Wherefore out thou doggy?

For the 4 years that Michael and I have been married, we have talked about getting a dog.

The first couple years we couldn't get a dog because of where we lived, but then they changed the rules so that we could! So we had looked around a bit and found a dog that we wanted to save from a horrible pet shop, but didn't want to support the place she was at. She was gone a few days later.

So after we had almost bought one we decided that we should sit down and talk about what it would take to get a dog. Now we had already talked about being able to train a dog (I've watched and helped my mom train a few dogs) and about already having a vet (Michael's Aunt), but we hadn't discussed where we'd like to get a dog from and what kind!

We decided that:

1) We want to adopt a dog from a shelter.

2) We would like a smaller dog with a big personality.

3) We really like Welsh Corgi's, Boston Terriers, Miniature English Bulldogs and Spaniels (pretty much any breed).

Yesterday we went to a dog adoption fair after spotting a Boston Terrier/ Corgi mix named Dwight online at www.petfinder.com and re-discussing whether we can add a dog to the list of financial responsibilities that we have.

We were just in-love with this dog from his photos and description! So we wanted to meet him in person. He is a great dog, but what we discovered is that he has some skin issues (due to poor nutrition and allergies) and although he responded nicely to us, there were two other couples interested in him and he just took to the nicer of the two couples (both applied to adopt him). We haven't concretely decided not to try to adopt him, but his adoption fee (as with the other dogs from this rescue) is a little high for us!

So we're still going to be looking and hopefully we'll find the perfect addition to our family!

Ugh, Roommates...

I don't want this to seem like I am complaining, but I really need to vent!

Okay, here's the story: My husband and I (through the unfortunate way that life can be) had to find a less expensive place to live this past October and we are now renting the basement in a friend's house.

Our friend is a single guy who already had one roommate and got another a week after Michael and I moved in. So there are 5 of us in this house. But I really don't have a problem with the other guys, just our friend right now!

He is a really, really super smart guy and like some might imagine... it makes him more self-unaware than most. He's on the lazier side of home ownership and fancies himself a gardener which is weird... because he plants what he likes and not what would work in his yard, and not in the ground, but in planters that fill up his deck.

(background: I come from a family of garden smart people, who think these things through)

well anyway...

This is Minnesota and weather can go up and down so he's had to bring plants in at times and every time he has (since we've lived here... October and this spring) all kinds of unpleasant critters have been everywhere!

He doesn't mind things like this! He leaves spider webs and spiders all over everywhere because he "finds them fascinating" even after there is no spider living in a web he'll just leave it there!

He has a hanging basket with a ivy-type plant that he's let attach itself to everything in the dining room!

When we moved in, he was hoping that I would just kind of hang out in the whole house, but who wants to spend time with spiders running around all over? Not me! And in an environment like that? Again not me!

Now I am not saying that we're perfect! Our room isn't at its neatest and we've still got organizing to do in the living room of our area in the house, but I can't stand critters running all over the place!!!

I mean seriously, we went to bed after there was a centipede that ran across the floor and it was not small!!!

Then this morning I woke up to see a giant spider on the ceiling above our closet (which I made Michael take care of)!!!

Later I noticed that there were ants everywhere!!!!! And had after hubby went to work also spotted two more spiders(I was only able to get one of them)!!! Ick Ick Ick!!!!!!!

Not a pleasant experience!!!

Okay, I think I have vented enough. Problem I have now... is that I need more sleep and I am afraid to go back to bed.

Ugh, roommates! I just hope we'll be able to have our own place again soon!

Flowers that Don't Wilt...

Last night I went over to my dad's house, where Michael and I spent time with my Step-mom. Which is to say that Michael was watching a comedy show with her, while I was working on a late Mother's Day gift for her.

I was painting her some flowers on an 8x10 canvas. A plan that I have had since the beginning of April, when I bought a three pack of canvases.

But as with all good plans(sigh)... life intervened and I never did have the time to start on the projects for my mom, step-mom and mother-in-law before Mother's Day!

I asked Jana(my step-mom) what kind of flowers she liked most and what color she preferred and the answer was purple lilacs!

So thats what I did, I made her a painting that I titled "The Impression of Lilacs" and I just now realized that I didn't put the title on the painting before I sealed it!

I also realized that I don't have a photo of it to share with you :(

I'll try to get one to share soon! And when I get the other paintings done... I'll try to remember to get photos to share of those as well!

The honesty of me....

I will be honest and tell you that I am not confident in myself. I know that I have been at times or from all appearances have seemed to be confident, but I have struggled with my self worth through my entire life. It wasn't until a few years ago that I saw who I was through God's eyes.

Its this struggle with the line that runs between pride and humility that seems to catch me. To me pride and confidence go hand in hand. I can't really picture humility and confidence hand in hand. But its when I stopped and realized that I needed to have the humility to place my confidence in the Lord, not in myself that I saw how He sees me.

I will also be honest and say that I am a runner.

Not a runner of roads, but I have run away from the people and memories(both theirs and mine) of myself that embarrass or shame me. I think its because all those moments were the ones that I chose to stop being me, blend in and failed miserably trying to do so. I was ignoring the fact that God wanted me to be different. But I wanted to take the path that everyone else was walking on and not the lonely seeming one.

It isn't as difficult for me now, but back then all I wanted was to be like everyone else! Now I sometimes wish that I could go back and tell that little girl to be happy and enjoy being unique. I wish that I could take back moments where I checked myself at the door to go be a copy of all the other kids in the room.

I know that I didn't blow it all the time and I know that I cannot go back and undo the past.

So what I tell myself and what I am telling you... is that its alright! No you can't change any of it. Its in the past, but you can choose to trust God today, tomorrow and everyday in the future and follow Him where He is leading you! Isn't that great?

So I started this blog...

Here I am at 6:40 in the morning... awake, after not sleeping a wink through the night.

My husband Michael has gone to work already (he's been there for 2 hours now) and I am still not ready to shut my eyes.

So what do I do? I start a blog. Why? and what would I talk about? Not sure, but it has actually been something I have been mulling over for a while....

I had a really hard time coming up with a name for my blog. I feel like I am late to the game on this activity, as I was with myspace and facebook, I don't even have a twitter page (I am not sure that I ever will).... so I thought all the good names would be taken.

So this is my first post and I'll be adding more to it. Who knows maybe God can speak through me into the hearts of you who read it, whoever and wherever you are in life.

Angela