2011 A Year in Review

Another year is drawing to a close. It hardly seems possible. The years, they fly by and leave lots of laughter and smiles and an occasional tear or two in their wake. As long as the smiles and laughter come more often than the tears I call it a successful year. This year was successful.

For a few reasons I haven't written here. Namely a reader or two who I no longer care to share any of my life with but I've decided I can't shut out those I DO want to share info with and the best revenge is a life well lived right?

So, I'm going to try writing again and filling you all in on my life. A lot of changes have happened in the last year and a half since I walked away from this blog.

Most notably my oldest son went away to war. It was hell letting go of him but our job as parents is to raise them the best we can and set them free to fly and hope they soar. I believe he is soaring.

I completely changed my course of study in college. Although photography is fun and is where my heart is, let's be realistic, it's never going to make me any money because most people with a passion for photography don't go to school to make it a career. They buy an entry level DSLR camera and charge 10 bucks for a disc of pictures. That will never pay my student loans back so I changed to a program that will support my family if I need it to.

I blogged this back when it happened in February but our 14 year old dog died. It was one of the saddest events of my life and ranks right up there with the loss of an actual human family member.

After the death of our old dog we brought in a new guy and holy moly he has turned our lives upside down and shook us around. Pip rules our world. Last week he was neutered in hopes he will try ruling our house and our car and our yard a little less. So far, no go. Good thing he is the cutest, sweetest boy I've ever laid eyes on outside of my actual human sons.

That's about it for the update of the last year. So much has happened that I have no idea how to put into words. My world is always changing but I'm a whole lot less resistant to it than I used to be. I'm learning that kids grow up and move away and no matter how hard you try to raise them right they will ultimately make their own decisions in life. I'm learning that it's best to never open yourself up fully to any person. A soul must always keep secrets to spare itself untold pain. That was the hardest lesson I've ever learned in life. I've learned that friends come and go and some of them you aren't at all sad to see go but your family will always be there for you and love you and to treat them with love and respect is of utmost importance. One would think that was a given, not so much. Life is a learning experience and I'm glad to say I'm always learning and morphing. I had a reminder of that this month. A few people from my very long ago past made contact with me and I realized the path I was on and the path I'm on now are barely even on the same planet. Always learning and growing.

I sincerely hope your 2012 is happy and prosperous and full of as much joy as you can suck out of it. I hope the smiles out way the tears ten to one. If they don't, change your perspective. Happy New Year from my family to yours!

Naughty Pipster

Last week it was 6 months since we lost our Deeogee. The hole he left in this house is one that can never be filled. He wasn't a normal dog who did dog things. He was more a presence. A fixture that we always expected to be there.
I thought I would be alright. Get used to the quiet and the loneliness but then I was left home alone for an entire day by myself and I knew I couldn't do it. I started doing some research and some searching for a new friend. I came across an add on ebay for 2 little rat terrier mix puppies. Getting a mixed breed was a must for us for different reasons. A tri-colored and a black. I really wanted the tri but was told he had been given away so I kept looking. The owner emailed me back and said the people decided not to take the tri-colored pup if we were still interested. Of course we were! We made arrangements to meet them about an hour north of the cities the following weekend to pick up the pup.
The day dawned with a full on blizzard but we went anyway. It was the most hair raising ride there but we picked our little munchkin up at the Cabela's store. He was so tiny! He weighed 3 pounds and fit perfectly in the crook of my arm.

The first few weeks with him were long and exhausting. We never slept, we had to potty train him in several feet of snow piled up in the yard. It was an adventure to say the least but I'm so glad Shawn was laid off and was able to help. He took early morning shift so I could sleep and watched him while I was at school. For the first month he went every where with us. It didn't take him long to ingrain himself into the fabric of our lives.

In a few weeks we will have had him for 6 months and he our lives still revolve around him. He's funny and cute and smarter than a whip. Our giant lab bows down to him and treats him like he's a giant and she's the little dog. The only family member that still hasn't accepted him is the cat but he's starting to come around.

Our life with this little guy is never boring. Meet Pippen Joe. Ruler of the Universe. Pip for short. Isn't he cute as a button?

What Love Looks Like

When I met my husband he had this tiny little dog with the biggest attitude. The dog was not at all disciplined, he ran away all the time earning me a dog at large ticket at one point. He also bit everyone he could find to latch his teeth into including my nephew, a girl I babysat and myself. I told hubby either the dog was fixed or he had to get rid of him. He had him fixed.
From that day on he was the sweetest gentelest dog anyone had ever known unless someone messed with his new family. He was fierce at protecting us and fended off an intruder one night when the kids and I were home alone.
He also thought he was a cat. A mother cat for that matter. We had a kitten who Deeogee bathed and protected as if he gave birth to it.
He adopted my small son as his boy and the two have been inseperable for all these years.
He truly became part of our family.
Friday night our beloved old man crossed The Rainbow Bridge. It was quick and he did not suffer and for that we are thankful.
I will miss his constant company. Someone to talk to during the day while I am going about my business. Someone to follow me everywhere. Someone to feed the last few bites of my sandwhich to. Someone to lie beside me on the floor at night and snore softly. Most of all I will miss the sound of his nails on the hardwood and the feel of his soft head on my hand and the 5 single strands of white fur at the end of his tail.
See ya one day old man.

Five

One, two, three, four, and now five. Those are how many years that have gone by since you went away. The wound of your death is now a scar. Happy Anniversary in heaven Scott. I will always miss you.

And the beginning...
Memories
Scott

Is it appropraite to name a post "grrrr"?

2011? How did that happen?

Happy 2011!! How did we get here already? 2010 went by faster than a blink. Good riddance to that crapfest I say!

I have gotten all sorts of grief about not writing here. I could tell you all the reasons I haven't written but they are long and boring and maybe I can use them for material at some point.

It is coming up on the 5th anniversary of Scott's death. I cannot believe it has been more than five years since I have seen my pal. Wow.

School starts next week. I changed my major. I love photography. Don't get me wrong. It is still my passion and who I am inside but it will never pay the bills. I don't regret going to school for it. The wealth of info I have gained is immeasurable. I learned the much needed technical side in addition to honing my inner eye. People remain my second favorite thing to shoot. Nature will always be the heart of my photography. That and my favorite fat cat.

That's about all I have for now. I'm here. You can follow my photography at www.facebook.com/photosbynature or www.facebook.com/capturedbychelle

I promise to check in more often.