Pitty Love! February 10, 2012

I have found and fallen in love with a new blog! It’s called Love and a Six Foot Leash. “One family’s quest to open minds, win hearts and save lives through dog fostering.”

For those who don’t know I am the proud mama of a 8ish year old pit bull named Diamond. We adopted Diamond after losing our beloved 15 y/o pit bull, Lady. Lady was the perfect ambassador for the breed and we wish she had stuck around awhile longer to teach Diamond some of her impeccable manners. You would often find Lady curled up on her dog bed sleeping beside our cranky cat Rico. Di is doing pretty well; it’s her owner that needs a bit more coaching. We adopted Diamond from the Seattle Humane Society, after finding a posting about her on the website for Old Dog Haven in Arlington, WA. The rescue group focuses on fostering ‘senior’ dogs and finding them their perfect forever home to spend their golden years in.

Diamond is still a fun loving gal who can outlast both my husband and I. Now, what does that say about us? But just as much as chasing the ball and squirrels in the backyard she loves a good snuggle on a couch. She would love another dog to play with, as she is extremely dog friendly, but I think our little house is at or above capacity for the time being.

We took down the baby gate this week. It’s a trial run, but going well so far. Of course Diamond is still crated at night so the cats can roam ‘their’ house while we’re all asleep, and the cats are in our room with the door closed while we are at work, sleeping on the much coveted bed. We don’t leave anyone unsupervised but it’s a hopeful step to be able to move freely about the cabin while we’re at home! The cats have kept mostly to the back half of the house but will come out to sun themselves in the living room or watch birds from the windows on nice days. Diamond, for the most part, ignores them like a champ. As long as they don’t bolt right in front of her, I don’t know if I could resist the urge to chase them either! She really doesn’t seem to know what to make of our 20 lb Turkish Angora, he’s big enough to be a dog, but he sure doesn’t act like one! We think she just wants to play, but since he gets a hissy fit whenever she comes within 20 feet of him, we’ll probably never know.

Love and a 6 foot leash can be found at loveandaleash.com. I encourage EVERYONE to check out this and other blogs like it. The amount of negative press is staggering and I feel like these sweet dogs really deserve the opportunity to show the world that they’re really lovers, not fighters.

It’s not how many times you get knocked down December 19, 2011

It’s how many times you get back up.

Long have I been on a journey to better myself, to make something of myself, to simply be happy with who I am and where I am in my life.

It’s been a lengthy, pothole strewn ride, but worth every moment. I’ve been knocked down by others and on more than a few occasions knocked myself down. But I always pick myself up, or dig myself out of the hole I’ve buried myself in.

I’ve lost, but in the end I’ve gained because I’ve made myself better.

I keep moving forward; it didn’t always feel like I was moving ahead but inch by painful inch I got to a better place. And pat myself on the back for that.

I take the little victories.

I take pride in accomplishments even if they’re modest.

I find the things that make me joyful, small or large from any avenue I can find them and hold them tight. I can’t tell you how often the little things save me from something shadowy and ominous hovering in the back of my mind. It’s like a little ray of light coming through the darkness reminding me that ‘this too shall pass.’

 “Like a bird with broken wings, it’s not how high he flies but the song he sings.”

I never make a big, long, daunting list around the first of the year. And this year isn’t any different. What is different is my focus. This year it isn’t all about me. For the last couple I made it all about me while I was picking myself up, cleaning myself off, and becoming someone I can love. But this year is all about ‘pay it forward.’ So ‘my’ resolutions aren’t going to be about me, they’re going to be about helping make things better for others. They’ll come to me as I go and they don’t have to be huge philanthropic ventures, but I can surely make a difference in other peoples lives. I owe it to the universe.