Besties.

Some people have one.  Many people claim to have one.  I'm fortunate enough to have several.  Actually, all of my friends are the "best".  I'm sure many feel that way about their friends, but I know for a fact that I have the best friends around.  I deserve it though...I've been through some pretty crappy ones.  I have learned to stay clear of the crazy girls, the drama queens, the trouble makers, and the one sided "all about me, me ME" girls/guys in my 35 years of life.

I have different friends for different reasons.  Not that I chose this specifically for each one.  It's just something that sort of happened.  For example, I have a friend that is a true comedian.  I call her if I need to laugh because of a really bad day.  I'm pretty sure that she is why I still have a job.  I have another friend that is just a super great listener.  She's who I call when I just need someone to hear me out.  She's also a great advice-giver.  She calls me for her own advice when needed. 

And there there is the Story-Teller, the Daredevil, the Undercover, the Sweetpea, the Nurturer, the Debater, and the Bitch. (She really comes in handy.)  There are more, but all of my friends seem to fall into one of these categories. In some cases and with certain friends, two or three of them apply.

I love them all.

Enter Christina.  She is my family.  Although I'd be crushed to lose any of my beloved friends, if she ever left my life for whatever reason, I'd be seriously devastated.  I call her my "best friend" in discussions.  I am closest to her of all of my friends, after all. But if I had to give her a title, I would go with, "All Around Superstar".  I can say five words and she gets it.  She knows where I'm coming from most of the time without me having to explain what I MEAN.  She gets my sense of humor and doesn't get offended. (This being one of the most important qualities that I look for in friends.  I'm easy to offend, after all.)  She can make me laugh when I feel like punching walls. 

So this is for you, DARLING.  Don't say I have never said anything nice about you to others.  It happens all of the time.  I just thought that you should hear it from me as well.

"If you want someone to feel loved, let them overhear the good things you say about them when you think they aren't listening." 

Someone told me that once.  I almost missed the chance to tell her how I felt before she left this earth.  I'm not gonna miss the chance with you either.

That's all the mushiness I have left in me.
Love to you.  Love, incorrectly spelled road signs, terrified chickens, wine and cheese grits, that is. <3

We Are Definitely Being Prepped for Children

Okay.  So it's not the same.  But I raised a child for eight years and I'm telling you...it's close. 

For those of you that do not know, we have had our Jack Russell Terror Terrier Mix, Daisy, for just over three years now.  We adore Daisy.  She is a delight.  And comparatively, she is pretty calm next to others of her main breed.  However, she IS quite active and she definitely keeps life...interesting.

Daisy recently inherited a little sister. 

My husband works for Code Enforcement in a neighboring city.  He makes sure that the people of the city follow the city codes.  He also is the Animal Control Officer of said town, therefore, he also is the guy you call when you find seven abandoned puppies behind a laundrymat and don't know what to do with them.  (Is there really a need for further explanation?  Probably not, but here goes nothing.)

We came home for lunch about a month ago and as we were standing there discussing some junk mail, I heard all kinds of noises coming from the back of Corey's truck.  It sounded like squealing pigs.  "What IS that?" I asked.

"That is nothing.  Do not look in there, Baby."  Okay.  My husband really does know me better than that.  I believe this is the place in the story where he realized that we were going to have another little furry family member.  Let's get real.  He knew this when he placed those puppies into the truck and started driving home with them in the kennel.  I know he'll never admit that, but it doesn't matter.  I know I'm right.

I peeped into the back window to see all kinds of little black eyes staring me in the face.  I opened the door and listened to them snorting and grunting...trying to be the first one to get out when I opened the door.  See?  Even they knew.

I opened the door and picked up the one with the tri-colored face.  "This one is for me, right?"  I shut the door and looked at my husband with the sweetest smile that I could muster up.  He laughed at me. 

"I knew this was going to happen.  Let's take her inside."  (I told you he had this planned, didn't I?  It was too easy.  I typically have to plead my case a little more than this.  He isn't fooling me, Internet.  Don't you worry.)

But look at this face.  Can you flipping BLAME him?

Meet Shelby.

We don't know exactly what she is since she WAS abandoned, but we believe her to be part border collie and part australian shepherd.  She was about 7 weeks old when we took her into our home.  She is so much different than Daisy was at her age.  Daisy would literally run laps around the dining room table and had two modes:  tornado and aftermath.  It took Daisy about a year and a half to learn "calm down". 

Shelby is bouncy when she plays, but has a real lazy streak about her.  She is a puppy, so of course she is playful.  But she only seems to be bothered with playing for about a half an hour at a time.  At that point, she's spent and just curls up for an hour long nap.  Play this scene over and over every single day and you have a good picture of her personality.  (She even lies down to eat.)

Daisy and Shelby have a true love/hate relationship.  At first, Daisy treated Shelby as if she were HER baby.  She would worry about her when she couldn't see her.  She couldn't stand to hear her cry.  She would even groom Shelby and snuggle with her. 

This sort of ended when Shelby was big enough to push Daisy around.  Shelby's favorite activity is trying to chew off  Daisy's face.  It's pretty entertaining.  We get a lot of enjoyment out of watching this take place.  Especially since, you know, Daisy did this to Niko for three years.

The standoff begins...

Sneak Attack.

Never let them get the upperhand.

They really do love each other.  They cannot stand to be separated.  Shelby copies whatever Daisy does.  It's a good thing that Daisy is well trained, that's all I can say.  Maybe they will learn to appreciate each other one day. If not, at least they will definitely know where the other "stands".