Livin' the "twenty-something" life!

Two weeks ago I had the privilege to embark on a cruise with one of my bestest friends to - a. get away, b. have fun but ultimately to celebrate turning 25!

We had always talked about turning 25, I don't know why? I guess it's a big age because you are over the twenties "hump", I am not sure whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. I am choosing to believe it's a good thing.

I have nothing but good memories of my "younger" days at a "twenty-something" year old but I am definitely looking forward to the future, I mean it could hold (and hopefully does hold) some of my best days! I have never been in love, never been married, have no kids, and am just beginning a very exciting and fun business, so surely there are good days ahead and I choose to not look back. Getting older simply means I have been blessed to live and experience a number of days, memories, experiences, opportunities and I regret nothing.

Many of those experiences have involved travel. I love traveling! I don't actually like the traveling part (buses, planes, cars etc) but being in those places is indescribable. If any young person is wondering what to do, TRAVEL! It will only make you better.  I have traveled for business, pleasure and mission trips and learn something about others and myself on every single trip.

After college graduation, I had this incredible opportunity to travel to the Philippines with my brother to live and work with some kids there that forever changed my outlook on life.

My first thought when traveling that far distance was "God is so amazing! There are literally billions of people in this world and he is involved and passionate about each and every one individually just like he is me." It overwhelmed me.

Later that year I was able to check something off my bucket list - Travel Through Europe

I have always wanted to visit Paris. Yes, typical girl, I know. But there was something magical about it, something captivated me. I had planned countless trips. With parents, friends, random people who wanted to go, I was going to get there somehow, some way!!!

Then a friend of mine told me she was traveling to Macedonia and invited me to join her to see if perhaps, something there would grab my heart as I was very undecided in what I wanted to do with my life. 

Well,,,,,,what am I supposed to do when I've worked since I was able to babysit and saved every penny and I get a chance to go on an adventure??? "Oh, and by the way, I leave in 3 days"----be very careful telling your mother that.

And so it happened, that I went to Macedonia with three days notice.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND just leaving. Tell your dearly loved ones, of course, but then leave...do it, you will never be able to do it again....do it now!

Once in Macedonia, I realized this wasn't the place God had for me, but while I was in Europe I was thinking I needed to get on that!! So....what does the family of a wacky 23 year old do at the drop of a hat? JOIN ME OF COURSE? "So wanna meet in Prague next week?"

And so it happened....that my uncle, aunt and my mom traveled on such short short noticed and joined me in Prague where I had a dear friend working...and we began an adventure I could never have imagined.

It's worth it. It's worth the saving and the packed lunches and working long hours and not buying the latest and hottest fashion items, it's worth it. So just do it.

Recently, though, I went on a cruise. With my friend to celebrate being 25. And it was absolutely everything we wanted it to be.

This was my first cruise experience and so I wasn't sure what to expect and I was blown away. The ports were top notch! The crew was unbelievably friendly and efficient and we had the time of our lives.

It was much needed from work and from life. I highly encourage a vacation in the mid twenties to forget you are in your mid twenties. To forget everything really and just enjoy life, turn off the phone, forget what Suzy had for breakfast this morning on her Instagram and how fit she is and healthy and just be and enjoy your life and refocus. Go somewhere that brings you back to life and connects you with your Creator and remember why you are blessed with the life you have and what you are supposed to do with it to serve a bigger purpose, to impact people, to make a difference for somewhere, somewhere, for something. 

That's my hope and prayer anyway. 

4 Weeks Old- Adopt, Don't Shop, Our Foster Puppy Journey

Well, we have made it 3 weeks which means the babies are 4 weeks old. 

We went to the vet for our 1 month check up and everyone is in good health! We had a scare with Zoe   right when they turned 2 weeks old. She had an abscess on her neck that is called "puppy strangles" apparently and she had to have it lanced which was scary for us, but she pulled through like a champ and is doing great!

The babies have started drinking formula and eating ground up dry dog food with a little bit of puppy canned food mixed in. Maci (mom) is getting a little tired of feeding them now that they have teeth!! :)

This is what happens when we crawl under the furniture, we find dust bunnies.

It's tough being 4 weeks old!

We officially have names for all of the puppies! 

We know these names will probably change when they go to their forever homes, but given their physical characteristics or personalities or just for the heck of it, we have given them the following names...

Coco, Dobie, Oreo, Skunkers, Charlie, Zoe and Brutus.

This is Brutus. He has always been the biggest and used his weight to push his way around therefore he was named Brutus from the very beginning. I love him!!

I just love this......My mom got on the floor and was attacked..

This is Dobie....she is the smallest but definitely super feisty!

We are still learning because every day comes a new phase of life for these pups. So right when we get used to them nursing, it's time to feed them formula, then it's time to switch to canned food, then dry dog food. Then they only pee every few hours, and now it's every 5 seconds! Then they fit in their kennel, but then in a few days, they are moved to a kiddie swimming pool, and now its about time to switch to something even bigger! We are hungry more often now, and with mom feeding us less and less that means the humans are now in charge of that as well!

They are irresistibly precious which helps cover up a multitude of other messes and such that occur at a rapidly growing rate and as much as I am ready for them to grow up and learn how to use the bathroom outside, I know that we will only have them for a few more weeks so I am trying to treasure the morning kisses, wonderfully horrible puppy breath and late night snuggles.

Adopt Don't Shop in Norman, OK- 1 Week Post

So last Thursday I saw a post from the OKC Animal Welfare Shelter about this mama who had 7, five day old puppies that needed to be fostered for 6-8 weeks until they could be eligible for adoption. They were an urgent case. The shelter needed the space. They required too much care. 

I think you see where I am going. 

And..

I just couldn't let that happen. So I texted my mom. This is why I love my mom. She replies: "If you don't call, I will."

So there we go, all set up to pick up mama and 7 puppies the next day. We have never had puppies, never had a pregnant dog, never had more then 3 dogs and here we are about to house 10 dogs for the next 6-8 weeks.

Oh my.

It was everything we expected.....overwhelming!

Everyone had another idea about how things needed to go, where they needed to sleep, what they needed to eat and where the other dogs needed to be while she was outside going to bathroom and what happens when we have to leave the house to go to work or church or have a life outside of these dogs???

But then the dust settled...and it's been...the sweetest experience ever!

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, like caring for these puppies. I include mama as one of the puppies because she is just a pup herself, only barely, slightly 1 year old. We cannot get enough of them. They are precious! And getting to watch how even the smallest things change every day is pure bliss! 

It is a totally different situation because they aren't ours and I know that they won't be with us so I am doing everything to give them the best and keep them from the worst and find them the most loving adoring supportive homes in the world! And to know what they came from just means even more. 

We are celebrating one week with Maci and her pups, and they are celebrating their two week birthday! 

Us humans, and the puppies have learned so much! Maci is a pro and is teaching all of us :)

 Maci has been such a great mom! She came to us so thin but is starting to "fill out" as much as she can as she continues to feed 7 constantly hungry pups! She feeds them whenever they need it, day or night, hungry or full, awake or asleep. She just wants to be loved herself so badly. She jumps in a lap whenever the opportunity presents itself and will stay by your heels as you walk throughout the house so she ins't a second without you. She is an excellent ball player we discovered! She loves tennis balls and will promptly return the ball to you and drop it.

She was not potty trained but has picked it up very quickly. She doesn't need much correction to understand her behavior was wrong and therefore is very teachable in all matters including potty training.

We are constantly doing laundry as the puppies poop around the clock! I did not realize how much attention they commanded! Who knew so much could come out of something so little? Maci is a great mom but we are keeping an eye on all the puppies to make sure each one is getting fed.

They opened their eyes this week and are beginning to learn to use their legs which makes them look like intoxicated puppies ;)

They are still so small and require a lot of mom's time and energy but we get Maci out several times a day to make sure she gets to play and have fun away from the pups too.

We are looking forward to what week 2 has in store for us! 

If you are interested at all in adopting any of the puppies or Maci, they will all be available in 6-8 weeks and we would love for them to each have loving homes! Please contact brenda.mitchell@okc.gov

Happy Easter!!

This was a first for me..…...

I made Easter baskets for the girls.  I felt kind of silly. I was so excited. More excited than is normal probably. But…..it was so worth it! It was such a fun weekend!

It started with an Easter egg hunt. My friend, Kara, helped me to put small treats in plastic eggs. I thought, "No way, the girls will not be able to figure it out."

Stupid me. Molly is smart enough to lure me away from my sandwich long enough to snatch it, of course she is smart enough to pop open a plastic egg!

I highly recommend it! It was so fun!!

Then Sunday morning, the girls tackled their Easter baskets. 

I didn't want a typical basket, so I found these at Hobby Lobby = perfection.

I filled some plastic eggs with some small blueberry treats, just like our Easter egg hunt.

Then of course, I thought the girls needed their own chocolate Easter bunny!! So these are our carob/peanut butter dog treat recipe and I shaped them into a "chocolate bunny".

The girls love "babies" (aka, stuffed animals they carry around for days). So I had to include this cute little "ducky" I found :)  Then, to top it all off, one of our Easter bunny dog treats. I am particularly proud of these bunnies because they are simple and easy but extraordinarily cute!

Molly was first. She needed no prompting.

Eggs were first…then the chocolate bunny!

Then her baby!!

Then it was time to sit back and watch Lucy.

Belly, is very cautious…it took Molly about 2 minutes to get through her basket. It took Lucy about 10 minutes. Every time she took a treat out of her basket, she had to take it to her bed and eat it, then return to her basket. 

Slobbery ducky.

Lucy won best photo of the day. I have to be honest, she is not the most photogenic of doggies so I am extremely proud that this picture was snapped and she finally gets to win most photogenic!! 

It was a great day! I will definitely be continuing this tradition every year now!