tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79612476594348392442024-02-22T00:34:18.973-09:00Life is a Zoo/ Pharaoh's HavenHow does one woman handle a husband, two kids, and a house with many rescued animals? We have Italian Greyhounds, Greyhounds, cats, and parrots that have been rescued from lives of despair or euthanization. Come see how God uses all creatures great and small to enhance our family's life. Each animal has a story and if you read through the blog you'll read some of them. The slideshow to the left is not of our animals, just random images from the web. The name of our rescue is Pharaoh's Haven.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-26610043802291902612014-11-11T15:42:00.001-09:002014-11-11T16:15:40.376-09:00How to pill your dog or cat- it's not as hard as you think!<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> There are so many things that pet owners think are SO HARD and SO STRESSFUL and often, they aren't- the owner just hasn't been educated on how to make it easier. Pilling a sick dog or cat is one of these issues. They make pill guns for dogs and cats, but my vets have told me they have seen more injuries from these devices than you can shake a stick at. So here is a primer on how to pill a dog or cat with little stress for the owner or the animal.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> Dogs are a breeze. Yes, you can put the meds in peanut butter or cream cheese (a dog will go for cream cheese like a crazed maniac). It also doesn't stick in the dog's mouth along with the pill which is now dissolving and tasting very bad for your dog. If you pill your dog wrongly, you may see the dog's mouth foam like crazy and you will be tempted to flip out. Don't. This is just the dog's saliva glands working overtime to get the nasty taste out of its mouth. So let's not have that happen. If you have one of those dogs who "knows" there is something in the piece of ham (another great method) or cream cheese, you will have to work a little harder. First of all, coat the tablet in butter, and if it's a capsule, do the same- it makes it slippery and easier to get down. Now, this is the part you really have to do right. Put the dog either higher than the ground or stand behind the dog (this is better for large dogs). Open their jaw and place the slippery pill so far back on their tongue that you can almost feel the soft tissue of their palate- WAY BACK. Then shut their mouth and stroke their throat. If they lick their lips, the pill has gone down. If they hack, you are back to square one and it's gonna be harder b/c now they know what's coming and the tablet or capsule is starting to disintegrate.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Now you have two options. Try fast to repeat the above steps or take the nasty pill and put it aside and try again in an hour. If you are having trouble doing this alone, have someone else stand in front of the sitting dog to open their jaw, and you stand behind them and put the pill way back in the dog's throat. Most owners make the mistake of not placing the pill far enough back or not making the pills slippery enough to slide down the dog's throat. Why put a smaller dog up high and stand behind a large dog? It makes small dogs uncomfortable to be up high and they are preoccupied with that and tend to not fight the pill as much. As for the large dogs, standing behind the SITTING DOG (no standing when you pill a dog), lets the dog know you are in charge and they can't back out which is what they will want to do. As you can tell from the picture below, this woman's hand is almost all the way in the dog's mouth and that is just how you want it to be. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"> Cats- yuck. It's just a pain in the butt, and can be a pain everywhere if the cat fights the process and leaves you scratched up. Try to hide in the stinkiest cat food (canned) you can find- something the cat would kill for. Use a SMALL AMOUNT OF FOOD, not the whole can. That way you can see if the pill was ingested. Don't crumble a tablet or empty a capsule into the food b/c cats have an amazing sense of smell and they will take one sniff and walk away. Even the most enticing canned food won't work if they can smell the evil bitter meds. Now, if that doesn't work, the hard work starts. If you have never pilled a cat before I recommend two people and a large towel. Stay very quiet and calm and try to keep the cat in a place they are familiar with- in other words, don't bring an outside cat in the house to pill them- or vice versa- but make sure they are in a semi enclosed place so they can't run away- small bathrooms work well. If you have a suspicious or shy cat who is an outside cat, bring them in. Otherwise they won't come near you for a month. :) Have one person wrap the cat's body in a towel as fast and as tight as you can. Try for no claws sticking out, obviously. Do the same thing with the pill as you do with a dog- coat it in butter. Now this is where sheer bravery and expedience are needed (not easy for a first timer or an old timer). Sit behind the cat, who is now wrapped up and open their jaw and stick that pill in way back, way fast. The picture below shows how to sit behind and above a cat but this is also the stance you have to have with a large dog. You are NOT SITTING ON THE CAT!!! Both dogs and cats will try to back out rather than go forward so I have found the " come from the back of the animal" to work much better than coming at the animal from the front. Cats are not nearly as forgiving as dogs and their teeth HURT. If the cat is really sick and you have to do this over a series of days, the cats will eventually just let you do it. If not, and the cat is a fighter, wear garden gloves or leather gloves and just aim as far back as possible. If it just is not going to happen, call your vet and ask them for ideas (pill guns do work on cats if you are very careful, but you will still have to restrain the cat well. </span><br />
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-70144607538346133232014-11-11T15:02:00.000-09:002014-11-11T15:02:30.838-09:00It's tick season in most of Florida or other warm climates, how to deal with these beasts! Well for the Floridians reading this or other people in warmer climates, it's tick season. It seems odd to me that we may fight fleas all summer, but although people tell me ticks are out in the summer, I have never found a tick on one of my dogs or cats until it starts to become cool- always November. <br />
Since this is my blog and based on my experience, don't take it as vet advice. This is my advice based on 40 years of working with and around dogs almost constantly. So people just FREAK OUT OVER TICKS!! Yes, there is some merit to being not real happy when you find a tick on your cat or dog or even yourself. And there are so many " ways to remove a tick safely" that it's almost funny. There are plastic tick removers in pet stores now, so you don't have to touch the tick itself. There are wives tales galore about how to kill and tick and make it let go. They range from putting Vaseline or rubbing alcohol on the tick to nail polish remover or putting a lit match to the tick!! These methods are more likely to make the tick regurgitate, spreading even more of its toxins into the body of your animal or you! I've removed hundreds or ticks and I use two methods. One is to grasp the tick as close to the head as you an and pull straight out (yes with your bare hands- GASP), The other way is to use a pair of tweezers and use the same method. Don't twist or grab the tick where it's grey body is or you won't get the whole tick.<br />
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If you are afraid of lyme disease or live in an area where ticks spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, keep the tick in a container and take it to your vet who can identify the species and either reassure you or put your animal on antibiotics. Now, here is something I have found interesting over the years. Cats almost ALWAYS get ticks in two places- in the fur around their head and neck, and (sorry but you need to know this) on the cat's anus. I've wondered and today it came to me why these make good places for ticks to go on a cat. They are places a cat cannot reach with it's mouth to chew the tick away which is what the cat would do if it was on their body. So each day in the fall, I pet my cats' heads and necks carefully and when they turn around I look at their heinies. I will never forget the time one of my cats had five or six cats on her bum and my dear mother was here and she said, " Honey, I'm no wimp and that's miserable for Bella, so you get the tweezers, I'll hold and you get them off this poor baby." Bella was hard to hold but she was tick free in the end. (no pun intended).<br />
Dogs and horses tend to get ticks in different places than cats. Dogs tend to get them in folds of skin, like in the armpits or on their belly but a lot of the time they will be on the dog's face or body- ears as seen above are a favorite hideout for ticks, again, most of them are in places where the dog wouldn't be able to get them off themselves. Horses- ticks go for the soft skin between the horses hind legs. I once picked 53 ticks off of a gelding's scrotum and stomach after he was in an area that obviously was loaded with ticks. This was not my horse, but a dear friend's and we counted as she took ticks off the other horse and between the two of us we got 80 something ticks. WITH OUR BARE HANDS TOO! Didn't freak me out one bit, I was feeling too sorry for the horse. Tick bites swell and itch worse than just about anything for an animal or a person. It's truly miserable for animals.<br />
Ticks often leave a large swollen and hard bump on the skin where they bit the animal. It feels like a knot under the skin and often has a scab around it. This is an allergic reaction to the tick bite. Some animals have this reaction and others don't. This lump should reduce in size as time goes by. Cleaning it with Betadine Cleanser and applying antibiotic ointment may help but that's really if you are worried. If the bump does not get smaller or it feels hot to the touch or the skin around it feels hot, take your animal to the vet, as the tick may have spread an infection into the animal's body and the pet will need antibiotics by mouth. Here is a mild example of the lumps or reddened areas left after the tick has been removed. You can actually see the hole where the tick was attached. There are so many products made to deter ticks and kill them before they become imbedded in your dog's skin for a long period of time. INVEST IN THESE PRODUCTS!!! There are some homemade sprays you can use on your dog or cat but you must spray them every single day and make sure you cover all the areas the ticks can burrow into. The toxins in the products sold at pet stores are not as dangerous to your dog as the infections and even death that your dog or cat or horse can experience from a bad tick bite. Flush all ticks down the toilet and wash your hands (obviously) after removing the tick from your animals. And as always, if you are worried or concerned or scared to remove the tick, go see your vet. <br />
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-91905891229703819522014-09-22T11:02:00.000-08:002014-09-22T11:02:59.079-08:00Great dog training books new and old!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcqZdR9c3PYjtHAHMiy0sannkXBY1tkG8UnhzYro7gurGQFSOe_g_1hlB3tYKeReSPocWUqLwkFJsHUtclgUhW51x799T2f-91zGd9OADSJNaZ4YLQk7N8yBdcboAoH_EuSLrN3vxVCY/s1600/barbara+woodhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcqZdR9c3PYjtHAHMiy0sannkXBY1tkG8UnhzYro7gurGQFSOe_g_1hlB3tYKeReSPocWUqLwkFJsHUtclgUhW51x799T2f-91zGd9OADSJNaZ4YLQk7N8yBdcboAoH_EuSLrN3vxVCY/s1600/barbara+woodhouse.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">People always are looking for the newest, fastest, best, and most effortless ways to have a good dog. Guess what? It cannot be found, because having a good dog is a time consuming activity and that hasn't changed since the beginning of dog training. </span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> When I was a young girl, my mom bought me a book called No Bad Dogs by Barbara Woodhouse. She also had a show on PBS. She was a British wonder with dogs. She was right up my alley because she didn't believe in hitting dogs or tying them up or doing anything to them that she wouldn't want done to her!! If you want to smile and learn how to train your dog too, get her videos from Amazon or whoever you can.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTK8m4I54baaXICGzQuzEciuID0teY4FSjgBJWnammE8q1Ct3jWtWU2sauF4G_NDlO17EPU4_nRqsxUpM2nb9O3GQs6SG7NDlZhN5HfJSjTmbcw65dUEyDHfZEKbkx_hayDtGv3MUBOnE/s1600/New+art+of+puppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTK8m4I54baaXICGzQuzEciuID0teY4FSjgBJWnammE8q1Ct3jWtWU2sauF4G_NDlO17EPU4_nRqsxUpM2nb9O3GQs6SG7NDlZhN5HfJSjTmbcw65dUEyDHfZEKbkx_hayDtGv3MUBOnE/s1600/New+art+of+puppy.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Another amazing group of men that have been around for a very long time is the Monks of New Skete. They raise German Shepherds in particular, and believe in compassion as did Barbara Woodhouse. They have written several excellent books. Their most famous is " How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend". They have also written a newer book about raising puppies as you can see above.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Of course, I would be remiss to not mention Cesar Milan, but as the quote goes, " There is nothing new under the sun." This is so so true.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Cesar himself would tell you that his amazing ability is from years of watching his father's farm dogs in Mexico and observing their pack behavior. I think if I could ask him a question, it would be this one and I am certain of how he would answer. WHY? Because I have the same kind of innate knowledge of dog behavior without any fancy training, but because I was surrounded by dogs my entire life and still am. " How do you know what to do with these dogs and their problems?" " It's in my gut, it's an inner knowing, and it also takes some trial and error." Someone who has been around dogs their entire lives, horses as well, I can tell you that there is a "knowing" in your mind and soul that cannot be explained from a book. It's being able to "read" a dog's face, tail, ears, eyes, and know what is going on in that dog's mind at that moment. It is the same with horses- I am rarely surprised by any behavior of any dog or horse IF I AM WATCHING THEM CAREFULLY AND BEING QUIET. Now, I have been nudged on the butt by one of my miniature horses but I knew it was coming b/c I had the feed bucket. I am not a seer into the future, but the only time I have been bitten was by my own dog,and it was my fault, as I was grooming him while he was lying on his side and I fell on him and he was asleep. He snapped at whatever fell on him and well he should. I know when a dog is not safe to go near, bc I watch and am SILENT. Try it. Watch your dogs or cats or animals silently and see if you can predict what they might do. Most animals want you to watch them and communicate with them and be close to them. Want proof? Last night I had a chihuahua under the covers at my hip, a cat on my left leg, and a green cheek conure under my chin. We were all taking a nap together and everyone knew where everyone else was and we all napped in peace. It is how life with our animals is supposed to be and these authors and experts are a good place to start if you need some harmony at your house!!!</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-19187632623990758332014-01-01T11:36:00.003-09:002014-01-01T11:36:54.544-09:00It never gets easier<div>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;">I had to put one of our last Italian Greyhounds to sleep last week. His name was Houston and he was one of my angel babies. He was given to us by a breeder who drove him here from Houston. he had a weird genetic "thing" that made him have a bendy tail which is not allowed in the show ring. His breeder wanted to find a good home for him and so she drove her and stayed for two days so she could see our place and make sure it was suitable for him. (GOOD FOR HER!!) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"> Houston at first was a very scared dog- afraid especially of new people or dogs. But when he finally got comfortable (after a few years if you can believe it) he was amazing. He was affectionate and always gently put his paws on your thighs when you were standing up to say hello. He was never sick and just an easy sweet dog. IGs often develop something called hemangiomas on their skin. Basically they are skin cancers and look like blood blisters. IGs in Florida and whippets are very prone to them. You have them removed before they get bigger than a dime. With all of our dogs, we removed and removed and after a while they began to pop up so fast we couldn't keep up. When that happens, it means that the cancer is metasticizing and has gone to the internal organs. Almost all of our IGs have died from this cancer which is called hemangiosarcoma when it is internal. When I say they have all died, let me say that I never let them suffer and die from this awful stuff. I had them all put to sleep in my arms when it became clear they were beginning to suffer. They lose their appetite and don't want to do anything and just get "sad" looking. So Houston was covered (we had removed the hemangiomas for years but it had gotten to the out of control stage) and began to have trouble breathing and I knew what was going on. Some euthanasias are hard and I cry but I feel a sense of peace, especially with my really old dogs or dogs that are in pain. Putting other dogs to sleep, younger dogs or dogs that seem to have a "senseless disease" are absolutely gut wrenching. Houston was one of these. I cried until I threw up. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pharaoh, our very first IG<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: large;"> I know for myself that I do believe our animals meet us in Heaven. So that was one of the only things that made his passing any easier for me. This was an old post that I found and now it is January of 2014. One month ago we lost our last Iggie, Tigger. This is the first time in 17 years we have not had an Italian Greyhound in this house and it is a bitter pill to swallow. But I know I will see them all one day again and I am so grateful that God did not allow any of my dogs to suffer a painful or prolonged death. I love you all my little Iggies- and I will see you when I meet you at the Rainbow Bridge. These are pictures of some of our most beloved Iggies. </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #6600cc; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patches</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rahtu</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Janie</td></tr>
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-32885227483382917812014-01-01T11:24:00.000-09:002014-01-01T11:24:52.615-09:00Gizmo and the frog<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> I tell people that Pharaoh's Haven is special b/c our animals all get along in an unreal way. Dogs love the cats and the cats love the dogs and the horses love the cats etc. Well the other day we hit an all time new. Julianna was walking Gizmo and she noticed something on his back. It was a tiny green tree frog. He looked cold and dehydrated so she thought, " I'll just let him stay there if it doesn't bother Gizmo, as he often allows one of our cats to lie on him and clean his ears." Well the frog sat there. When Gizmo trotted, the little frog held on for dear life!!! Julianna finally decided that the little frog might be warm but also might get hurt if he fell off or if Gizmo bit at him. So she tenderly removed him and put him in a sunny spot in the pasture. I just cannot imagine how that tiny frog got there to begin with. The things God does here never cease to amaze me. </span><br />
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-44151958747478092992012-06-16T04:25:00.000-08:002012-06-16T04:25:29.048-08:00Your dog and cat don't need so many shots every year!!!! READ THIS!!!!<div>
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<span style="color: #000099;"><strong>Because we are a former rescue, we know a lot of tricks to help save money with our animals. After years of reading on rescue forums and the Internet, I have learned some things that might shock you. First of all, let me say, I am not discouraging anyone from taking their animals to a vet. They do need to be looked over once a year and if your pet is sick or just " down in the chops", it's better to be safe than sorry and NEVER WAIT UNTIL THE WEEKEND to take your dog in. Emergency vets charge you $150-$200 just to SEE you, and then the costs go up from there. Better to take your pet in on a Friday and have peace of mind than to put if off and wind up with a strange vet that you don't know and a hefty vet bill. </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #000099;"><strong>I learned years ago that many of the shots that are recommended by some vets (not all) are absolutely unnecessary. My vets do not recommend shots that are not needed, just in case you are wondering- :) Every dog needs to be inoculated against rabies b/c it is a shot required by LAW and it is for the protection of your dog and other animals and people. This is a cheap injection but MUST be given by a vet. There are tri- annual rabies shots now, so this doesn't have to be an annual shot for your dog. Every three years, get your dog his rabies shot- not too hard. The American Veterinary School Association recently made some changes on what they are teaching their vet students about shots. They recommend that if a dog has had ALL OF ITS PUPPY SHOTS in the first year of life, there are several shots that need not be given again unless the dog is in a " high risk" category. Dr. Jean Dodd's vaccine protocols are listed on the link below. This is the protocol that is now followed by most vets and all vet schools. When you read it, you will be shocked to see that your dog or cat has probably been over vaccinated. </strong></span><a href="http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM"><span style="color: #000099;"><strong>http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM</strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #000099;"><strong>The vets and vets schools that helped produce this protocol b/c of an increase in vaccinosis. Basically vaccinosis is a broad term used to describe any auto immune response that a cat or dog has as a result of a vaccine. We are seeing more dogs with bizarre autoimmune diseases now as a result of over vaccinating. We had an Italian Greyhound who died a slow painful death from pemphigus, which is an auto immune disease caused by over vaccination. She had been from home to home for six years and had been given every shot known to man every year of her life. After she came here, she got nothing except her rabies vaccine. It was too late and she acquired pemphigus a few years after coming to us. This was when I started really digging for information about vaccinosis. </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #000099;"><strong>I am amazed at how people go to their vet and just have all these shots given to their animals when their pets NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE OR THE YARD!!!! These pets are low risk and are not exposed to distemper, parvo, etc. So why vaccinate against them, because the vaccines are usually good for 7-8 years. Think of the money you will save the the sad illnesses you will spare your babies. Vets make the majority of their income from shots and office visits, not surgeries and emergencies. Routine vaccines and labs are their bread and butter. I do not want us to rob our vets at all, but if you vets are honest, they will know about these new protocols and will NOT PRESSURE YOU TO GET UNNECESSARY SHOTS for your animal. Save that money and have your dog's teeth cleaned every two years instead- it's expensive and necessary b/c many heart and kidney diseases start with that stinky dog breath. It's not just stinky, it's a mouth filled with bacteria that can travel and wreak havoc with our pets' internal organs- and no, it's not a SCAM to get your dog's teeth cleaned- their gums get red and sore and as they age, their teeth get loose and need to be removed. </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #000099;"><strong>I love my vets. They adopted these new protocols ages ago and if I ever questioned a vaccine, they would tell me why they thought our dog or cat needed it or didn't. I will say that I am not a big fan of public dog parks- it is the equivalent of letting your toddler play in the McDonald's balls with unvaccinated sick kids who are pooping everywhere. YUCK!!! If you frequent dog parks or dog shows with your dogs, GET THE SHOTS!!!!!! My dogs live here at our own dog park so they need minimal vaccines but always have their teeth cleaned. Blood work? Well, if you want to know what your old dog is probably dying from, do it. If you are like us, and wouldn't do chemotherapy for a 12 year old dog, why know he has cancer? It will become apparent soon enough. Labs can be useful for diabetes and kidney issues, as well as urine tests, which are hard to do at home. :) (They get pee shy with us.) </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #000099;"><strong>I hope that this helps some of you who are struggling with money and trying to keep costs down but are frightened that you are harming your dog or cat by not getting certain vaccines. Read the guidelines and talk to to your vet. OH, by the way, any "vet" that has to keep your dog all day for a routine exam and vaccines is not a place I would take my dog to. One I can tell you to steer clear of is B- field. I won't spell it out, they are run by Pet Smart. There is no reason for a dog to be kept for eight hours for a couple of shots and a nail trim- COME ON!!!! </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #000099;"><strong>If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I'll comment back- you are FREE FROM CONDEMNATION about annual vaccines, but for goodness sake, get those green teeth cleaned!!! By the way, this is NOT one of my animals!!! :) </strong></span><br />
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</div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-59264872284070605462012-06-16T04:21:00.001-08:002012-06-16T04:24:59.727-08:00What do you want to know?<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have many friends and people who have adopted animals from me that keep my email or phone number and years later, they may contact me with questions about their animals' care. I absolutely love helping people even though I have retired from rescue. I can give people information about things such as:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to treat your dogs and cats for heartworms for under $50 a year, regardless of number of pets- and YES cats do die from heartworms- the black and white cat at the bottom died from them and his name was Cookie and it was so traumatic for me. Most people don't realize that cats can get heartworms too!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">what food will make even the sickest dog eat</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to give sub Q fluids (under the skin for dehydrated animals) this info is not breed specific- same thing for dogs, cats, squirels etc.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">the one vet manual every pet owner needs to buy and have on hand at all times</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to treat for eat mites without going to the vet</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to care for dogs after surgery of any kind, what to do and what not to do and how to avoid problems</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">common myths about the shots cats and dogs need/vs what your vet may tell you</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to deal with most behavior issues in dogs and cats</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to read your pet's body language for stress, fear, anger, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">what should NOT be in your dog or cat food</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">why to get your dog from a rescue or shelter and not a breeder or a pet store- VERY IMPORTANT</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to know when your animal is sick without any outward symptoms</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">what a fever is in a dog or cat and how to take their temps</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to pil your dog or cats easily</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">how to trim your animals nails without all the DRAMA</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So if you ever have a question and your vet isn't available, email me at </span><a href="mailto:JonAnne@aol.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">JonAnne@aol.com</span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> or post your question here. I am not a vet, not a vet technician, and I will not advise if I believe the animal should see a vet, but I can answer many questions that can help you determine whether a vet visit is warranted or not. I have had the same amazing vets for 17 years and I love them dearly- I used to see them once a week almost b/c we had so many rescues and so many issues, but as I have learned more and know how to do more, we see them much less. I actually miss them and we all get excited when I go in- I have to catch them up on my life and vice versa. They are listed on the side bar- Augustine Loretto Animal Clinic- (904) 262-4553. They are hands down the BEST VETS in north Florida. I also have a mobile vet that I love- Dr. Cheek- Animal Care on Wheels- (904)389-4826. She helps me with animals that are too large to get into the car (I have really bad lower back issues) or "mass vaccinations" of cats, which is very neccesary b/c getting six cats in carriers is life threatening. :) Enjoy the pictures and let me know if I can help you in any way- no question is too small. :) </span><br />
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-24727811526530248782011-03-19T09:47:00.003-08:002011-03-19T09:49:32.561-08:00Long winter!Hey everyone -it was a long hard winter here and although I live in Florida, it was still a bad winter. I am just now feeling up to writing again, but feel very rusty. :) Not much to write about now, until I get some pics on my camera- but we are still here and still running the zoo. :) I recently found out about a couple who have a REAL ZOO, and their TV program is called My Life is a Zoo- I thought that was pretty funny, since I have had this blog for years- I'll have to go visit THEIR WEBSITE. :)Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-17666300188612936552010-11-26T11:56:00.006-09:002010-11-26T12:07:04.535-09:00What we do when it rains!! :) COW EARS!!!<span style="color:#009900;"><strong>So what do you do when you have 14 dogs (five boarders for Thanksgiving) and it rains? Bring out the cow ears!!!! COW EARS?? I know, many of you give your dogs pig ears and didn't even know you could buy cow ears. Well, let me tell you what- after giving my dogs cow ears, I won't ever give them pig ears again. I also order "sweet cheeks" from Christi's Canine Cafe and those are the cheeks of cows- they smell like vanilla and the dogs LOVE EM!!!! Cow ears are thin, not greasy at all, low in fat and calories and an average dog like Gracie can take 30 minutes to chew through 1/2 of them. Yes, I buy them and then use loppers to cut them in half. They are so much cheaper than Bully Stix and other chewy treats. Since I am waiting on a shipment from Christi of sweet cheeks and beef tendons, we are happily chewing away this rainy day with our cow ears. There's a link to Christi's Canine Cafe on the first page of my blog on the left- go visit her- she is THE BEST and she inpects everything she ships before it goes out. She does not carry cow ears, but everything she carries is AWESOME. It's less expensive than Petco or Pet Supermarket and I can feed the treats to my dogs without fearing that they'll be dead in the morning b/c something was REALLY made in China and is laden with some bizarre toxin. Gracie and Quinn are shown below, somewhat blurry, I am sorry to say, munching away while it pours.</strong> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxTS1vQRT2CXenOEirT6ef2Qs0lwgSD0x1Y-gY8s6ypXtxrZ93PHNy6VlJuU59eaqZ1wuHmM_jSokTo3J68-IBEfq463_NBKoDIOsABzIQGtuETEklXNl-OHOIlQY4FlkFr3E3Pb0FFA/s1600/DSC01316.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543965994542504514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxTS1vQRT2CXenOEirT6ef2Qs0lwgSD0x1Y-gY8s6ypXtxrZ93PHNy6VlJuU59eaqZ1wuHmM_jSokTo3J68-IBEfq463_NBKoDIOsABzIQGtuETEklXNl-OHOIlQY4FlkFr3E3Pb0FFA/s400/DSC01316.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPJzJkBkcaHqKHqKrHUsG5DsATiq2MmRhjyciAUc0VcyJa4AKM84wtCblXdapNBZ8DEmgFMvEIDahrZOz0vF0uI5zfaSaBahvofcZSjlTWHEmz9rBATPw5vW_eXC3bYxb6WfVJe57EZg/s1600/DSC01312.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543965987213219154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPJzJkBkcaHqKHqKrHUsG5DsATiq2MmRhjyciAUc0VcyJa4AKM84wtCblXdapNBZ8DEmgFMvEIDahrZOz0vF0uI5zfaSaBahvofcZSjlTWHEmz9rBATPw5vW_eXC3bYxb6WfVJe57EZg/s400/DSC01312.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-12218081515681644982010-11-26T07:09:00.002-09:002010-11-26T07:12:24.296-09:00You can comment as anonymous!<span style="font-size:180%;color:#6600cc;">Hey everyone- my sister in law said she couldn't leave a comment b/c she didn't have an account with yahoo. You can always leave a comment!!! Click on the bottom option which says, "Anonymous" and then leave your comment and your name if you want. AND WOW- I see visitors from GREECE ( I love Greece, would love to go back!), China- have friend adopting there as I type, and so many other places- I am thrilled that so many people are reading my blog. I have alot of advice in here about health issues in dogs, so look around or you can email me if you have any questions at </span><a href="mailto:JonAnne@aol.com"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#6600cc;">JonAnne@aol.com</span></a><span style="font-size:180%;color:#6600cc;">. </span>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-38280865304313385562010-11-19T03:32:00.014-09:002010-11-19T04:59:36.613-09:00It's either feast or famine around here!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrQtZmfrb39J0h70i0N1VEXwGzWQ6d9CaNeHKt1cE6ySzMmhl0ebsfhgJQNxlIkRu4hy5Nv1miAV2DzsiF6znQG02NxluIJJZe1USm7_h5RMYjzmElu1uDEFuxa71DYpIr-uvSKRT5-c/s1600/DSC01306.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541258983344321586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrQtZmfrb39J0h70i0N1VEXwGzWQ6d9CaNeHKt1cE6ySzMmhl0ebsfhgJQNxlIkRu4hy5Nv1miAV2DzsiF6znQG02NxluIJJZe1USm7_h5RMYjzmElu1uDEFuxa71DYpIr-uvSKRT5-c/s400/DSC01306.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GCCeiwefzoDZRlcursumkxBuxfsW56odhBxzVPVdQhcDd9wctVtk6a48T7qfDnaNLG0ya7GRComUHQ2O2xi6-MMN0cpTy74XXulO9M1o5Xrep9oHjh5hPpSLOz5mRKFQ-hZOyoUSej4/s1600/DSC01308.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 248px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 357px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541258074731126050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GCCeiwefzoDZRlcursumkxBuxfsW56odhBxzVPVdQhcDd9wctVtk6a48T7qfDnaNLG0ya7GRComUHQ2O2xi6-MMN0cpTy74XXulO9M1o5Xrep9oHjh5hPpSLOz5mRKFQ-hZOyoUSej4/s400/DSC01308.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-size:180%;color:#330099;"><strong>Here is Emily, our oldest daughter on the night of her induction to the National Junior Honor Society. I am biased, but I am telling you, she was the most gorgeous girl there!!! :)<br /></strong></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7K4fGY1PM6AMwRYgteWL0GCrHsR6kpsTwzB0DzXEVa4k2o3ou8C09l3MaunfHAo4DNNC8QLI-iitBEgW7FVuv9BxcjxsnCjd1jq5AFrnFcmmQt0mi8FdBwrPzCny6LnX4M59PrgVad48/s1600/DSC01189.JPG"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541247564971225426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7K4fGY1PM6AMwRYgteWL0GCrHsR6kpsTwzB0DzXEVa4k2o3ou8C09l3MaunfHAo4DNNC8QLI-iitBEgW7FVuv9BxcjxsnCjd1jq5AFrnFcmmQt0mi8FdBwrPzCny6LnX4M59PrgVad48/s400/DSC01189.JPG" /></span></a><span style="font-size:130%;"> <span style="color:#993399;"><strong>This is Janie, Jane Jane guwl, or just precious to me. She is one of our owner surrenders, who has advanced breast cancer. She is my heart dog. She loves to snuggle up where ever it is warmest and stay there. She is probably 12 by now and has just been the greatest dog. </strong></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QdOruQzUmYtFDuRxUcFv1QdRSw60F8tPNfSkZ30kne0ix4pRe1p0OP2rTa87l7tTvuNYTjN-s3lLG0-NsDxhPqtUTsMqNPk9zsQErETgmRm0Fzelbu-BtmI0SIJe36xOeDRzLb59HZ8/s1600/IMG_0359.JPG"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#993399;"><strong><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541246738946461026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QdOruQzUmYtFDuRxUcFv1QdRSw60F8tPNfSkZ30kne0ix4pRe1p0OP2rTa87l7tTvuNYTjN-s3lLG0-NsDxhPqtUTsMqNPk9zsQErETgmRm0Fzelbu-BtmI0SIJe36xOeDRzLb59HZ8/s400/IMG_0359.JPG" /></strong></span></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#993399;"><strong><br /><br /></strong></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#009900;"><strong>Yes that is a cat, named Jackie, lying down on Gizmo's back while Cavallino looks on with interest. Wonder why we call it Pharaoh's HAVEN??? They are best buddies!!!</strong></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30cZSBI27i8BqitVsi_jMAdcfKnhy3s4OcWuyH43S9ocPA3pL58I5sBE5Xl9UKsVJrJpgWvfpWQsCt7XagaFl7sX6EaPZdDvbQhXG8jhaQRJ-HA4bESoxBg-znZqhEp8l8ZGIsocTGQY/s1600/IMG_0361.JPG"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#009900;"><strong><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541244724632022802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30cZSBI27i8BqitVsi_jMAdcfKnhy3s4OcWuyH43S9ocPA3pL58I5sBE5Xl9UKsVJrJpgWvfpWQsCt7XagaFl7sX6EaPZdDvbQhXG8jhaQRJ-HA4bESoxBg-znZqhEp8l8ZGIsocTGQY/s400/IMG_0361.JPG" /></strong></span></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#009900;"><strong><br />The picture to the right shows Julianna giving Gizmo a bit of sweet tea- yes, he IS a SOUTHERN HORSE!!! Julianna is such a responsible horse owner and we are so proud of how well she takes care of Gizmo.<br /></strong></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc6600;"><strong>There's an old saying, " It's either feast or famine." That means, things are either really great or really awful. I am telling you that is the case here at the zoo. We will go months where no one gets sick or dies and then BOOM, out of nowhere, we have weeks that seem they will never end. The past three or four weeks have been "famine" weeks. We had two cats with abcesses, one that I treated and it healed up in 24 hours, and the other that took three vet visits, two surgeries and 10 days of round the clock treatment ( hot wet compresses, eye drops, and antibiotics by mouth- ever pill a cat? NOT EASY AND NOT FUN!) and an Elizabethan collar. I am usually a pretty stoic person but after dealing with blood and pus for 10 days, I literally lost it- physically and emotionally. I don't throw up unless I am pregnant, period. Well that 10 days with the cat's face did me in. Happily, Truffles is all better now and I am getting some sleep. He was such a good baby.<br /><br /></strong></span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><strong>So now is feast time- literally and figuratively. My oldest daughter was inducted into the National Honor Society last night and I am getting some of those kids as volunteers here. HOORAY. The kids will be on a cruise for Thanksgiving week so I will have a week of rest and working with the animals. HOORAY. I will miss them terribly but am so grateful they will have a nice memorable week with their grandparents. Here are some random pics of things here- I am still too tired to match subjects up with names and stories. But I should be able to come up with some good stuff next week while I am having a lighter week! HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE</strong></span>!!!!</span></div></div></div></div></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-77608026772055700682010-10-02T06:41:00.005-08:002010-10-02T07:13:25.507-08:00The Minis are coming the Minis are coming!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-lRnItl_lCI2qDrFG5QUnCJSEMNLFbklrIfx8IZHzUewe25MPVRAypKaF_jRcEwNjnOL4kEkBm153eQQmBhT0vWhw5aAkWMSavNPSZjGJ-B-1CPU3b7HDAzdosSJa_PjXmtw9xDwsv4/s1600/gizmo.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523459651366349810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-lRnItl_lCI2qDrFG5QUnCJSEMNLFbklrIfx8IZHzUewe25MPVRAypKaF_jRcEwNjnOL4kEkBm153eQQmBhT0vWhw5aAkWMSavNPSZjGJ-B-1CPU3b7HDAzdosSJa_PjXmtw9xDwsv4/s400/gizmo.jpg" /></a> Well this is one excited family. Around October 19th, we will be the proud owners of two miniature horses. They are both males, and the buckskin paint's name is Gizmo and the bay's name is Cavallino. We purchased them from a lovely couple named Debbie and John Driggers at Delta Shamrock Farms. Gizmo is around four months old and Cavallino is six months old. <br /> Why you may ask are we getting two miniature horses? Well, there are lots of reasons. We have always loved horses and once owned a quarter horse named Chap. Julianna and Emily spent a year riding at a friend's ranch and were both good riders and very much loved it, but Julianna in particular LOVED IT. Last October she broke her ankle (not related to the horses) and it healed and she did rehab, but several months later she began to have weakness, sharp shooting pains, and discoloration in that foot. After x-rays, MRI's and several doctor visits of all sorts, we got two diagnoses of CRPS. CRPS stands for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, which is a nerve illness and it used to be called RSD (Reflexive Sympathetic Dystrophy). We have two friends with this illness and it is capable of rendering someone wheelchair bound or in horrible pain for life. The good news is that many times it goes into complete remission in children. It's a hard syndrome to understand but the basic way it works is that when a part of the body is injured, the CRPS can travel to that part of the body and tells the nerves there to continually fire. This causes the sharp shooting pains, sensitivity to cool air, or even a fan blowing on that part of the body, severe pain, and weakness. The solution for this is to desensitize the affected nerve by using that part of the body and trying to get the nerves to "shut off"- not completely but to stop "overfiring". <br /> Jules has had the episode in her left ankle which lasted for four weeks and a couple episodes in her right hand causing pain from her ring finger up to the wrist and weakness in that hand and wrist. Riding horses is not permitted, due to the risk of severe injury if she were to fall off the horse. We can't put her in a bubble but we have to limit the chances of her getting severely injured. So that means for the time being that riding horses is off the menu. So we prayed and talked and started thinking about ways that she and our family could still enjoy horses without the risk and my dear friend Laurel suggested getting a couple of miniature horses. They cannot be ridden due to their size but are horses in every other sense of the word. They are about 30 inches tall at the shoulder when full grown and are very easy to keep. So for Julianna's 12th birthday we took her to the Driggers' farm and told each girl to pick out a horse. I thought she was going to faint. So Jules picked Gizmo (the girls named the horses) and Em picked out Cavallino. This is very much a family project and this will be another way for us to spend time with our children at home, outside, and all helping with the care, feeding, grooming, and loving of these tiny treasures. The hand exercise in grooming and training them will be just what the doctor ordered for Julianna's hands and will be great for both of the girls. They can be walked like dogs (funny, huh?) and taught to do tricks, but mainly they are going to be here to be loved, trained to be handled, and to be another great way our family can bond. As the girls get older there are alot of things competing for their attention- good and bad. We encourage the good things such as youth group, good friends from school and things like that. This will be another good activity that they can share with those friends and family. We'll keep you posted on the babies' progress. Right now we have a run in shed to build and a pasture to get ready. YIPPEE!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi173sexCUF99spoDX5LC0EtlSW_IeAgrObbi4U4r0Y6Zor6fL376WADLtJpZgWmvov3ybvtCMNLZBtUDmlVatoN69RTkoMxq_tiz8-7KKXYYWz5mZmbzah6TUOXxyAOYN497Nkp7iGtBY/s1600/cavallino.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523459296579790818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi173sexCUF99spoDX5LC0EtlSW_IeAgrObbi4U4r0Y6Zor6fL376WADLtJpZgWmvov3ybvtCMNLZBtUDmlVatoN69RTkoMxq_tiz8-7KKXYYWz5mZmbzah6TUOXxyAOYN497Nkp7iGtBY/s400/cavallino.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-83006648882308959202010-09-30T10:25:00.005-08:002010-09-30T10:43:10.477-08:00Gracie and her grief!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJn5NS2-l-OaO53TkZGMCYS9ZCD8laCMTNnKeXkiwsTxJfGJ9LKsRVChqtEd-l2ciLL_XF0KejgP3Tg5FvDATlX-ddRQ9iO5BUbFQyVDYOvLzbWUFiEKsbBnk405uPwhks-sCoQj2C7w/s1600/DSC01102-1.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522778747026439554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJn5NS2-l-OaO53TkZGMCYS9ZCD8laCMTNnKeXkiwsTxJfGJ9LKsRVChqtEd-l2ciLL_XF0KejgP3Tg5FvDATlX-ddRQ9iO5BUbFQyVDYOvLzbWUFiEKsbBnk405uPwhks-sCoQj2C7w/s400/DSC01102-1.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Gracie as a pup- below and Gracie now<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlhG_NgskjVDjxy-re65375c0c2N13GagyVrJix3rS0KkknOkK8ki4OVtHTCIvhc3oWDUPXCwZ_7JZZcuL1_Bh7SLKJ_Me3hqock4bTGt3idE44pzahiHuOanxqXcQNxyIr53SA8Hl0Y/s1600/gracie+rose+then.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522776358973340082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlhG_NgskjVDjxy-re65375c0c2N13GagyVrJix3rS0KkknOkK8ki4OVtHTCIvhc3oWDUPXCwZ_7JZZcuL1_Bh7SLKJ_Me3hqock4bTGt3idE44pzahiHuOanxqXcQNxyIr53SA8Hl0Y/s400/gracie+rose+then.jpg" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Our little boxer mix, Gracie Rose is in mourning. She had a best friend named Abbey, who was a lab/pit mix. They were best friends. They played for hours on end and chased each other in the yard constantly. Abbey was young- and started showing her "pit" side little by little. First there was food agression- no problem, we feed all of our dogs in their crates. Then came toy agression- problem- she and Grace would growl and "play fight". Then one day all hell broke loose. Abbey had a toy and Grace went up as usual to grab it and Abbey went INSANE and we were lucky to get her off Grace. Mind you, she was a year younger and smaller than Grace. We called a hundred people, from pit experts to pet psychologists and got the same answer- " It is only going to get worse, rehome Abbey." Well, we did and Grace has not been the same since. She mopes under our bed and still grabs a toy and runs outside and looks around like, " Where is she??" So we are asking God whether we can fill that spot or whether another needy dog (we would only do a rescue puppy with no pit bull in it) needs to come here to have a home. This is Gracie's puppy picture, and another of her now. We're trying, Gracie Rose!!! </div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-72707066509161808462010-08-23T04:06:00.008-08:002010-08-23T14:33:44.521-08:00I have the E Ticket and it's not all it's cracked up to be!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZBtWm-gw4Tw5bZa-80anZVKXLfrUkJgw264X8ZhzY0jknL7VNBaLr-54wj7aI2k8xhcrZtBJQ6gOI6nsMY3OQBKqFU22eDFbpevX5vyutkb_TheiRmBlplQFArOZQbTSM-IHR3Ujm2E/s1600/books.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 92px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508582815072242946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZBtWm-gw4Tw5bZa-80anZVKXLfrUkJgw264X8ZhzY0jknL7VNBaLr-54wj7aI2k8xhcrZtBJQ6gOI6nsMY3OQBKqFU22eDFbpevX5vyutkb_TheiRmBlplQFArOZQbTSM-IHR3Ujm2E/s400/books.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">Well, for my girls, today is back to school day. Emily is in </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">eighth grade and Jules entered middle school (6th grade)</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">today. They were ready, happy, loaded down with their</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">books and schedules and Jules might have been a bit nervous </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">but overall, they were READY. Em assured Jules that she</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">would walk her to her homeroom and any other classes</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">that she needed help finding and I felt really proud of both </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">kids.</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">I have homeschooled for two years until a back injury </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">derailed me so I have experience in both kinds of school-</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">homeschool and public school. I also taught in public school for 10 years. (We don't have money or </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">desire for the kids to be segregated at a private school.)</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">Each year that my kids have been at public school I drove them </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">to school in the morning and they rode the bus home in the </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">afternoon. WHY? Because I wanted to pray with them </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">on the way to school and bless them before they entered their </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">day. Some mornings were glorious prayers and other </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">mornings I was so fatigued it was, " God I am too tired </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">but you know what they need, please do it today."</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">It was a special time for us- and I loved it. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">This year </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">both kids got on the bus this morning and will be riding it home </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">this afternoon. Ok, no big deal. Except that when Em rode the bus </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">sometimes in the am last year, I still drove her to the bus </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">stop at her friend's house to have those last few minutes </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">to pray over her or tell her how capable she was or just </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">to say, " GIVE ME A KISS, NO I AM NOT WEARING LIPSTICK EMMY!" </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">So they were going to walk to the bustop today. Good.</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">It's time for them to do that. I ran out and said to them</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">" Please don't go, I"ll eat you up, I love you so!" (an old</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">favorite we say all the time from the classic story </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">Where the Wild Things Are.) Em looked at me and </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">said, "OH MOOMS, do you want to drive us to the </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">bus stop?" " YES YES YES!" Jules said, " I wanna </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">ripstick to the bustop." (A modern day skateboard).</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">Then she looked at me and said, " But I will ride with you </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">guys." So I prayed the most thorough prayer a mom </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">can pray in 2 minutes and they kissed me and out </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">they got. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">I got home and Jon said, " YOU GET TO DO </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">WHATEVER YOU WANT TODAY!" I looked at him </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">and said, " Yea, only I don't want to really." He said, " Rest today</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">read, do whatever!" I said, " I feel lost today Jon." Not sad, not depressed,</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">not unhappy, just kind of lost feeling- like someone gave me a free</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">E ticket at Disney (if you aren't old enough to know what that </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">is, it was the tickets that let you go on the COOL RIDES AT DISNEY like Space Mountain or Pirates of the Carribean and when your E tickets ran out, you had to either buy a whole new book of tickets or ride Dumbo or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">) It was </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">a treasured thing. So I have the E ticket and am standing </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">in the middle of Disney World thinking, " But there's nothing </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">I really want to ride today." BIZARRE? You bet. </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">I told Jon, " They are growing up and learning to live </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">without me."-they now do their own laundry, make their own lunches,</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuPFLfXrrzGbyQ-GrRrw90DC1DS65toLFp7jEjhjHw_ssht9NQTJzMWCfPvVNoevSApbTgHvSgIgiKHV36g7UIh2v1S_6TUy-zycIqQA36uWnFWZE7wRJUPdrUXrEhuUBZDhAv_8ACMY/s1600/back-to.gif"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 290px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508575940949593202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuPFLfXrrzGbyQ-GrRrw90DC1DS65toLFp7jEjhjHw_ssht9NQTJzMWCfPvVNoevSApbTgHvSgIgiKHV36g7UIh2v1S_6TUy-zycIqQA36uWnFWZE7wRJUPdrUXrEhuUBZDhAv_8ACMY/s400/back-to.gif" /></span></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">and have always done their own homework,</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">unless they were stumped.</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">I don't ever and will never "bail" my kids out of an assignment they forgot </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">or left at home or waited until the last minute to finish. "And Jon, that is good and right and profitable for them, and I know that. But I miss them. I miss just </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">knowing that they are upstairs being silly and making stupid dance videos. I miss driving them to school and having six minutes to pray instead of two. I miss</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">THEM, the essence of THEM in my home." He said, </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">"I understand." </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">So while there may be mothers settling down with </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">a cup of coffee today saying, " Praise be to God for school starting!", I am not one of them. I want the E ticket but I want to go on the rides with my kids. </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">That doesn't mean I want to homeschool- I know </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">that I cannot and do not want to educate them </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">to the standards that they are educated by six different individuals at school. I am honest about </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">that. I don't have the energy to do it with excellence.</span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;">I just wish kids still came home for lunch- maybe we could hop on Space Mountain and then they would say, " WOW, Mom, that was awesome, wanna go again?" And we could. But E tickets don't exist anymore, kids don't come home for lunch anymore, and there is a mom in Florida who is going to have to adjust to riding the rides alone.</span><br /></div><div></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-75335370962368230182010-08-21T03:55:00.004-08:002010-08-21T04:29:44.743-08:00Maggie is safe and sound at Tony's house!! Hooray!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvbdYUzZLWtu93sEvFs4LqeglTnjpUabGn2ed6-udGtRgTbzEvd1IMzXvN_9KZsVxRGqvM7OXWLn4UZ6uyKpaVXZgSbuq9CuxnEUgmmqFJARbonRqXpzTZpkn0c4bvHAvC3CwFhhEwQU/s1600/IBIZAN-HOUND.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 290px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 317px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507839074016946066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvbdYUzZLWtu93sEvFs4LqeglTnjpUabGn2ed6-udGtRgTbzEvd1IMzXvN_9KZsVxRGqvM7OXWLn4UZ6uyKpaVXZgSbuq9CuxnEUgmmqFJARbonRqXpzTZpkn0c4bvHAvC3CwFhhEwQU/s400/IBIZAN-HOUND.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:180%;color:#663366;">Well, our Ibizan Hound is being fostered by a very nice person named Tony and his wife Leah. They know dogs like I do- they are more dog oriented than people oriented. (Compliment to him by the way.) Maggie has settled in well. She has had horrible allergies and we couldn't afford to get her tested and do the shots and that broke my heart. More importantly she had been showing agression toward some of the dogs and has tried to kill one or our IGs twice. Well the night before she was to be picked up I was crying my eyes out and I said, " God, I want you to give me one HARD FIRM NON ARGUABLE SIGN that this is the only way. The next morning I was out with Maggie, Quinn, Abbey and Grace. All of a sudden Maggie had Abbey nailed against the fence and was going to tear her UP. I broke it up and had Abbey come with me and BOOM Maggie ran up and did it again. Maggie had never shown any agression toward Abbey before and there was no "reason" for this agression on this morning. I was shaking all over with anger and fear for Abbey and every doubt in my heart about Maggie having to go just went POOF like a flame being burned out. I said, " God thank you for this hard and inarguable sign." </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#663366;"><span style="font-size:180%;">God knew that Jon and the girls and I love this dog with all of of our heart and I guess he knew I needed some sort of loud billboard kind of sign. So she went to Tony's the next day- I never cried until that morning when I opened the fridge and saw the package of ham and I just fell to my knees sobbing. Ham is what we used to put her meds in or reward her with ham after we gave her the meds. Oh my Maggadocious, we loved and do love you so much and I will never see your picture without tearing up a little. If we could have changed your aggression, I would have begged borrowed or stolen (not quite) the money for your allergies, baby. I miss you but I know you are being a blessing to Tony and Leah and they will see how much you were loved. I know Tony will find her just the right owner and that Maggie will bless that family as our surrenders bless us. Janie was nine when she came here with breast cancer- it's been 3 years and she is old and quiet but she has been such a blessing to our family and I love her so very much. I know some person will say as I have of Janie's old family, " God thank you for the family that loved this dog and thank you that she is part of ours, we love her so very much</span>." </span></div><div><span style="color:#663366;"></span> </div><div><span style="color:#663366;">PS. This is not Maggie, but it is a picture that shows the grace and majesty of these very intelligent amazing dogs. </span></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-75635710201710645552010-08-17T03:34:00.006-08:002010-08-17T03:47:07.702-08:00New good homes needed for Abbey and Maggie!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmVOZrx85MVgev6PUDEeoqPHlsVZhQ3g8I4OU4yU5WC3Mku9Mh6O-KFxnvILI7ujh44gNu5AbaKs5bb7ZKadfDruPd_rKbWzOJ_9bCqyFqUulX_gWHfuVthmmePX6ae1NnHT_XxXUpPg/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506342294709454706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmVOZrx85MVgev6PUDEeoqPHlsVZhQ3g8I4OU4yU5WC3Mku9Mh6O-KFxnvILI7ujh44gNu5AbaKs5bb7ZKadfDruPd_rKbWzOJ_9bCqyFqUulX_gWHfuVthmmePX6ae1NnHT_XxXUpPg/s400/IMG_0030.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkMzTfVYjx0OuidIq14CbrP_k50_f01Defyzq67Erm_hJ3F2aRMNWrJFsgig7Q6esqiwCDuqenFZix1Nl17OLorMXF8e2ju5IIAD9_SepXkQtndTLLGHYskFqg3t8IoyTydhw7i09Xjs/s1600/IMG_0019.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 261px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 344px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506342032509543426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkMzTfVYjx0OuidIq14CbrP_k50_f01Defyzq67Erm_hJ3F2aRMNWrJFsgig7Q6esqiwCDuqenFZix1Nl17OLorMXF8e2ju5IIAD9_SepXkQtndTLLGHYskFqg3t8IoyTydhw7i09Xjs/s400/IMG_0019.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Abbey on left sucking on my hand and Maggie on right looking sad with allergy meds. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Maggie's allergies will not cease and the next step is allergy testing which can be upward of $700 and Abbey Dabbey Doo needs another puppy to roughhouse with. So, ICHUS (Ibizan Rescue) is working on finding some great people to take Maggie and pay for her allergy testing and shots and give her a great new home and I am checking out come prospective homes for the Abbeymeister!!! I took them both in bed with me last night and cried and cried. But we are not the BEST homes for these dogs and that is what rescue is all about. So say a prayer for me, for the girls, and for the new owners of these precious gifts from God. </span></span></div></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-83971678415997854802010-08-06T04:29:00.001-08:002010-08-06T04:30:35.522-08:00Donna and Lainey come for a visit!<strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#993399;">Well we had our good friends, the Clarks come this week. Their kids were participating in power up clubs for our church and my kids were recovering from 2 straight weeks of vacation. Donna and Lainey, their adopted 4 year old Chinese doll stayed with us. I taught her how to swim last time she was here so she was eager to get in the pool as soon as they arrived. Julianna did a superb job of watching her and playing with her in the pool- even without her floaties!!! We so enjoyed hearing her laugh and be silly. She also LOVED the trampoline. She would just giggle and giggle when she fell down. I am certain that Julianna will be a mommy one day or at the very least work as a superb babysitter. WAY TO GO JULES!!!!</span></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZwX-JHFoBHNLB9hmCnX5ZXAhWajKgjYby7UwySI8iaPsKW54JtNp8sYbBkAl10niW496F7WnoR7cbccOE5tBgmX14cESMcBRmBscRH5ZB94Mmui0CVvIY1DkC3T-yTsti56IZGBIEwY/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#993399;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; FLOAT: left; CLEAR: both" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZwX-JHFoBHNLB9hmCnX5ZXAhWajKgjYby7UwySI8iaPsKW54JtNp8sYbBkAl10niW496F7WnoR7cbccOE5tBgmX14cESMcBRmBscRH5ZB94Mmui0CVvIY1DkC3T-yTsti56IZGBIEwY/s320/IMG_0154.JPG" /></span></strong></a> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; CLEAR: both"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" border="0" alt="Posted by Picasa" align="middle" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" /></a></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-60421964401442237142010-08-05T04:14:00.007-08:002010-08-05T04:37:46.622-08:00Rejoice for the son that was lost is now found!!! OUR HAITIAN CHILD RALF IS ALIVE!!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPoX4ICjr0gy-o0XF7hrlzl4eeCO-VP91ViB56Uw2IcWi3LCe9Qfuo3mphkPQtdWlQ1ZEVKjk61V6tnXApuC2uAZv6D4Vj_nV0uTj0WGbkxd8Q2Ij58GUNgUuGk2zxXT9R9ZcyPbcgYk/s1600/hiatian+flag.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501903620646954674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPoX4ICjr0gy-o0XF7hrlzl4eeCO-VP91ViB56Uw2IcWi3LCe9Qfuo3mphkPQtdWlQ1ZEVKjk61V6tnXApuC2uAZv6D4Vj_nV0uTj0WGbkxd8Q2Ij58GUNgUuGk2zxXT9R9ZcyPbcgYk/s200/hiatian+flag.gif" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrocepVUO5wg4oKVkE22qbMSgw2HLb7wOQ6I0vVPY_UHExkOgFHPxWd8BlqsLBiuTj420o0rwSuC71Vk5WxjPFX17g94Ol0Q3EwftlUrG6eNRAA8OI1bf4kP5GCt56nREae2L2iOAv1A/s1600/rejoice.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 316px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 252px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501899269316321602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrocepVUO5wg4oKVkE22qbMSgw2HLb7wOQ6I0vVPY_UHExkOgFHPxWd8BlqsLBiuTj420o0rwSuC71Vk5WxjPFX17g94Ol0Q3EwftlUrG6eNRAA8OI1bf4kP5GCt56nREae2L2iOAv1A/s400/rejoice.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExJyA60tbHYBvCJk6PTFzkL9o_YlTPKspuRsV83yXdtJK6yehn8xbtWGl4Cm8OgxevC-7R3gbJoEhhYHIb3wKRIvv4CAGTnNP8JUEQ9UwIrv-4E46MCDmsQRhlB84-jbPwtCTlBt0bck/s1600/hiatian+flag.gif"></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"><strong>Two days ago I got a Compassion envelope in the mail. Usually it is a letter from Jane or Ralf or updated pictures of them. However, since the earthquake hit Haiti, Compassion had no news of Ralf, only that he was missing. Every day since that earthquake, I have prayed for this boy and asked God to tell him in his heart that his American sponsors had not forgotten about him and to believe in God and hang on. I asked everyone I knew, including my favorite bagger at my grocery store, Morris to pray that Ralf lived. But I got no update from Compassion, so I assumed the worst, but still thought of this child so often. When I saw the manilla envelope and saw it regarded Ralf, my hands began to shake violently and I began to say, " Please Jesus, Please Jesus, please let this be good news!" I opened the envelope and there was a picture of my Ralf- taller and thinner and with a very serious look on his face and eyes that had seen I don't know what. I began to shake and sob and sob and sob with joy. I called Jon at work and cried to him, " RALF IS ALIVE JON, OH HE LIVED!!!" I called Compassion and they told me that the only news that they had was that Ralf's home was destroyed but he was alive. I know nothing of his parents or his siblings. I sent a massive email out to all the people who had been praying for him and told them that our prayers had been answered. I wrote Ralf immediately and just poured my heart out and told him that I had no idea who he had in Haiti but that his American family was crying and praising God that he was alive. I so want to see this child. I want to hug him and see his face and touch him- I never thought I would hear of him again. Thank you God for sparing this impoverished angel. Give him the strength he needs to survive whatever trauma he suffered and may suffering now. Give us a way to encourage him and be his family if he needs one. </strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"><strong>If you have never sponsored a child, it is a very special thing to do. We have developed close bonds with the four kids we have sponsored and have lost two of our African kids to tribal warring and relocation and when you get that letter or death or relocation, it hurts like it is your own child- lost or dead. So to hear that our Ralf was alive was even more precious to us because the two children we lost were both boys. I continue to pray for the nation of Haiti and all the other children there who may be orphans or have severe injuries or have experienced such horrible loss. I wish I could scoop them all up and bring them home. For now, I will just rejoice in this child being alive and pray for the day that I can hug him and he can see and know that his American family truly loves him. </strong></span></div><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrocepVUO5wg4oKVkE22qbMSgw2HLb7wOQ6I0vVPY_UHExkOgFHPxWd8BlqsLBiuTj420o0rwSuC71Vk5WxjPFX17g94Ol0Q3EwftlUrG6eNRAA8OI1bf4kP5GCt56nREae2L2iOAv1A/s1600/rejoice.jpg"></a><br /></div><br /><div></div></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-31895772387641228432010-08-04T09:51:00.005-08:002010-08-04T10:03:59.912-08:00A review of a book I just read- a must read!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0dg0Mrps4rpyUuJzQ4Dy1zJChXloStkFzjrm0N6FKd-yfiRmn5QcSueNqiFnbgagFx-GcZ7jGYQOG0rQ8sACAH8XixjGmbdpuIri1r0TI0eHSeRnLDQM3J4c0lwXOM2hXU9d36xjH7I/s1600/books.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 92px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501615203210911538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0dg0Mrps4rpyUuJzQ4Dy1zJChXloStkFzjrm0N6FKd-yfiRmn5QcSueNqiFnbgagFx-GcZ7jGYQOG0rQ8sACAH8XixjGmbdpuIri1r0TI0eHSeRnLDQM3J4c0lwXOM2hXU9d36xjH7I/s400/books.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"><strong>This review is not written by me, but I have read the book and I think it is one of the best books I have ever read. It is honest, warm, and very encouraging. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and found the nutritional advice to be great. I actually emailed Daniel and he emailed me back and I hope to meet him when he comes to Jacksonville in August. Read the review and know that I give this book FIVE STARS!!!!<br /></strong></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Said-Not-Yet-Experience/dp/1451562306/ref=cm_cr-mr-img/175-7700503-3895853"></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Said-Not-Yet-Experience/dp/1451562306/ref=cm_cr-mr-title/175-7700503-3895853">God Said Not Yet!: One Man's Experience With "Terminal" Cancer</a><br />by Daniel Edward NeffEdition: Paperback<br />Price: $13.99<br />Availability: In Stock<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1451562306/ref=cm_cr-mr-used-new/175-7700503-3895853">6 used & new</a> from $13.07<br /><a name="R15KVJUR27P2TQ"></a><br /><br />4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:<br />An Inspiring Book About One Man's Battle with "Terminal" Cancer, June 22, 2010<br />This review is from: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Said-Not-Yet-Experience/dp/1451562306/ref=cm_aya_orig_subj/175-7700503-3895853">God Said Not Yet!: One Man's Experience With "Terminal" Cancer (Paperback)</a> "God Said Not Yet" One Man's Experience With "Terminal" Cancer By Daniel Edward Neff God has a wonderful way of bringing friends and acquaintances back into our lives. I remember Dan, as we called him, from the time we both attended the same church. We were never close friends, but attended some of the same singles events as we were both single during that time. When I left that church, I lost touch with Dan but heard several years later through a mutual friend that Dan was fighting the battle of his life--he had the "C" word--"the most feared word in the English language," as he describes it in his book. So when Dan contacted me to read and review his book, I jumped at the chance! Here is the back cover synopsis: "When I placed my faith in God many years earlier, He promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." I would find out if that promise was true. From the initial diagnosis, to the time I died on the operating room table, to being faced with a (literally) life-or-death decision regarding the bone marrow transplant procedure, to the alternative treatment that He led me to, God never abandoned me. The doctors said my life was over, but God said, "Not Yet!" This book is his journey through the time of his cancer. But it is so much more than that. The theme of the book is about his hope and trust in the living God who breathed life into Daniel at the moment of his conception and who breathed healing into Daniel when he needed it most. It is about the path he took to find God, the love story of finding his beautiful wife, Linda, and hearing and submitting to God's calling on his life. Scriptures abound in Daniel's story that encouraged him and Linda throughout the two-year period of Daniel's cancer and treatments. Finally, there are several books and websites recommended for reading and gaining knowledge on some of the treatments that Daniel experienced. This book is an absolute praise report to God! Dan clearly gives all honor and glory to God for his healing. All of us are or have been affected by cancer. We either have a friend, a relative or perhaps even we've experienced cancer personally. This is a book that you will want to read and or share. </div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-38749115745529549052010-08-04T04:44:00.005-08:002010-08-04T04:57:32.954-08:00Fun in the Mountains!!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0OxDG7c9PADSttWuxxWE2CJf1cqnt96vZ051_9Sfn7pIpMvz43CpL59si5HfubIeSUzMUV7kOakK490GzofYahPrNDd1ca-i1pY1TdqbY_Bp3fdYpgUfSGVVv4RIDLTNQOhM2BCbxcM/s1600/IMG_0144.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501537921761279506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0OxDG7c9PADSttWuxxWE2CJf1cqnt96vZ051_9Sfn7pIpMvz43CpL59si5HfubIeSUzMUV7kOakK490GzofYahPrNDd1ca-i1pY1TdqbY_Bp3fdYpgUfSGVVv4RIDLTNQOhM2BCbxcM/s400/IMG_0144.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxf2qzZMs9Y-wPPBm6kLwcRXG-TouJjk-0YfW48GtA_m3wC4PcSmjTY2EfyrC63-yvfr7cMwvMaUT48Qv6ZwFHhsvuUyPDU1aizD-e7PoFMy3YpLHeIIIws4KFHeCOlXx-cnANH_fqpI/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 242px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 336px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501537154140007458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxf2qzZMs9Y-wPPBm6kLwcRXG-TouJjk-0YfW48GtA_m3wC4PcSmjTY2EfyrC63-yvfr7cMwvMaUT48Qv6ZwFHhsvuUyPDU1aizD-e7PoFMy3YpLHeIIIws4KFHeCOlXx-cnANH_fqpI/s400/IMG_0147.JPG" /></a> <strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">We went to Little Switzerland NC to visit my parents in their mountain house and we had such a great time. We hiked to Linville Falls, spent a day at the Gem Show, and biked 17 miles downhill (most of it) on the Virginia Creeper Trail and most importantly spend time with Mama and Daddy. The weather was gorgeous and we truly loved being with them and in the mountains. I have more pics to share but they are on Jon's camera, so these will have to suffice for now. Mama and Daddy, thank you for the gift of being able to fly up there and for all the fun things we did. We love you!!!</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; CLEAR: both"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" border="0" alt="Posted by Picasa" align="middle" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" /></a></div></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-8337079254675081622010-05-16T02:33:00.006-08:002010-05-16T03:22:07.152-08:00Peace like a river...................Thanks to some folks who need to hear it!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeVZaoXR7z-WuIMQCSdxSgeIfRLnqq3bVBz6SiOmdTnAgpIfvMP11b0L8ggk1P6O5D7kgRv0M2wgrAJs01ptutRaXMXMA6l3dwwMZ3rPtdrNbSl9S-xu16XTznjsY4p5Ei2v5xiKBhVw/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 296px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471825692805019138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeVZaoXR7z-WuIMQCSdxSgeIfRLnqq3bVBz6SiOmdTnAgpIfvMP11b0L8ggk1P6O5D7kgRv0M2wgrAJs01ptutRaXMXMA6l3dwwMZ3rPtdrNbSl9S-xu16XTznjsY4p5Ei2v5xiKBhVw/s400/IMG_0005.JPG" /></a><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Well, it's finally come. Peace. Praise God. It's been a rough six weeks, but the calm after the storm has finally arrived. It didn't arrive in one big chunk but in little ways. Peace, to me, is the feeling that everything is as it should be. Now I don't mean that literally- my house is a wreck, my wood floors are mountains from flooding, and sand is everywhere, but the storm inside my heart has ended.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">What am I talking about?? Well, the last six weeks have been full of death (read earlier blogs- a friend of my brother's committed suicide and two of our healthiest cats died very quickly and suddenly. ) Added to that was more drama in my original birth family than I could deal with and some memories that I had buried long ago came rushing over me like a tidal wave. ( I am not adopted, I refer to my birth family as my original family and my kids and hubby as my immediate family.) Added to that were additional worries about Bucky's family, and no way to help except to pray for Vicky and the kids. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">I called a time out from visits or phone calls from some people I love very dearly. Not a permanent time out but a temporary one until I could literally get my feet under me. I found that once my family (brother and sister and my husband) knew about some childhood issues I had been through that maybe I could breathe easier and was that ever the truth. I found I had been anxious that Daddy would walk through the door, wanting to talk, or to drop off a tool, or Mama would call, or that if I called anyone I might get them on a bad day. I felt I couldn't lie down and pray without waiting for the dogs to bark announcing an unexpected visitor. Once I knew I could abide here in my house with my kids and husbands and animals with no surprises, I was like a different person. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">I would like my original family to know that I love them very much. They know that, but love is action, not words. And I haven't felt like I have been in action much. I think that is one of the hardest things for me to understand- and I have been asking God to show me how to deal with it. My love language is someone who loves me calling or writing me an email or text once a week or acts of love like bringing me medicine when I am too tired to drive to the pharmacy. I don't care about gifts, or cards (they're nice but not neccesary) (Deb H, you are the card queen and I love your cards), or anything else. Just a "thinking about you but too busy to talk" email is amazing. It is for me an instant pump of helium to my heart balloon that may be coming down. Someone answering the phone when I am crying and them saying, " I"ll get your meds, Anne." is LOVE TO ME. It is " this person really does care and think of me occasionally" feeling. People can tell me they love me till they are blue in the face, but if I feel like I got forgotten in the shuffle of their very busy lives, I get so depressed. Now, most of you know I have bipolar 2. This has nothing to do with my illness- it's the way I have been forever. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">With that being said, there are some people I would like to thank. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Debbie H, thank you for getting my medicine and making me feel like it was no big deal.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Mama and Daddy, thank you for picking me up at the car place when the "2 hour no big deal" wait became a five hour one and my dogs were in the house about to pee everywhere. Thanks for picking up my prescriptions. Thank you for everything you've done to help me, more than I could name. Thank you for my self esteem, you'll never know how much I have needed that and it was the one thing I never struggled with as a kid. NEVER. I know you know I love you always. Let's have dinnner here soon, I haven't had you since Dad's party. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Mom and Dad Trinkle, thank you for your constant love and support and for giving me peace about not coming to camp this year- what a gift that was. I thank you for all you have been to my kids and my husband and to me. You have shown me what God's love looks like lived out.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Susan, thank you for listening, caring, and understanding why I needed to tell you. Thanks for not being angry at me when I screw up, you have this amazing ability to not see people's mistakes, only their good sides, and I need to learn that from you. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Joyce, thank you for never shutting down the communication between us, even when you were frustrated or angry with me ( I am sure you have been at times.) Thanks for being my other sister. I love you so much and miss you so much, I am crying. :) You are so special to me. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Mike, thank you for making the effort to call me and I am sorry for my frustration. I am trying my best to understand how to communicate with you and I love you with all my heart. I am sorry for hurting you. We're good. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Jon, God only knows what a gift you are to me. Thank you for texting me from work just to say, " How's your day going, honey?" WOW, I feel so loved when you do that. I can't even tell you how loved I feel. Thanks for being the girls' chauffeur when I am in need of sleep. Thank you for your holding me when I felt like I would cry myself to death. Thank you for understanding how much I love other people and that I do mess up but you know my heart and thank you for that. Thanks for being more than I deserve and such a gift from God to me and our children. I hope and pray each day that I make you feel just that loved. If sandwiches are love then you are stuffed with them and love, literally and figuratively. :) </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Laurel, thank you for everything you have always been to me- a sister, a best friend, a sounding board, and a true loving soul. I know I have been that friend and sister for you too, but you need to know that I thank God every day for bringing you into my life. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Emily and Julianna, the last thank you's go to you. You are such beautiful young ladies and most importantly, your souls glow with God's love. You are my reasons for getting up in the morning and the last thing I think of when I go to bed at night. Your mother's day cards healed my heart more than you will ever ever ever know. The words you wrote were like literally sewing up my heart. I know I have made some mistakes in life, but you are my pride and joy and God uses you to show me that I must have done something right amidst all my mistakes, when you remember something I said to you, or you remember that man looks at the outside but God looks at the heart or you tell me that I am the best mommy in the world.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">This post was 'all about me" <u><span style="font-size:180%;">but it was really all about the other people in my life and how much they mean to me and I hope everyone feels that and knows that I care about your lives too and I know I have shown that to all of you. I love you all, Anne</span></u></span></strong></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-75519142817484671872010-05-07T06:23:00.003-08:002010-05-07T06:39:03.490-08:00We love you Cookie Conker!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9qrB7mWvoJ2Mrlf4peHqLL5KBn63ltzl_PezLYnPr3k0n9IBCqTk1lj-ATxKdHx47gFNobebgy_H5IDjLsoxEWLWOR0LgGYt89KNLVH9PRDl2THYVfkDFColFkgbiw3-hDCMkbhO2gQg/s1600/cookie"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 431px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468533691060176082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9qrB7mWvoJ2Mrlf4peHqLL5KBn63ltzl_PezLYnPr3k0n9IBCqTk1lj-ATxKdHx47gFNobebgy_H5IDjLsoxEWLWOR0LgGYt89KNLVH9PRDl2THYVfkDFColFkgbiw3-hDCMkbhO2gQg/s400/cookie" /></a><br /><div>I don't know how many more deaths I can take. On the left is a picture of two of our cats, Bella on the left and Cookie on the right. Cookie died Wednesday of heartworms. Yes, it is very rare in cats and no, we had no idea he was sick. I saw him under my van, which is a place he never goes and I knew INSTANTLY something was wrong. I called Jon and we brought our dear Cookie Monster in the house and I knew he was going to die. After doing rescue for so long, there is a smell of death that lingers on an animal when they are dying- that sounds bizarre and hard to believe, but even my kids know that smell when we used to get very sick squirrels. I begged Jon to take him in, as I knew I could not take this particular cat. You see, Cookie is a very special baby to me. Several years ago, our neighbor's dog killed my kitty Moses in our front yard- he didn't actually die until we we at the ER vet, but it was a horrible traumatic death. I never go out and get a new animal when one dies but a sudden traumatic death is like a scene from a movie that won't go away. So the girls and I went to Animal Care and Control and I saw Cookie and I knew he was the kitty. He hated thunderstorms and I always let him inside during them. I had a premonition that he should be an inside cat, but we have allergies and I just attributed my over protectiveness of him to the fact that Moses had been killed outside. He was killed by a disease that mosquitoes carry. Dr Rockefeller, my vet saviour called me from her office and said, " Anne, honey, it's not good." I said, " I know, Renee, I know he's going to die, he smelled like death, but WHAT IS IT??" She told me and said, " He's going down fast." I said, " Put him down now." She was so dear and asked if we wanted his body which was the most beautiful cat body in the world, with the most remarkable markings on it, but I told her through my sobs, " I cannot see his face again, I will just die, Renee." She said, " I know, I am the same way." And she said she would take care of my baby for me. I asked her if she would tell him I loved him and I was so sorry and she said, " Of course." "I'm so sorry, Anne, I am so sorry." I said thank you and hung up and held on to Jon. He was our Cookie Monster, Cookie Conker, Tootie (rhymes with cookie) Tonter and so many other little pet names. When people know you have seven cats, their reaction to the death of one is either, " Oh, that's too bad". or there are dear souls like Dale who weep with you because they know that each one is as special as the rest, no matter how many creatures you have. Thank you Renee and Dale and to all my friends who texted me to tell me how sorry they were about our baby Cookie. (He was six years old but always my baby.) Renee, when you get to heaven, God will put a special jewel in your crown shaped like a paw and say, " You will never know what comfort you gave Anne Trinkle by sending her animals to me so sweetly and with such love and empathy." I love you. </div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-60089672594088871252010-04-13T09:16:00.006-08:002012-09-18T10:41:54.063-08:00For my brother and everyone who loved Bucky<strong><span style="font-size: 130%;">As I laid in bed this morning, my mind was still reeling from the news of one of my brother's oldest and dearest friend's suicide. I have hurt for my brother and his buddies who all grew up together here in Mandarin. Bucky was known as Bucky to all of us, his given name was Walter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Woolfe</span> Jr. Most of my memories of him are from my childhood and teenage years- he spent <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">a lot</span> of time at our house and I spent <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">a lot</span> of time at his house with my folks and brother and sister. I remember a tall, handsome man with dark curly hair and a mustache most of the time. He gave real hugs and always took time to talk to me even though I was just Mike's "kid sister". He never made me feel like he didn't have time for me and in later life on the few occasions I saw him as an adult, I was always OVERJOYED to see him and give him a hug and he always asked about my folks, my kids, etc. He and his brother had a monkey and a mean as snot <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Chihuahua</span> named Timothy. :) I loved both of them. I loved his parents- Kay used to sit me on her lap and read me stories- one in particular that I cannot remember the whole title of, " The Hag, the Bag and..................." I was always begging her to read it to me and she always did. I did feel true love from Walter and Kay- Walter would always swoop me up and hug me like I was the most special little girl in the world and I loved him very much. I have such vivid memories of Bucky and Carey's room (you had to step down into their little room and it felt like a cool little hideout place) and the way the house was laid out and I learned to swim in their pool- my sister taught me and I spent many happy hours there. <br />Bucky always looked right at you when he talked to you- he gave you the feeling that you mattered. I loved him like a brother. My mom always welcomed my brother and sister's and my friends to the house and it was always such fun when he and John would come. I hadn't seen Bucky for 7 or 8 years, but he was one of those people you always hoped you would run into sometime at the pharmacy or somewhere in Mandarin. I wanted to write this for Mike, Billy, Mark, John, Chip, and all the other guys and people who loved Bucky and were his childhood and adulthood friends. I know you are hurting and I wish I could hug each of you. I really do. I will write his ex- wife and children a note and send it by snail mail- they are in such pain. So many people are hurting- I hope all of us can heal and that Bucky can see us and hear us and know he was very very loved and is very dearly missed. The thought that keeps me going on the days I am crying so hard is that he and his birth family are all together (that's my personal belief) and that there is finally peace there. Vicky, if someone forwards this to you, I love you and our family would do anything for you - ANYTHING. His memorial is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">tentatively</span> scheduled for the weekend of April 24 at Mandarin Park. We love you Bucky. </span></strong>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-24508288117461142742010-03-28T09:29:00.011-08:002010-03-28T10:00:52.426-08:00Patches and her nine lives<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVJGhWPjBQMyO1sEh7G2MCg9U9odQUy10NBijspUHxM1Ro8YKCpHf_uBgUHeAVqkK4bXtS3bTHrOVDK9-pmDjDN9IccNW0tzxuKn7_fig4QX1qgZEPEm7ZOYbm66amsjIltlFIGvS37o/s1600/DSC01099.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 356px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453739109752361522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVJGhWPjBQMyO1sEh7G2MCg9U9odQUy10NBijspUHxM1Ro8YKCpHf_uBgUHeAVqkK4bXtS3bTHrOVDK9-pmDjDN9IccNW0tzxuKn7_fig4QX1qgZEPEm7ZOYbm66amsjIltlFIGvS37o/s400/DSC01099.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong>We have a troubled child here at the zoo. Her name is Patches. She has been with us since 12 weeks of age, from a puppy mill. We didn't know it was a puppy mill when we went. Once I got there, I realized it was a puppy mill and I had two choices. Leave (I had my 2 and 3 and 1/2 year old children with me) or stick it to them. So......... the dog I was supposed to get was "sick" and they refused to show the "sick puppy" to me. That's when I KNEW these people were not good. So I played my best cards- I told them I would take the all white dog and if they knocked 50% off her price, I wouldn't report them. I bought the puppy, got home with her and reported them anyway. She was sick as could be - worms, diarrhea, lethargic, you name it. We took her to the vet immediately and they told me she would be fine but she was one sick pup. She has never been "right in the head". She has always had an extreme distrust of strangers, has always loved to play fetch with her special ball, and has had questionable vision, thus making everything new very frightening to her. She has also had an uncanny and aggrevating ability to scale our 5 foot fence so she could be with us in the front yard, and then jump back over when we go in. She is 8 years old and we love her dearly.</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong>The picture above looks like I am holding her head sternly- I am not, I am trying to get her to stop looking around and licking my ears so we could take her picture. The picture below shows her neck and if it makes you woozy, you shouldn't be a human or dog mom. Trust me. This dog has an amazing ability to heal. She also has an uncanny ability to get into TROUBLE. She has run away from dog sitters for 2 days at a time, is a fear biter at the vet, and has been hit by a car with not a scratch or bruise on her. All of this makes us sound like horrid owners, but we are nothing but the opposite. When we learned she had run away from our first dog sitter, I prayed for the last five hours of the car drive home and cried for the entire five hours. After we got home and called and called, she came running out of the woods, covered in ticks, from pin head size to huge engorged ones. We wept and thanked God for her safety, checked her for injuries, bathed her, handpicked ticks off of her and next time she boarded at the vet, in a crate. Now, if she doesn't come to a person upon meeting them, we disqualify them as a dog sitter. </strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong>Her last misadventure happened on Thursday between 2:30 and 4:30. Our dogs are often left in the safety of our yard while I run errands. I came home and Patches ran up and Emily said, " MAMA, PATCHES IS CUT UP!!!" I looked down and saw her throat and about died. I stayed calm as usual, assessed how many cuts there were and called my vet. The lacerations were so clean that I knew immediately that they were from something sharp in my neighbors yard- there was not a speck of dirt in them, nor were the edges jagged, so I knew that was in our favor. I rushed her to my vet and Dr. Nguyuen (pronounced Winn) was amazing- she told me they were clean lacerations and I told her, " I will do whatever I need to do, but I am not taking this dog to an ER vet- I trust you." Since Patches will try to rip the hand off any stranger on a good day, I told them to bring me the smallest nylon muzzle they had and told the tech to stay away from the dog, I would hold her for the exam. Glad I did that, when Dr. Nguyen came close to look at her, she went CRAZY, almost came off the table and by the time I got her secure, I was covered with blood and the tech and Dr. N were saying, " Thanks for knowing your dog." I suggested they sedate her with me holding her and then I would leave. I laid on my neice's bed for the next hour and picked her up, all sedated, stapled up, and her tongue hanging out of her pathetic little mouth. Bless her heart. </strong></span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong>Fast forward to next morning. She was ready to eat, ready to go out and by day three she wanted to chase her ball and cleared the dang fence when my back was turned. ??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So she's on leash duty now and I don't know what she's made of, but I wish God had made me out of the same stuff. I don't know if she's one her seventh or ninth life, but I am not worried, she obviously is intended to stay here with us and give us years more of laughter, love, and heart attacks. </strong></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXq405HSaXm7GBQbu4U9AcKhgyJQt40py52ipq9TUKBv0DVscOk_lMdFSLWdXteH4anaX5_A4pRH4jxu6dMfEmrCNDLelxx9k3i7ynGg-OKfkCzLrhI31cG5hnfmRlU4zQJZf1SwJ0F8/s1600/DSC01098.JPG"><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453738755003484114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXq405HSaXm7GBQbu4U9AcKhgyJQt40py52ipq9TUKBv0DVscOk_lMdFSLWdXteH4anaX5_A4pRH4jxu6dMfEmrCNDLelxx9k3i7ynGg-OKfkCzLrhI31cG5hnfmRlU4zQJZf1SwJ0F8/s400/DSC01098.JPG" /></strong></span></a><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong><br /><br /><br /><br /></strong></span><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span><span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong></strong></span>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7961247659434839244.post-91126247444293670392010-03-23T01:59:00.004-08:002010-03-23T02:10:24.186-08:00And a partridge in a pear tree......................<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_cbWuQUAF90WO6NPmzxX_8eAmD8jupPO-c3gtoAKdU3qOSlqrxEQGTpWFg1aUrp-MF1uGCza5I-M4kajHDixLhhnqZ8fFkCLWUECeyDpK19yAgG8bGGEDMXlGaBm5jVNLiiIEsN00PI/s1600-h/Mac+and+Mikki+2010+055.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451767156226119586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_cbWuQUAF90WO6NPmzxX_8eAmD8jupPO-c3gtoAKdU3qOSlqrxEQGTpWFg1aUrp-MF1uGCza5I-M4kajHDixLhhnqZ8fFkCLWUECeyDpK19yAgG8bGGEDMXlGaBm5jVNLiiIEsN00PI/s400/Mac+and+Mikki+2010+055.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#006600;">I write so often about the dogs, that sometimes I </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">forget to include the smallest creatures of our home.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">This is Izzy (short for Isabella), one of our two </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">cockatiels. They are Julianna's birds- the other</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">one's name is Holly and used to belong to our neice, but we convinced her to give her to us when her schedule got too busy and college was looming quickly. </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Our cockatiels love each other very much- they preen each other all the time and sing back and forth to each other (they are caged together). Izzy learned the Gator Fight Song from Holly and Holly has learned I don't know what from Izzy. They love to look in the mirror and will just make all sorts of noises to the birdies in the mirror. They are devoted to one another, when we take them out to the pool porch, the other bird screams like he has been murdered. (We have to take them out there one at a time to reduce them flying into the pool). So we make a trip and then QUICKLY go back for the second bird and oh, the screaming is horrible until they are together in their outside cage. </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Julianna is an amazing owner and takes very good care of them. She loves them dearly. Often when I am listing the animals we have at our home, I feel like adding , " And a partridge in a pear tree" at the end. I guess these are the partridges. :) </span><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675025315645585235noreply@blogger.com0