Happy Birthday to Amanda!!!
Your old today.
And Im sending you a virtual cake!
See? Cake!
Great. Now I want cake. Thanks a lot!
Im making a list (mentally of course, which means things come and go at will) of all the things to bring with me when we finally make it over to see her, and now cake is nestled among the cassette tapes and blue food dye.
Anyways…Happy Birthday to Amanda! Miss you lots, and will see you soon – that is – if you help me out with these visas!
You remember this little pup? The one who wasn’t going to get any bigger? The one that was just a cute little itty ball of fur that loved to snuggle and couldn’t climb the stairs and was going to be the perfect traveling dog?
Yea. Her.
She doubled her weight. She now weighs 20 (plus?) pounds. She outgrew her collar. Has learned how to climb up stairs, and down them too – as opposed to just falling down them. Shes become a little terror on four legs, and has a mouth full of sharp teeth.
Shes settled into our lives and I can hardly remember before she was here. Except that I can. Because I didn’t get waken up at 6 30 in the morning to hear her howling. Or crying when I put her to bed. Shes grown used to her crate, although she still detests it, and pretty much makes you feel like the worse person in the world when you put her in it.
The shredded paper - dont be fooled - was from Yoshi herself
That dog is a smart one she is. They say labs are smart, and you can really see the smarts in her eyes. Something a lot of our dogs seemed to miss out on. When smarts were being handed out – our 10 plus past dogs were in line for food. But yoshi? She was the first in line. Jumping all around begging, for smarts. That dog is clever too.
When we stopped at home to put her in her crate the other day, I opened the back door to let her out of the car. She wouldn’t move. She stayed on her seat. Giving me the saddest, most sweet puppy dog eyes she could muster – and she ALMOST succeeded in what she was going for. Those eyes, man, they give a whole new meaning to puppy dog eyes. When I carry her to her crate, and she knows whats happening she wiggles, and squirms and whines a little…and of course, she turns into the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen. Snuggling, and kissing you like you were the best thing since bananas – yes – she loves bananas.
Being me is tiring
She runs like the wind, and is almost potty trained. That smart little thing. She knows now that if she runs to the door – shes guaranteed a walk. Or atleast some fresh air. Which she also loves. So now it’s a guessing game. Does Yoshi REALLY have to go potty? Or does she just want outside? She usually wins, however. Were still working on the word “Come” although she knows what it means – she doesn’t always listen. Or follow through.
She understands “No” and she knows her name – she absolutely LOVES people to talk about her. Although she still isn’t sure if she likes people fully. Shes a little…gun shy. Thanks to Slim. Who absolutely HATES most people.
The first time Yoshi heard David
She watches TV and stares at people who have an accent – the first time she heard David on the computer she stared at the computer for a few minutes – confused to what this sound could possibly be.
But love? This dog loves everything. She loves you. She loves bananas. She loves tomatoes and broccoli. She loves strawberries. She loves muffins. She loves toys. She loves balls. She loves fresh air. She loves life. But she really REALLY loves Slim.
Yea I think I might love Slim
This morning she came upstairs at 7 (no I wasn’t happy) and she pounced on Slim (who didn’t appear to be happy either). She doesn’t walk, she runs. She doesn’t jump she pounces. And it has got to be the cutest thing you have ever seen. Her run and then the front leg pounce. She still is a daredevil. Loves chasing the kitties, and snuggling with Slim.
Yea, I pretty much love Slim all the way
Infact, shes almost like a mini-Slim. In a different color, of course.
Saturday we went out the plant nursery and ended up getting some flowers.
Sunday, I planted a few of them in a little flower bed we have at the shop, under the sign.
Of course, it needed a lot of help before things could actually be planted. It’s a great way to release anger and frustration if you wanted to know.
This is what it looked like a few minutes into stabbing and digging:
Then I got to a big root that probably belonged to the tree in the background. But it was in my way, so I decided to try and rip it out. It wouldn’t budge (duh). As I was pulling, Yoshi came to see what I was doing, seeing that I was partaking in her favorite game, she decided to give a go. She tugged and tugged while I laughed and took her picture.
Gardening with a cute dog is completely optional.
Despite our best efforts – the root still remains.
I loosened the old dirt, weeded the place out, and rearranged some rocks around it. Yoshi was all about helping, wanting to dig with me, pull the weeds, and chase the rocks. She was a great help, even if she got in the way!!
Ready to plant!
I have a brown thumb, and have no idea whatsoever these plants or flowers are even called. I mean, they had names, but their names meant nothing to me.
These made me laugh when I saw them, and I figured we could all use a smile once and a while.
I suppose I did it all wrong – shopping by what I thought was funny, or would make good photos, not by what would thrive! Oh well, we will see!!
No sooner had I finished planting them did Yoshi come over to help me “Finish things off.” Unfortunately she didn’t get the memo that those were SUPPOSED to be there, and she ripped a good stem off of one of them. I think she was really confused when I got mad at her. She was just helping!!!
Now I just need to remember to water them, every once and a great while!
I wrote this for our business blog, but I thought it was too funny not to post here too!
One of the things Amanda and I almost always did was somehow accidentally mix up our customers who did not resemble each other in any way shape or form. We would somehow get it stuck in our minds that this customer was a brother of that customer – even though they didn’t have the same last names. And most times they didn’t even look alike! Somehow – they were brothers. Adopted brothers, perhaps. Long lost brothers who didn’t know about each other. Brothers from different parents. But brothers still the same.
Mom and dad laughed, and teased me about getting old. A few things about time flying, and another poke about being old.
Yesterday I had a long rant written up about why I haven written anything (which is because Ive had nothing TO write about, obviously) and why I havent taken any pictures (hello, Lazy.) Today I woke up to the sun already coming in the windows that had been left open all night. I really didn’t want to get up. Infact, I would have been perfectly content to lay in bed all day. Except that the cat was sitting beside me, purring loudly and getting dangerously close to my face with her claws.
It’s a beautiful day – and I have no reason to complain. Not one. Isnt that just somewhat amazing?
I mean – I havent had any reason to complain these past few weeks (maybe thus the absence? I hope not. Eeks!)
These past few weeks have been incredibly busy with the shop. I mean Summer Time busy, phone ringing people walking in and out, parts to be gotten every ten minutes…and I chose that time to go on a freezing binge, freezing everything within site, thus making myself EXTRA busy. Why I choose to do that to myself? I don’t know! Anyways…busy…back to busy.
You see, the thing is pretty much this.
The past few weeks I have been going over something. Trying to make a decision. I had the opportunity to go to Mexico again on another missions trip, and while I really REALLY wanted to…I had to say no. It just wasn’t going to work. And then I felt bad. Like somehow I was putting myself above God – because what if He wanted me to go? And then I felt bad again, because maybe it was just me wanting to go to Mexico again. I wasn’t sure. All I know is that I could not get the stupid application filled out, and when it came down to it – I had to give a yes or a no, and I couldn’t give a yes. And so I said no. And felt a GREAT relief. Silly, I know.
Heres the deal – we are trying to get our whole family to meet up in China in July. By whole family I mean mom, dad, and I meeting David and Amanda in China in July. That’s been sort of a wow factor in and of itself. But it seems that securing tickets and visas is only the beginning. There are other things that need to be taken care of too. Things my little mind doesn’t even WANT to think up!!
So that’s been occupying the other portion of my brain.
And then – well, up until just a few weeks ago – things here have been tight. Like no money to pay the bills tight. That sort of thing, and so when things started to loosen up a bit (like they always do) we were a wee bit behind on bills, thus stressing my mind to the max as I attempted to understand how we were going to get to China if I couldn’t even make the shop payment.
But the really awesome thing is God ALAWYS provides. It seems like its always at the last minute, but He never fails us. Not once. Mom says to look back over the years and see, but some reason when Im in the thick of things, seeing the past doesn’t help me very much. Im sort of like – yea ok that was ten years ago. WHAT ABOUT TODAY? Sort of person. But He never fails, and I know this, I just have to relearn it over and over it seems.
So that’s where Ive been. Learning and relearning. Stressing and planning. Freaking and laughing.
But Ive missed you guys! Really I have. Ive missed writing, and reading what people say back. Ive missed reading what other people have to say – Ive missed it all! So Im back. Again. I hope.
And also? Im sorry – Ive got no pictures to share.
Hopefully? That will change soon tho! Because now that THIS is out, I can start writing about other things, much more important things! Like…the price of tea in China. Just kidding. Mostly.
So how is everyone?
Or more importantly – how are YOU?
Tangled Thoughts 