ELEVATE: a.k.a. "Why Can't Every Day Be Sunday?"

Wow God. Just,.........wow. These were the only words I could think of after my morning with the children at Shadow Mountain Cummunity Church.

I awoke feeling good this morning. (Considering the past three weeks, it's about bloody time! haha)
The past two Sundays I have been missing little 'C'. A little blonde cutie who's name is similiar to mine, and whom I believe latched onto me because of it. I half expect her to walk in the door still; asking me if she could sit next to me and/or hold Alehe's leash, which is something I often let her and a select few other children do.
Little 'N' wasn't in Sundayschool today. He is another 'melt-yer-heart' kind of child. He likes to climb in my lap and sit, sometimes facing me, sometimes engaged a bit in the Bible story. He'll often take my face in his hands, very gently, for a few seconds. Priceless seconds if you ask me. Sometimes he will hug me. He seems to enjoy pushing my wheelchair, although he will often run off and go do something else, leaving me high and dry, lol! Stinker. He does interact with Alehe to some degree, petting her. I try to initiate the interaction getting him started, gently taking his hand and stroking Alehe's fur wth it. But it doesn't last very long.

Worship with little 'L'
When it comes to a child with a significant disability, I often wonder how much I am connecting with them. I long to break into their world and get them to understand how much they are valued as the precious child they are (at least by me) and important to the world, especially in God's eyes.
I stood next to L during our worship time today. Singing and signing, and trying to engage him in the worship. At one point I was taking his hands and signing with them. He really seemed to enjoy this. His face lit up and he smiled, watching me the whole time.

'L' and Alehe
He took the leash in his little hands, and so I let him hold it. We walked side by side around the perimeter of the classroom. He was pretty happy. I believe at one point of the morning he tried to say a word. But sadly none of us really caught what he said (it's pretty quiet). He did seem more vocal today than usual. No coherant words other than that one time, but a lot of vocal 'sounds'. He smiled at times. Especially around Alehe.
I tend to measure life by the big moments, often times letting the little ones pass me by without much notice. Today didnt seem like much at first, btu after this one child...... I now cannot wait until next week!
Here's a child who does not communicate verbally (he has coclear implants in both ears and a seizure disorder. CE-EWT as a button, especially when he smiles.) I often wonder what goes on in the minds of some of these children as they sit listening to the Biblestory. How much of this are they really getting? (I am learning to trust that God is working in their hearts and minds)

A few of our children are seen with toys in their hands as one of the teachers shares a story from the Bible. This is not unusual, nor are they being defiant. Some of these children keep their hands busy to keep their focus on the teacher who is sharing a story from the Bible. You don't really know how much they are getting, you just trust God that He is moving in their hearts and minds.

Why can't every day be Sunday?

=D



"Take my will and make it your own. I'm on my knees letting go. Seeking more of You and finding less of me, now I'm free! So take my will, let Your kingdom come. Let Your will be done." ~ Take My Will' by Richard Andrew

ELEVATE~ Helping All God's Children Reach for the Son (AKA- Eeghad am I Ever Tired!)

I am soooooo wiped out right now, but even more....I am soooooo lovin' it, Haha!

"ELEVATE~ Helping All Gods Children Reach for the Son"

C ~ This little girl was doing something that made me laugh (wish I could remember what it was now). She kept getting in my face (playfully) and telling me not to laugh, which only made me laugh even more. Then she would tell some of other adults that I was laughing. This little girl is in love with the fact that our names are so similiar. Becasue of it, we have bonded very well.

N ~ Wow, does he EVER have energy! Can I have some of it pleeease? This little guy he's somewhere between 3 and five, (looks like he's barely three) not only did he wear me out, but he melted my heart today. He asked me "Where's your dog?", in a a sweet little voice (Alehe has an eye infection, I've had to put ointment in her eyes twice a day). During part of our sundayschool time he spent in one of our other rooms (he doesnt sit still very well, biblestory time is difficult for him). He had a great time drawing (scribbling) on the whiteboard or bouncing/rolling a giant-sized ball you normally use for yoga. He's definately a mover and a shaker.

I am SO going to bed early tonight! I cannot wait for next week to see what God has in store.

Third Graders

Today I started helping out with the third graders @ Avocado Elemtary school. I was in Mrs. Leibernicht's class and it was great!

What was I doing in there you ask? Haha, glad you asked (Okay, so I was going to share with you anyway).

My favorite thing.....reading!

Children had storeis they had read and were to anser questions they were to answer aabout what they had read (reading comprehension, ugh!!!)Did a lot of helping students pro

helping students with language
(some ESL students too :)
correcting papers

ran into a teacher whom I went to church with @ CABC

Alehe was a big hit after school while waiting for my dad to pick me up.

So starting Friday I will be working with two classrooms. The second one being a special education kindergarten class! YaY! I can't wait to go back!!!!

My Time @ Gage

Today was my first day with the k-2nd graders since my surgery, and what an AMAZING day it was! I came into the classroom and heard each child gasp as they realized I had returned. Phenominal feeling! They were excited to be working with me again (or was it the dog, Idk. lol!) Today definately was a mood lifter.



Teachers tells me today one of her students asks her every day- "Is today an Alehe day?"



TOday: Had a volunteer luncheon @ Gage Elementary. Received a t-shirt, volunteer pin and a certificate. Had the most hours of any volunteer. Nominated for volunteer of the year. One teacher I volunteer for gave me a nice gift and her students each hand made me a card. So blessed! I love Love LOVE what I do!!!!!! (Allie even received a box of dogbones :) )


Fifteen minutes left into my day with the second graders the teacher asks which student would likke to work with me on beginning their homework assignment. At least fifteen hands go up. She chooses one, fourteen whiney "awwwwww"s follow. LOL! I love it!!!

Last day of the year and 2nd grade teacher tells me she hopes I will be back in the fall

God, Yer SPOILING ME! :D

2nd graders
In this class, I am helping wherever needed, whether its housekeeping (paperwork) or having children read to me, even sitting by one child and helping them out while we do a class assignment. Today the seond graders graciously asked if they could pet Alehe. They have EXCELLENT memories!!! If I tell them not now but at such and such a time....they don't let me forget! LOL!!!! As is the case for one child today. I talked to her during class on Monday saying she could pet her on Friday at the end of our day. One little girl (Joaquin, pronounced ha'keen) loves the fact Alehe is there. searches me out just before we go to luch and again at the end pf our day to talk to me.... all the time. She and I talked today about why I was in the wheelchair. I wrote names on childrens packets today and stapled papers together, even put together booklets that children can order books from. THAT was a daunting task. Especially when all teh pages start looking alike after the third or fourth one! I think I wasted fifteen twenty minutes trying to figure out the order of pages! then it was time to go to our assenbly put on by Wildlife Rescue here in SoComing back from lunch I passed by a seond grader "You're a great teacher!" It's only my THIRD day :D
I learned something new from the assembly today regarding birds that fall out of nests. When I was in school we were taught NEVER to pick up a bird if it had fallen out of its nest. Apparently, this is not the case anymore. it used to be that if the mother bird smelled human on teh baby bird, said baby bird would be rejected. Now, it is advised that if you can reach the nest, to go ahead and put the baby bird back into it. If the nest is too high to reach, find a small container, line it with something soft and put the baby bird back in. Then put the container as high as you are able to reach. The Mamma bird will still feed their baby this way.


Kindergarten/1st grade
Ohmygoodness I never thought sitting and listening to children could be so daunting! Reading is one thing...but reciting numbers by ones, fives, tens, and two's, and all to 100?! It was really a learing experience in teaching young children. I was having fun in a way.....
I was surprised that counting by ones, fives, and tens was easier than counting by two's. here is where most struggled. Some children i had to help more than others, had to exxplain to them to take one number (two for example) and add two more (four). What do you get when you add two to that number (six!). it was interesting to me tha counting by two's from, say, twenty-eight to thirty, thrity-eight to forty,forty-eight to fifty, and so on and so forth was a bit difficult for one child.

I can't wait until Monday!

Alehe is Back to Work, Finally!

"GASP, She brought her dog!" children said excitedly. Yes, today was the first day I was able to bring Alehe to Gage Elementary school in San Carlos, CA. I had been in the kindergarten/first grade class for a few months now, and just today started in the second grade classroom after that. I was worried about passing by the preschool classroom this morning, but thankfully none of those children spotted me. But I was assured on my last day in that class that there is always next year.
I wheeled into the office to sign in on the volunteer sheet as I always do and the Secretary ooo-ed and ahhh-ed over Alehe. I then proceeded to my first class of the day, kindergarten and first graders. They had been well informed of my bringing Alehe, her duties while she is with me, and that they are not to pet her unless I give them permission to do so. A few told me about their dogs at home. The children did an excellent job while working with me. A few kept peeking under the table at her whole with me, and one boy I had to tell repeatedly to pay attention to his teachers up front because he would not stop looking at her and talking. One child I have difficulty with not wanting to work with me was a tad more cooperative today. I was able to get two answers out of her. Which was a lot for her. She is usually really shy around me. I am hoping the more Alehe is there, it will bring her out and we can become more comfortable around each other.
The second graders also did an excellent job, and cracked me up in the process; they were almost relentless in asking me when they could pet her. I finally told one girl that "possibly Friday" I would let her. I talked about Alehe a bit before class and showed them a thing or two what she could do, and they raised their hands and started talking about all of their dogs. So cute! As they were lining up for lunch today, I did manage to allow them a quick pet as they were leaving. I went to the break room with the teacher and had lunch with her, a substitute teacher, and a few others. Yeah, they couldn't keep their hands off of her either, lol! Even my morning teacher was there.
I cannot WAIT to go back on Friday! In the meantime, I am still waiting on the Salvation Army to call me so that I can set up a time on Wednesdays to volunteer there.

Sometimes God Closes a Door, Only to Open a Window

Sorting through feelings of today, trying to come up with a title to this post....this line hits me, "Sometimes the hardest things to do are in perfect sync with God's will and plan". Today was my last day with preschoolers. It was a tough decision on my part, and definately NOT easy by any sense of the word! And as I type this, 'None Compare' is playing on my computer. "Do Nnot be afraid, for help is on the way".

When I first started volunteering in schools, it was rough having to leave the dog but I wanted something to do and wanted to be with children so bad. Poor Alehe couldn't understand....she kept running to the door, somtimes with the leash in her mouth or jumping in the van... and I would have to tell her to stay. Well, lately I have been noticing that this leaving her most of the time I am gone is affect the times she DOES work with me. She is not as responsive to my commands as she needs to be. In my CCI training sessions with her and previous dogs, we were told that this could happen over time.

I pressed into one of the preschools abotu the issue, and it sorta fell flat. I wrote a note to the volunteer coordinator at this same school and started the ball rolling looking into other classrooms at that same school or inthe same district. Another classroom, this time second graders, came available and said no prob. I am already a volunteer TA for a first graded class, and so not doing the preschool would open up opportunity in that class to bring Alehe, and they are excited. Why, the past two weeeks kiddos come up to me "when do you get to bring your dog?" And they ask me all sorts of questions about her. Friday is my first day with Alehe in both classrooms.

My last day in the preschool was difficult. My heart felt heavy, I LOVED these kids! They in turn LOVED me! (and so did the teachers). I felt like God was closing yet anbother door I thought He had led me to walk through. When I got home, I listened to a song RA had posted to his Facebook page yesterday. I don't always listen to them becasue I have all of them on CD :D ,but felt led to do so this time. "None Compare' played, and God spoke. "Do not be afraid, for Help is on the way".
God is totally in control!



After that and I started singing the chorus to yet another RA song, 'Take My Will'



Take My Will
Make it Your own
I'm on my knees, I'm letting go
Seeking more of Youu
and finding less of me , and now I'm free\
So take my will
And let Your kingdom come
Let Your Will be done

My Baby is Ten Years Old Today!!!

Alehe, my servicedog is a whoppin' ten years old today. Man time flies when your having fun! Next month it will be eight years that I will have had her. So far today, we have spent time laying on my bed in the sun together, me giving her a belly rub (her favorite thing in the world). After lunch, I think we will go for a walk somewhere, maybe to the dogpark with a toy.

Missoula Boys and Girls Club

I started volunteering at the Missoula Boys and Girls Club a few weeks ago. They have an after school program from 330 to 530 and so far I am there two days a week, on Mondays and Fridays. Friday afternoons I learned were strictly movie days, and so after spending a Friday there, one of the other workers there said that I was okay to change days if I wanted. Since the days I picked were occassionaly gym days, I decided I'd swich at least one of those days. I might swing in on a Friday here and there. Who knows.
I have a packet of infornmation about the boys and girls club as well as a wide variety of activities to do with teh children. i don't know of what purpose that serves at this moment because we don't seem to be using any of it. Right now its just doing homework if they want to and then playing on the playground.
Feels more like glorified babysitting. However, on occassion I do read a book with a younger child, and they do enjoy having Alehe in the room. Why, one day a middleschool girl gkot a kick out of Alehe giving them "high five"'s (a modified version of the command , "shake".

Poor Alehe

I know blogging about not blogging is considered a no-no, but what if it is blogging about not blogging about your pet enough?

After reading a few blogs about people and their servicedogs, I dont feel as though I write enough about Alehe.
Shoot, I don't feel as though I have done enough with her, let alone blogged enough about her. But come powerchair (whenever the heck that is)we'll be in the groove once again. Hopefully I wont kill her in the process.

(Wish I had a picture to go with this post)

Hospital Volunteer

So as of today I am officially a Community Hospital volunteer. It was rather interesting how it all got started. A few months ago I went to a career fair at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Missoula. Before the fair, I went to the mt.gov site to research all of the different places that were going to be there. I found nothing of interest as far as paid positions go, however, something (I am convinced it was a God thing) made me click on Community Hospital. Low and behold, the one thing I find there is for pet therapy. "Why, we can do that!"
While at the career fair, I came across the Community Hospital booth and spoke with a representative. "Why, we'd love to have You!" was the response I got. I was given a business card of the woman I was to cantact, the head of volunteer services.
To bring Alehe to the hospital and be just in the day room would have been no problem. But I thought it would be more special for the patients if we visited them in their rooms. To do that I would have to go through certification training for therapy dogs - liability reasons.
I was tired of sitting around and not finding things to do NOW, I just wanted something to happen. The training wasnt for another month or so. Between CCI, CMC and the therapy dog place, figured out that we are covered undedr CCI's liability insurance. Everything was a go.
I showed up at Community Medical Center at eleven a.m. to "shadow" or go along with another therapy dog team to see what it's all about. Visited Rehab patients for about an hour. One older gentleman reminded me of sitting with my grandpa as a kid listening to his stories of his younger days. As I sat there and listened, a voice in my head was telling me what good I was doign just sitting and litening to them talk.
At times. Alehe would just sit and wtch the other dog while he interacted with teh patients while sitting in their beds or a wheelchair. She didn't seem too sure of herself, but then again this was a new experience for her. I really tried to encourage/coax her to interact with the patients. The woman I was with told me that as she watches the other dog, and the more she does this, the easier it will become for her. Meanwhile I was to keep encouraging her, praising her. A good learning experience for the both of us.
I was issued an ID badge with my picture, my name, and Community Medical Center - just like the ones that the doctors and nurses wear. I feel so important! I don't think I took that thing off all day. Even until I went to bed last night! LOL!!!

Boy was I exhausted!

"Hey Mom, I found a Cheap Way to Remodel the House!"

",...just stick me in a powerchair!"

This is one of the first comments I made to my mother when we talked on the phone shortly after deciding to give a powerchair a try.

A year and a half ago, it was decided that it was time to do something about the way I sat in my current wheelchair. Primarily for the adema (swelling) in my legs, which started shortly after I broke my left leg while making my bed. But even so for the amount of time I spend sitting in the chair

Referalls were made to an occupational therapist that could help me with the seating system in my current wheelchair. We first tried a "foam in place", which is conformed to the shape of my back. It was just okay, not great. A few weeks and we decided it was best for me to go to Colorado where they have a center that specializes in the Aspen Seating System, a lot like the foam in place but should work much better. It would be conformed to the shape of my back when I sit in my chair and thus be more comfortable. the problem was fighting with Medicaid to get them to cover me for the flight AND the Aspen seating. It took THREE times to get Medicaid (my insurance) to cover it, and then finally when we get it covered...they come out with the system here in Montana. What timing! No more having to fly to Colorado (rats, Mom and I wanted a vacation!)

The seating system was easy to do, but pretty messy. It consisted of tiny foam beads placed in a large (and I mean LARGE) sealed bag, then all the air sucked out of it by some machine while it is positioned behind my back. The air coming out would force the beads to stick together and conform to the shape of my back. the first time was a bit messy as something had punctured a hole in the bag which resulted in foam beads all over the living room floor. Break out the vacuum cleaner!

This seating system was all fine and dandy, however, when they tilted me back it fit by back perfectly. Now when I am seated in the manual chair, I don't touch it.

We had also discussed my using a powerchair. An option we discussed on the powerchair is I could raise the feet so that they are somewhat elevated, and I could tilt back at an angle and relieve pressure off my backside (less possibiity of me getting pressure sores as I sit in my w/chair all day). The first few times I tilted the wheelchair back, my survival instincts kicked in. I felt as though I was going to tip OVER backwards, so I wanted to counterbalance. but I was assured this could not happen. Now it is easy to let myself relax.


Here are pros and cons that I came up with regarding my using a power chair:

Pros
The model I will have will have the option of raising my feet to aleviate the adema problem
I will also be able to tilt and releive the pressure off my bum, No more excuse to being too tired to go anywhere. I an get ou of the house even if I don't fell like it
I can carry things in one hand and still maneuver
The model I will have (as I have decided from the demo) will have an option for me to raise the seat so that I can reach some high places (no more leaving dishes on the counter for others to put away
Mom reminded me that I will be able to use the stovetop! Whohoo! more meal options for myself!!! (I'm tired of the microwave)
I can even put stuff in the crockpot
No one pushing my wheelchair without asking
I no longer can make the excuse "I'm too tired" when I have an option of doing something.

Cons
I wouldnt be able to play tennis if I used a power chair fulltime
I wouldnt be able to venture downstairs if I wanted to
If the battery dies...I'm stuck
No more Alehe pulling my chair for me, just one of the biggest reasons for having her. And I have a feeling she really enjoys the work
Riding in other peoples cars if the need arises would be impossible, unless they came up with a lighter more compact model. Haha, yeah right. Like that's ever possible.
The size of my house

I say this last one because of the minor damage I have done, primarily to the doorways in my bedroom and bathroom. Both have gigantic scrapes where I rubbed part of the chair against the doors. The doorframe to my bathroom even has two very tiny holes where I ran the footplate into the wood. My knees even have bruises where I ran into the kitchen table a few times.

Using the powerchair outdoors is rather interesting. For the first week, indoors or outdoors I would not go faster than the first of five speeds this chair can go. By the third or fourth week, I was cranking the baby ALL THE WAY!!! Well, that was until I came near sailing off of the edge of a curb when on the sidewalk. I even managed to get myself swallowed by a group of bushes near the University campus. I'm glad no one was around to witness THAT now!

At the beginning when we were first inquiring about the powerchair thing, someone made the mistake of calling it an electric chair. My OT immediately shot back, "It's NOT an electric chair, it's a POWER chair. Electric chairs KILL people!" Now anytime I hear electric chair...I correct them with the same comment.

Poor Alehe doesn't know what to think. The first few days and I think I got her foot twice. Now she walks a little farther away than she used to. I'm surprised I haven't strangled her with the leash yet, as I have at times gone a bit faster than she can keep up, oops.

The other day I went to Norco where I was to demo two other powerchairs. I managed to wheel on the grass quite well, something i was earlier afraid to do (ever since breaking my leg when falling out of my chair, I havent been as brave about things). One chair I tried was a beautiful deep blue (blue being my favorite color) and yet another was a forest green (another cool color).

I'll try and get pictures of me in either chair up on flickr sometime.

In the meantime, anyone wanna challenge me to a race?!?!?!?!
Haha, just kidding!

Fort Courage - Finished my first week

So I called Alehe's trainer at CCI and talked to her about what to do. One of the options was to put Alehe in another room, however, there wasnt a room available for that. It was up to me if I wanted to leave her at home or not. I seriously thought CCI would frown upon my leaving her, since it meant she wouldnt be doing much for me. I feel bad the she doesn't do much now that I am done with school, and I was excited about taking her to work with me. But her trainer was fuill of ideas to keep Alehe entertained while I was gone. I decided to give it a try.
The morning of my first day of work, I gathered together a few of Alehe's toys that I could find. One of the ideas her trainer gave was to fill her kong with peanut butter, this way she would be busy for quite some time. My aide even suggested a toy that spills out treats but that Alehe would have to work at to get to them.
For the time being, I just left various toys scatterd throughout the house for her to easily find. This seemed to be okay. My aide came to get me from work that afternoon and low and behold, Alehe was in the van. I got in the van and was smothered with dog kisses. My aide said that after I left she stayed and played with Alehe a few minutes to get her mind off off my being away. Alehe did great.
The rest of the evening I was home, Alehe was extremely clingy.

Fort Courage Childcare - The Begginning

Tuesday the sixth of March, I signed all the paperwork to officially become a Fort Courage employee. My first day on the job - exactly one week later. I thought the week would never come to an end!

The day was rather interesting. I felt a majority of the four hours I worked was spent outside. When I arrived, children were in free play. I made sure the children weren't rough-housing with the play equipment as to hurt themselves or destroy the toys. I then watched as they did learning centers (they had a different name for it, but I can't remember). At the table I sat near, the children had the letter y cut out of construction paper and glued different colors of yarn. Wow children use a lot of glue!

Then it was outside time for an hour at least. One child, TJ, was hanging with me the entire four hours I was there. He kept trying to tickle me. Cute, but annoying after a while. But he was great. Every time I turned around...there was TJ.

I wheeled around the perimeter of the playground (kept having to dodge children and their trikes). And then sometimes gave up and wheeled on the grass. Not too hard, until I became stuck at one point trying to get from the grass back to the pavement, and had to be rescued by my boss...how embarrassing.

When we came back inside, children had lunch. then it was back outside for another hour! Good grief I need a nap! Children had fun when co-workers blew bubbles, and the children all chased after them.

Inside once again, it was time for a story. But first, my boss called me into his office...scary, the whole time I'm thinking, "Oh no, what'd I do!" It was then that he mentioned the co-worker going home because of allergies. Around that same time I was looking for my ride, that never bothered to show. I think I might have had some confusion with that. I don't know. So I called for backup, who wasn't very happy but did it anyway. Then I received a call, my voice lesson was cancelled.

My day didn't end very well.


So the majority of this afternoon and evening I have been a bit emotional. I just got a job I really enjoyed, fell in liove with teh HUGE faciltiy...adn now I dont know what to do. Mass confusion whether to leave Alehe at home or what. I called her trainer and have yet to hear back.

Dear Lord, Help Me NOW!

Alehe's in Trouble

I had left Alehe at home while I went to choir tonight because I thought she was getting a bath from one of my aides ( we may have discussed another day, but my brain ya know... I AM thirty-two). When I came home, one of my roomates Krysty had shared with me that Alehe had eaten all of the popcorn and fruitloops off of our Christmas tree. That shocked me, I couldn't see how, or WHY for that matter, she would do that. But then again, she was left at home, alone. And she DOES love popcorn.
When more of my roomies came home Krysty says to them, " I have a sad but funny story to tell you", and proceeds to tell them. All three laughed hysterically.

As a side note, it is almost ten p.m. and it is three degrees outside. B-r-r-r-r-r-r-r!

Why can't they live as long as we do?

'If there are no dogs in heaven,then when I die I want to go where they went. - Anonymous'

Why can't pets live as long as we do? Today is Alehe's 8th (gasp!) birthday. Her puppy raiser sends her a card every year. Today she sent it over e-mail, you can view it here. I started her on a senior diet dogfood just a few months ago. It was when one of the CCI trainers flew out here to visit with the two of us, to see how things were going. She handed me a packet of information and when I looked at the title, immediately tried to give it back (kiddingly, "I don't want this!") When I read over it that night, I cried. She will again be assessed by a CCI trainer in another two years, as dogs usually retire between eight and ten years of age. Some go on longer, while others go before. Come November, I will have had her six years. Time flies when you're having fun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEHE!!!!!!

Alehe @ the Dog Park

So I took Alehe to the dog park on Tuesday. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! About halfway there she became really really excited and broke out into a fast paced walk, almost run. Ya think she sensed where we were going? Well, when I got to where I wanted to be inside the park I let her off leash. There were five to six other dogs and all wanted to see who the newcomer was. The second I let her off the leash she bolts for the river. She wouldn't even let me take her pulling harness off first. I'm glad I didn't have anything important in the pocket of her harness. Everything got w-e-t, wet. From the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail. But Oh, did she have f-u-n, fun.

Five Years and Counting

It was five years ago this week that Alehe and I became a team.
I Love You Alehe

Spoiled Rotten? I Should Think So!

My roomate J brought home yet another sample of doggie goodies for Alehe. Now if I forget put it on her food, she looks at me as if I am forgetting something. She hesitates eating her food if I forget.

Dogs

Why can't they live as long as we do? I was thinking about it a few days ago"let's see, I am on servicedog number three. I wonder how many that will be by the time I get to Heaven." At least ten give or take a few.
Everyone seems to have different opinions about whether or not pets go to heaven too. I used to say "If they're not there, I ain't goin'!" With how many animals some people own in a lifetime, If they did...would there be any room left for us?
I am really attached to Ally, and hate to think of her nearing the age of retirement. In fact, when I boarded the plane with her for the trip back to Montana after training, I had a long talk with her"now Ally, listen up, you better last me a lot longer than eight years (how long I had Glenda) 'cause like they say"Time flies when youre having fun". And time with Glenda went by just too dang fast!
(That picture, Ally... with her favorite toy!)

Check out a previous post "Beavertail Hill State Park" as I have posted the best of the pictures I took of the trip.