed, in a lot of pain and you ask me about my dog?! One of the millions of reasons why I love her and feel incredibly blessed to call her my friend.

And oh yeah...there is this:

On our 9 year anniversay (plus a few days), he begged me to go to the movies while at home. I wasn't particularly feeling the movies so I fought for ice cream instead. He pulled his camaro, his first car still being stored with his parents, out of the garage. I sat inside and turned to him and said, "This feels like our first date". 10 seconds later, he handed me the blue box above. I really don't remember what he said next. The only thing I remembered..."No one deserves this ring more than you. You have made me so proud during this deployment". Apparently he wanted to "propse" at the movies, the site of our first date, but I ruined it. Well not entirely...

And the best part about this ring?

He goes along with it. That is all that really matters.

Thrive or just survive?

One of my good friends informed me that August 5th (my last update) was a long time ago. Because of the gap in entries, I could blog about any number of things. San Diego, engagement pictures, , my new beautiful diamond ring, his wonderful friends visiting from all over, my new survive and thrive goals or the aftermath of him getting back on that plane to head back to the sandbox.

While I will eventually blog about my wonderful two weeks, the aftermath is too fresh in the mind.

He left a week ago. On Sunday I decided to cut the grass. I took the mower out of the shed and realized I needed to pick up dog poop. When I turned on the lawn mower, it started and like most of us, I began to push forward. When I looked down 1.9 seconds later, I saw four baby bunnies desperately trying to run for their lives.

For everyones sake who is reading, I am not going to describe the scene. I do not know how I cleaned it all up.

Two hours later, I finished cutting the grass, cleaning the pool, gardening and pulling weeds. Daisy began sniffing like crazy. She darted to the corner of the yard. I knew what she saw...baby bunny #5. I began screaming and so did the baby bunny. Daisy swallowed her whole.

The next day she found bunny #6. Same story.

On the third day, after an exhausting day of subbing I walked in the door to let Daisy out of her cage. Bunny vomit everywhere. I immediately took her and the cage outside and started hosing everything off.

I noticed my garden needed some water. Instead of pulling the hose all the way to the back of the yard, I stood at a distance. Dakota loves drinking water from the hose. She began jumping around like a grasshopper. I tried to yell at her to stop, but Dak Dak loves running and jumping. On one of her jumps, in about 5 seconds I saw her land just on her back right leg funny and let out the worse noise I have ever heard in my life. A noise I hope I never have to hear again.

I did not even hesitate. I picked up my 60lb dog, placed her in the Envoy and grabbed my purse. The vet told me she broke her leg in two places. I did ok emotionally and then they told me I needed to leave her overnight. I started crying and could not stop crying all night.

Little did I know, the hard part would be afterwards I picked her up today. The vet informed me in the next 8 weeks, there should be little movement and exercise. I have to carry her up and down our deck stairs. The splint is located near her "goods" so everytime she pees I need to pull the splint away so she doesn't urniate all over the splint. She's still in pain and whines quite a bit.

And right now? I still have my head up, but would consider myself as emotionally exhausted.

I updated my survive and thrive goal list and it made me think about taking the word "survive" out completely. I feel I "survived" so much in the past 9 months

lost two jobs, house struck by lightning, replace and fix AC not once but twice, replace garage door, replace 2 cell phones, fix board for front circuit breaker, pool breaks down twice, re-install both internet and cable, lawnmower breaks, almost needed to put Daisy to sleep, both dogs sick with kennel cough, cleaned up 15 dead animals in our backyard (birds and bunnies), his dying grandfather, and now my baby breaking her leg

If I can still laugh about all of the above...shouldn't this techincally be considered as "thriving" during the deployment? I guess I didn't need to make any outrageous goals. I think getting by for an entire year on your own is good enough for me.

We're almost there....

Welcome back life.

After 24 hours of no communication, I had a hunch he would come 1 day early. I received the voicemail on the way to my nail and hair appointment and my heart started racing...

I wanted to puke, cry, and/or pee my pants And the pictures explain the rest.

And now? I have clothes piled in the middle of the floor, cereal bowls everywhere, and a huge, constant smile on my face. We danced in the kitchen for no reason this evening, took a four hour nap, ate dinner in bed, walked the girls and now winding down with a glass of wine and beer. My life is back.

Spoiled Rotten

My wonderful mother decided to visit this weekend to help me clean so I can concentrate on just studying. She knows I am OCD when it comes to a clean house before any visitors or special occasions. (funny my husband is now a visitor in his own home). She brought along my brother to help with the manly stuff.


So while my brother cuts the front and backyard, my mother cleans, and my SIL runs errands, I am studying in the living room (cough updating my blog cough cough).


Life is good.

Well except for the fact I have the fear of failure now. I have been studying for 1.5 months now and the thought just crossed my mind for the first time this week.


In sad news, I needed to exchange my Indiana license plate for a good ol' Tennessee license plate. I love my Indiana license plate, its my (our) home state. Its where we met.


But I would have to pay $270 more, so apparently it doesn't mean that much. I did take some pictures to document this transfer.


My little (except he's much bigger and stronger than me) brother making the switch.



I love my Support Our Troops License Plate

Hello Tennessee!


Any of you military ladies have to switch your plates or driver's license?