Stay Tuned

Stay tuned....The new and improved blog is on its way!  Promised by Jan 1 2013!

Here's your sign

This morning while walking the spring break crowd of dogs for one of the last times, I was feeling completely exhausted.  I was mentally and physically drained.  My feet felt heavy, my arms were tired and my shoulders felt like they were carrying the weight of a 200 pound mastiff!  I will say that this particular group of dogs have been a pleasure to keep.  I worked the small dog end leaving By to deal with all the big ones.  No one showed any sign of stress (aka diarrhea)   which I was grateful for.  However, even with a good group of dogs, anytime you are caring for 60+ there are some stress factors.  The barking alone is enough to drive you crazy.  Then there is the worry of "did cuddles eat"?  "Did I remember to give Lou his 3:00 meds", did that dog tunnel under the fence?   Those kind of things.

 I had remained fairly positive but was beginning to tire by day number 9.  I drug myself out of bed, put on the same clothes that I am certain I have been wearing all week...Ewww, I know, please don't judge me, and I headed out to the kennel.  Maggie and Lou were already outside in the play pens (courtesy of Byron, who was fairly certain I wasn't going to make it out of bed this morning).  So i proceeded to walk the little guys.  Wrigley and Max first because they are always so loving and appreciative to be outside!  Then Jo-Jo...a pug who is a pure joy...usually!  This morning she decided to take her dear sweet time finding the perfect place to poo.  The sun was covered by clouds and my day started to fade as fast as the weather.  I was grumpy...really grumpy...and that is when it happened.   I felt the first few raindrops and thought "perfect, lets just add a little water to make my day perfectly miserable".  I turned around and there it was!  The most perfect rainbow, looking like it started on the south edge of our property and ended on the north, bright and beautiful lining the western sky.    It was almost as if God just wrapped his arms around me and said...I got this!  Tears came flooding and with leash in hand I stretched my tired, weary and now wet arms towards heaven and just said the most simple and sincere words I know," thank you Lord".  In that MoMent, nothing else seemed to matter.  My aches and pains seemed less and my shoulders felt as though that "mastiff" had been lifted.  I ran as fast as I could, and those of you who know me know, that isn't very fast, to the garage to retrieve a camera.  I had broken the number one rule of dog walking this morning by not having my cell phone on my person!  Please don't tell the "boss"!  I wanted so badly to take a picture of that rainbow to share with you all.  When I got back, it was gone all except for a faint hint of color.  It was as if God wanted that sign just for me.  A connection to him.  I got the message loud and clear!  I finished my dog walks in the rain and somehow it just didn't seem to bother me.  I was sure to thank each and every dog for being good and cooperative this week.  Somehow they knew too.  After all it has been said the only two beings that will love you completely and without reservation is God and...God spelled backwards...Dog!  

Happy April everyone!  Enjoy the renewal that the good Lord has given us! 

What I learned from my mother...

 We three "girls"  have made it a habit to spend our Momma's Birthday together.  She would want it that way.  So out to dinner we went and when the waiter asked if we were celebrating something we excitedly answered yes, our mother's birthday!  He looked around and said "will she be joining you?"  We all kinda giggled and then had to embarrass him by answering no.  She is celebrating her 73rd birthday in heaven where she has been for 20 years.  Later in our meal and much to our surprise the waiter sent the delicious birthday treat to our table!  Happy Birthday Momma.  We love you! 

Me, Deb and Kathy celebrating our Momma's Birthday with dinner!


 I learned from my mother how to love
people, to have plenty of vases on hand
in case you have to rush to the hospital
with peonies cut from the lawn, black ants
still stuck to the buds. I learned to save jars
large enough to hold fruit salad for a whole
grieving household. I learn that a kiss and a band aid was often
the only thing that was needed to make the pain go away.
I learned that the best things in life aren't things at all.
I learned that doing your best and failing was better than doing
nothing at all. I learned that stray kids and stray cats often make the
best siblings and pets...I learned that you don't have to have the best
of everything, you just have to make the best of what you have. She
was so very good at that. I learned that beauty has absolutely nothing
to do with physical appearance and that the old saying "it's what's on the
inside that counts" is truer than true. I learned that a mother should always be a mother first and friend second to their children. Mothers should always carry, kleenex (or a spare McDonalds napkin), gum and lots of spare change in her purse. I learned that life is short so love unconditionally. I learned that to make a good meatloaf you never make it the same way twice but you always use brown sugar and that cream of mushroom soup will save about any piece of meat that you have over cooked! I learned to laugh at my mistakes and realize that few if any of them are irreversible.
I learned it is okay to be angry but to get over it quickly because the only one that suffers when you are angry, is you. I learned that no one makes you feel anything, you choose your feelings and reactions to situations so don't try to use the...but she made me mad card, it isn't going to fly. You choose your feelings don't let others dictate them to you. I learned that it doesn't matter if you can't carry a tune in a bucket you should sing or at least hum a song every day. I learned that you cannot overuse the words, thank you, I love you and please, even if you try you cannot. I learned that God hears your prayers, even if they are whispered or just even thought....Lastly, I learned that you should love the people that God gives you because some day he will take them back and then all you are left with are the MeMories that you made during your time together.

Welcoming 2012

Well it is official!  2011 is over.  Gone, finished, outta here, but the memories of the year are forever ingrained in my mind.  2011 was filled with many changes and milestones for my family.  It began with a snowy January that led to much hunting for Byron.  No big change there, hunting is what he does and what he loves so I just continue to pray that he is safe while he is out there.  February saw Ashley, Lena and I visiting many bridal shows and planning for Ashley's September wedding.  March was busy at HCK.  Thankfully the boarding business was back on the upswing.  The downside was I didn't have the girls home to help and that put the brunt of the dog walking chores on me.  I never fully realized how much I depended on the girls until the weren't here to help.  I am ever so thankful that they both had jobs that kept them from coming home but still secretly wished I had them here to help.  April brought anniversary number 24 for Byron and I.  24 years of anything seems like a long time and 24 years of marriage is no different.  We have both grown, both changed and both battled our own selves but we both continued to love each other and that is what truly matters.  May saw many hours of wedding planning, yard mowing and dog walking but it also brought some great time with friends and family.  June was a busy month as well and also the month that Byron turned 50.  I thought 25 years was a long time...50 must be an eternity!  July was HOT.  Really hot!  The fair was not even fun for us since the animals were released to go home early due to the heat.  As far as anyone could remember it was the first time that had happened in the history of the White County fair.  August saw another birthday milestone in our family with Miss Lena turning 21.  She celebrated briefly with us and then she and Jacob were off on a cruise.  I know a cruise seems like a pretty impressive birthday gift and it certainly was.  However the trip was redirected due to hurricane Irene but I am sure the kids still had a wonderful time!  September 2011..Da da dada!  Here comes the bride.  A date that we had looked forward to for 17 months.  It was here...finally and it was FABULOUS.  The weather in Evansville could have been a little nicer but even with the rain it was still a wonderful day.  We were blessed to have so many of our friends and family with us and I never dreamed so many of them would make the 4.5 hour trip to the Ville.  Ashley was radiant as a bride and she even shed a tear or two and for her that is a pretty emotional day.  Lena had everything as organized as possible and most things went off without incident and the incidents that we did have no one really cared about (no one but me)!  October came in pretty quiet and it was a beautiful fall.  I just took alot of time to reflect and enjoy my alone time.  THEN CAME NOVEMBER!  As peaceful as October was November was an emotion  filled month.  We lost Byron's Grandmother Dixie who passed away peacefully and went to be with Grandpa Cade in heaven.  My job took a turn when Dedaker Insurance Services, Inc.  sold to the Deiwert Agency.  10 years in the same office with the same people doing the same job suddenly turned me upside down and made me question everything I thought I knew about my future.  Decisions had to be made and I accepted a position with the Deiwert agency.  In the beginning I was not so sure it was the right choice but as things progress it seems like a very natural fit.  Cross your fingers and say your prayers that I don't disappoint them!  They seem to have pretty high expectations for me!  December came before I was ready and Christmas really got here way too soon.  It was good to have Lena home.  She and I were able to do some shopping and I still think it is so nice to be able to treat her like a friend (most of the time) and not just a child.  Ashley and Tony were not able to make it home but we will be traveling to the Ville in January to celebrate her birthday, Christmas and to enjoy their new home that they purchased in November.  

Yes, looking back I would have to say it was a pretty awesome year.  God continues to bless me more than I deserve and I continue to know that it is his grace that keeps me going everyday.  SO, with that said.  Goodbye to 2011 and Hello 2012.  I am excited and anxious to see what is in store for the new year!
Be Blessed
K