How can you not love this mutt?

Despite the burps and the farts and the snoring we all love our Boston Terrier (and let me tell you the dog does fart...A LOT). My Uncle James gave her to us before he died. He used to call her 'my damn dog'...but "Madame Dog' is a little nicer for the girls to say so that's what we stick with (most of the time). At times it seems like a 70 year old man is living with us because of all the gas and snores and hair falling out, but we still adore her.

Who wouldn't love a face like this?

Meme about my man

What is his name? David
How long have you been married? 16 years
How long did you date? 2 years
How old is he? 40
How old are you? 34
Who eats more sweets? He does (well I eat more once a month when I am scarfin' the chocolate)
Who is taller? He is 8 inches taller than I am.
Who can sing better? Oh my goodness he does (you can't even call what I do singing).
Who is smarter? Ummm...I'd have to say he is.
Who does the laundry? He helps me do it on Sundays.
Who does the dishes? Always me.
His guilty pleasure? Dave never feels guilty about anything.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? That would be me.
Who cooks dinner? Again always me (in sixteen years he hasn't cooked once).
Who is more stubborn? He is.
Who kissed who first? He kissed me first (I was looking up and babbling about the stars and he said, 'You talk too much' and then he kissed me).
Who asked who out first? It was a blind date (my very first date) (thank you Uncle James!!).
Who proposed? He did.
Who has more siblings? I do (I have a brother and Shanna and he has a sister).
Who wears the pants? Oh definitely him (and I wouldn't have it any other way).
What is your favorite thing about him? I'd tell you, but I swore off dirty posts after the Pablo fiasco.

I'm the Hugh Hefner of Petsmart

Oh my goodness gracious interpeeps! I owe you an apology. It seems I posted porn on my blog by mistake. And not just any porn, it was GUINEA PIG PORN! Oh I am blushing to my toenails as I type. I have done a lot of things by mistake...died my hair red...walked onto the football field during practice with my skirt tucked into my panties....wore pajamas to the rehearsal dinner for my wedding (hush! I thought they were a cute little outfit)...but this...this takes the cake.

You see I was just trying to post a cute picture of my dad's fat guinea pig but I failed to pay close attention to what I was posting. Then I received a comment from Angie over at John Deere Mom that said:

"All I see when I look at that picture is Pablo's...you know....can't get past it! :)"

And I was like what in the heck is she talking about? So I looked and ta da there it was for all the world to see...Pablo's little piggie...just hanging out there plain as day. He is even laying back with his legs spread like a professional porn star.

So I am sorry dear world wide web for exposing you to my dirty picture and I am sorry Pablo for turning you into eye candy and not giving you the respect you deserve. I redid your picture to make it up to you.

Meet Pablo

Is he not pitiful? My parents bought this guinea pig for my girls. They had begged and begged and begged and begged and then begged some more for a guinea pig. Their dad said no and no and no and no and then he said no some more. My parents thought they'd be clever and buy one for them themselves (they want the girls to have everything they could possibly want or need) (these are NOT the same people that raised me) because it would be a gift and nobody can say no to a gift. So they take the girls out one day and buy Pablo. Then they bring him home and say, "Surprise! We bought you a new pet." And Dave said, "Congratulations! You now own a guinea pig." They laughed because they didn't think he was serious.

Pablo has been living with them for a year now.

And live he does...like a king! Just look at how fat he is. My daddy spoils this rodent rotten (again I say these are not the people that raised me). I kid you not. He feeds him fresh veggies (a wide variety) twice a day. When Pablo's bowl gets empty he tumps it over. Then he tumps over everything else in his cage. And he makes this insistant little guinea pig sound that is kinda cute 'til you realize that he is mad and is probably saying something like, 'remember that time I peed on your pants? That wasn't an accident. And that was only the beginning. Now FEED ME.'

Okay. Now you've met Pablo. There was no real rhyme or reason behind this post. I just wanted to share the picture with you because I think it's hilarious. Hope it made you smile!

Bummer

I have to do something kinda hard. I have been putting it off and I really can't put it off any longer. You see I was planning to donate a kidney to someone this summer. Her name is Kelly Bach and she lives in Arizona. I don't know her at all, but I read about her over at Boo Mama and Big Mama and was touched by her story. She is a mother of two who desperately needs a kidney. My blood type is O+ (universal blood type) so I knew I was a possible match. I prayed about it for a few days, talked to my family about it and then called the donor center. I talked to the nicest lady (Julie-the live donor coordinator) and we did all the preliminary stuff to get the process started. I asked her to not notify Kelly until we knew if I was a match. I didn't want her to be disappointed if things didn't work out. Then she called my doctor (I guess...she said she was going to) and sent out a kit so that I could send back the neccessary info and blood to see if Kelly and I were a match. A few days went by and I anxiously checked the mail for my kit and prayed that I would be able to help.

Then my baby sister passed away. Obviously that complicated things. I honest to goodness wasn't worried about the risk before she died. Actually I'm still not that worried. It's my mom I am worried about. She was okay with me doing this before, but I know that now it would be so scary for her to see one of her remaining two children doing something that could risk their lives. Especially if it was me because she loves me more than she loves my brother Chad (I'm just kidding Chaddy!).

So to make a long story short I told my mother I wouldn't do it. I felt like that was the right decision when I told her that and I still feel like it is the right decision. I can't put my mom through that right now. It would be way too hard. I am praying really hard that Kelly finds another donor. Really the chances of me being a match were slim, but I really did want to help if I could. Now I am very afraid she won't find a kidney in time and her children and husband will be feeling the pain my family is feeling now.

I guess all I can do is suck it up and make the "I am a weenie and I am backing out call", pray that Kelly finds a donor and ask you all to pray about it too.

Miss Grace

I recently ran across some old pictures that Lauren took. There were a few in there that really made me smile. Apparently Brookie was having trouble mastering the art of roller skating and being the supportive older sister that she is, Lauren decided to photograph her mishaps instead of trying to prevent them. I'm not sure where I was, I think at the hospital with my sister for the weekend. Anyway, I love these pictures...especially the last one. It's obvious the child takes after her mother. She is the epitamy of elegance and grace.

Play that funky music Gabriel

'Dancing with the Angels' by Monk and Neagle was one of the songs we chose for my little sister's funeral. I love the song (and the group). Last night I was lying in bed wide awake (apparently sadness robs one of the ability to sleep) and I tried to imagine Shanna dancing. Since she had a bone disease and her hip was fused at a young age, dancing was not something I ever really got to enjoy watching Shanna do. I tried and tried to wrap my mind around the image. I just couldn't see it.

Suddenly a picture popped into my head. In it she was surrounded by a crowd of angels, smiling for all she was worth and saying...

You put your right wing in, you put your right wing out, you put your right wing in and you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around...that's what it's all about!!

She can do the hokey pokey now (and any other moves she cares to bust out with) and is getting to spend time with her heavenly Father.

And that folks is what it really is all about.

You go girl.

Sorry

I just wanted to write a quick apology for my sudden disappearing act. My baby sister died last week and I just can't bring myself to write a real post. She loved my blog and called and talked to me about most of my posts. The thought of writing something about my life and not having her read it and talk to me about it is just too sad to face right now. I am not abandoning my blog, I'm just taking a short break. Until then, please keep my parents, my brother, her husband and her son in your prayers. We all miss her so very, very much.