Me time...

So this post will be a little bit of a vent personally (nothing to do with the dogs, really). Chris is deployed to the field. He left Monday and will return next Friday for a quick couple days before redeploying. Now, granted, the field and the NIE are nothing like actual deployments that stretch out for months on end. Actually, Chris and I have yet to endure a deployment together (he completed three before we met). But lately, I have been hearing a lot of Army spouses being really miserable that their significant other is gone. I even read a blog today where one Army spouse proclaimed herself as "Wonder Woman" for surviving the beginning months of a deployment. Like I said, I have not endured months on end without Chris and I do love him more than anything. I do miss him while he's training and he is my best friend. My favorite part of the day is the end when we crawl into bed and talk. But I guess my point is, if being separated from your significant other is debilitating, then you aren't doing enough.

I work 50 hours a week, am pursing a master's degree, swim, run and play recreational softball in my free time which takes three nights a week. We also have two dogs (not kids, but close enough). Then there's the house: dishes, laundry, sweeping and dusting if I get really bored. I don't "search for sleep" when I get into bed alone at night, I am basically asleep before I hit the sheets. And if I ever do find a moment of quiet, mindless relaxation, it is welcomed and cherished, not dreaded. I do miss Chris more than anything when he is away, and I obviously prefer him being home, but I push myself to pack my days so full that I am completely exhausted. I don't have time to feel weepy or depressed or overwhelmed. There just isn't enough time. So the washing machine overflows, call it in. The garage door won't open, fix it. The car needs an oil change, do it. Chris is honestly one of the few people that I actually NEED in my life. I have always been fiercely independent and I don't understand how you could be anything else AND live the military lifestyle. Spouses and significant others are alone so often and unexpectedly that it has to be a way of life. We know what was coming when we signed up for this.

So I suppose that's my soap box for the day. And our dogs did manage to get in this one after all. Bottom line: if you're crying yourself to sleep because you're alone, then you still have too much energy left over. Get a hobby.

Every day is a blessing.

Never in my life have a met a person or animal as excited to start a new day as Pete. As soon as I throw the comforter off in the morning and get out of bed, he knows. He knows he gets to go outside, then come in for breakfast. It's like me being asleep is the same as me being gone to work. Now that I'm awake, it's like he's meeting me for the first time. His tail goes crazy, he starts running all over the place, his hair stands up, he pants. All just because it's morning. I could only wish to greet each day with half of that enthusiasm. I've decided it just isn't in the cards for me to ever be a morning person. I used to hope my resentment towards waking up was just a "teenage thing." Then I hoped it was a "college thing," then "adjusting-to-a-new-time zone thing." I have realized that it is just the way I'm wired and I will be dependent on coffee to function for the rest of my life.

Chris is going on week four in the field. This past weekend, while he was home, we went to the casino, went golfing, had a couple nice dinners, relaxed, watched football. I'm not sure what we'll have planned this next weekend, but it'll be one week closer to the end of this field problem. Maybe take the pups to a nice dog park and go geocaching with them. We're both looking forward to Michigan over Thanksgiving. I have a dress appointment with Mom and Sid which will be exciting. I may squeeze in a run just to see how training at a higher altitude has affected me : )

This was a pretty short post, but not much out of the ordinary going on. I did get accepted into UTEP's Master's program so I think I'll be starting that in January! Other than that, not much new on the home front.

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France

10 ways having a dog will prepare me for a baby

So it has been a very long time since I've posted, I apologize. With Chris being in the field, taking care of the house and animals after a full day of work is a daunting task. Anyway, I came across an article that I am literally going to copy. Chris and I have discussed having children (not anytime soon, and definitely not before our wedding in the Church). It was something that I did not want to rush into, and Chris and I still have a lot of time to enjoy each other before bringing in another factor. Having children was something that I have actually completely doubted for a very long time, but the idea is slowly growing on me. Either way, I loved this article by Lauren Hartmann and it is absolutely, 100% true. Please read:

Perhaps you may recall my post a couple of weeks ago about my ridiculously easy dog and how I feel like she hasn't prepared me for the high maintenance needs of the newborn that will soon be living with my husband and I.
I received a lot of comments from readers who disagreed and felt that their dogs really have been good preparation for parenthood, which made me stop to reconsider my dog. While I must admit that I do have the easiest dog on the planet and that there's probably no way our baby will be as easy to care for as a she is (I completely expected this), I did come up with 10 ways that she actually has prepared me for a baby. Even if my dog isn't the most high maintenance, she still definitely requires some responsibility.

1. Dogs provide you with plenty of middle-of-the-night surprises...

...just like babies. I can recall many a time being woken up to dog puke in the middle of the night...good practice for those random wake-ups a baby will bring.

2. Both are adorably perfect for plastering on social networking sites

My dog has blinded me into thinking that every little thing she does is cute enough to post on Facebook. I've gotten better, but I'm sure the same will happen when I have a baby. If I start posting about nap schedules and the consistency of poopy diapers, please host an intervention.

3. Both dogs and babies adore you and completely depend on you

Despite the fact that my dog can eat on her own, she still needs me to buy her food and serve it to her. Despite the fact that she's completely potty trained, she still relies on me to pick up on her cues and to actually let her out to go do her thing. All of her basic needs must be met by me, just like a baby. The bonus is that babies and dogs completely adore you and love you more than anything else in the world.

4. Dogs, like babies, are an instant conversation starter...

...and both solicit unwanted advice from strangers. When you have a dog, other people with dogs (or without) want to come up and ask you 20 questions about it ("What's her name?", "How old is she?", "How did you get her to do that?"). Same goes for babies - I would imagine play group conversations start up quite similarly ("What's her name?", "How old is she?", "How did you get her to do that?"). Perhaps having a dog has been slight preparation for the unwanted advice from strangers I'm sure to get as a parent, because I've definitely gotten plenty of unwanted doggy parenting advice already.

5. They're both cute and cuddly

Both are so adorable! Can I just quit work and snuggle with you all day?

6. Babies and dogs both require grooming
Like babies, dogs require washing, brushing, cleaning, etc... Basic, but true.

7. Both will embarrass you in public with bad behavior at some point

This photo is from the first time we took Marley to the beach. She was completely insane and wouldn't behave on her leash, so my husband had to actually pick her up and carry her. Kind of embarrassing to have everyone staring at you carrying a 65 pound dog down to the beach. I would imagine that screaming babies in public may illicit the same embarrassed/frustrated state from time to time.

8. You sometimes have to forego plans when they aren't allowed at an event or location

Sometimes dogs just aren't allowed into places, so you have to change your plans or work around it. You can't take a dog to the movies. You can't take them to your friend's house if they happen to be allergic. You can't take them to a fancy restaurant. Same goes for babies...and actually all of the same locations (babies at the movies can be disasters and I know plenty of people that are also "allergic" to babies...often those allergic to babies also tend to frequent said fancy restaurants).

9. You have to anticipate their messes and keep things out of their reach

Every time I leave the house I have to take out the garbage. It's the one thing that my otherwise ridiculously well-behaved dog can't resist. I'm pretty sure garbage is like doggy-crack. This is kind of like baby proofing your house, or keeping messy things out of your baby's reach. It must be done - unless you really like cleaning up messes.

10. You love being with them and can't stand being away from them for too long

Whenever we go on vacation by the end, we're always completely missing Marley like crazy and wishing we were home already to spend time with her. I'm sure with the love bomb that we're about to experience with this baby we're never going to want to leave her side, and it's all going to be totally worth it and completely awesome.

When you love someone, show it.

Our dogs find it impossible to play "hard to get." When they are happy, they show it. When they're upset, they show it. They are constantly wearing their hearts on their sleeves, so to speak. They can't hold grudges, they can't hide their feelings (although Grace knows how to manipulate). They forgive freely and easily and life goes on to the next game of fetch. To constantly live in the moment and remember no past trespasses must be liberating. Even when they are being punished, they wag their tales. When they are disciplined, they still know we love them and are unable to harbor ill will.

Another thing that's impossible for our dogs is multi-tasking. When there is a task at hand, they pour their hearts and souls into that one thing, whether it's fetch, running, napping, chewing their bones, etc. I recently read that this is one of the keys to true happiness: to be able to focus on one task at a time and do it extremely well. To think about anything other than the present risks undermining our happiness. Pete is incredibly good at having a one-track mind, always involving a ball or treats. My personal goal for the near future is to just be very good at what I am doing in the moment. Not to worry about how much further I have to run, not to worry about projects I know are coming down the pipe, just to be completely devoted to the now.

Chris has been out in the field now for three days, and it feels like three weeks. We are all missing him terribly. I took the dogs for a walk last night, and Grace took disliking strangers to a new level: she barked at an infant in a stroller. Definitely need to work on her manners and get that under control. She used to be much more well behaved, but Pete has created a strange new dynamic. I know Grace would never actually bite anyone, but she does have a nasty bark. Pete and I are working on a new trick, only to be unveiled when Chris comes home next weekend : )

Don't trust strangers.

Grace is especially good at this rule. She barks and gets all poofy around strangers. She takes a little longer to warm up to new people than Pete does. Then again, Pete doesn't feel that he needs to prove himself. Grace feels the need to act tough, or Pete gives her a false sense of confidence. One of the two.

Anyways, I need to write about the run I had last night. I'm paying for it today, but it was one of "those runs." If you're a runner, you know what I'm talking about. I am not a runner, but I have experienced these mythical runs once in a blue moon. I hadn't even planned on running last night. It was almost 7 and I had just finished Cheetos and Coke Zero. Something lured me to pull on my New Balance Minimus' and put on my watch. I was pretty upset that my iPod wasn't charged, but I decided to head out anyways. As soon as my feet hit the pavement, I knew. This was going to be one of those runs. My feet felt the pavement through my minimal shoes. The sun had just slid behind the mountains, but the sky was still pink and orange. The heat from the day had mostly evaporated and there were cool spots pooling under trees. My head and my body were working as one. My form was flawless. Breathing wasn't labored at all. It felt so natural, like I could keep doing this for the rest of my life and never get tired. Even as I felt every stride through my shins and calves, it felt good, I actually enjoyed the sensation as it meant I was running and alive. No headphones, minimal shoes, little training over three miles. None of it mattered. I had no deadline, no pressure, no reason to run other than I wanted to. I smiled at people I passed, said "hello." Every time I approached a turn that would take me back home, I kept going, knowing that it was only making the return longer. Everything was perfect. Euphoric almost. 5.56 miles later, and some severe chaffing, I returned back to my driveway. It was one of those feelings that to continue running would feel better, and be easier, than to stop. It was amazing.

If I tried to recreate it tonight, it may only turn into a couple horrible, agonizing, winded miles. But last night will have made it all worth it. Runs like last night keep me going, keep me hopeful, keep me optimistic. Last night, I will not soon forget.

They always know.

So Chris just left for the field this morning. We will be going for two straight weeks without him, then we will at least get to see him on weekends for the subsequent four weeks. Grace and Pete knew something was up last night. They moped around the house, napped more than usual, poutted. Grace has an incredible sad face, by the way. Pete has a pretty good confused face. All I have to do is pick up my iPod and the dogs think they're going for a run. Running shoes, same thing. Running watch, same thing. If I pick up my keys and purse though, they seem to know I'm leaving and they are staying.

This weekend was not a very eventful one. Chris finished his first class in his Master's program. I got a TON of housework done. The dog we are sitting for ate half a television remote, so that was fun. We picked up more firewood and had a nice little bonfire Saturday night. We stopped by the Humane Society and played with some of the dogs for awhile. Chris spent a couple hours packing for the field. We watched football, talked to family, played with the pups. I made of list of potential projects to keep me busy around the house for the next couple weeks (buying pumpkins to carve is on the list). Most of the following blogs will be a way for Pete, Grace, Jake, Lil' Lou and I to chronicle our adventures in Chris' absense. The dog park may be in order.

I found this poem in one of the recesses of the internet, and it brings me to tears every time I read it:

RESCUE POEMOnce I was a lonely dog,
Just looking for a home.
I had no place to go,
No one to call my own.
I wandered up and down the streets,
in rain in heat and snow.
I ate what ever I could find,
I was always on the go.
My skin would itch, my feet were sore,
My body ached with pain.
And no one stopped to give a pat
Or a gently say my name.
I never saw a loving glance,
I was always on the run.
For people thought that hurting me
was really lots of fun.
And then one day I heard a voice
So gentle, kind and sweet,
And arms so soft reached down to me
And took me off my feet.
"No one again will hurt you"
Was whispered in my ear.
"You'll have a home to call your own
where you will know no fear,"
"You will be dry, you will be warm,
you'll have enough to eat"
"And rest assured that when you sleep,
your dreams will all be sweet."
I was afraid I must admit,
I've lived so long in fear.
I can't remember when I let
A human come so near.

Act first, think later.

So this may not be the best advice in all situations, but it definitely promotes living in the moment. Enjoy the here and now and you likely won't have many regrets later, right? People tend to regret things they didn't do, not things they did. In the simplest of ways, our dogs live this motto every day.

Example: Grace can easily clear the fence in our backyard, often playing with neighbor dogs on their home turf, much to the dismay of their owners (we're working on this). We never imagine Pete would be able to clear the fence due to his low center of gravity and hearty waistline. We found we were wrong. Several nights ago, I put Pete in the backyard so I could go for a run without worrying about cleaning up an "accident" when I returned home. I made it almost out of our neighborhood when I looked down to realize that Pete was running with me. We turned around, ran home, and I put him in the house. This morning they went out to go to the bathroom before I left for work. Grace jumped the fence, and adrenaline must have, in turn, lifted Pete over the fence. When I called them back in, Grace bounced right back into the yard and pranced into the house. Pete, on the other hand, was stranded in a strange backyard with no remaining adrenaline to lift him back over. A couple pitiful jumps proved futile. Just as I was about to pull out of the driveway to circle the block and free him through their gate, he must have realized the seriousness of the situation, and fear of punishment gave him the boost he needed to catapault back into our yard.

Act first, think later. Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission; that's the dog's motto. Even as he was getting scolded for leaving the yard, his tail was still wagging which was frustrating at best. Grace knows she's smarter and faster than me so her scolding fell on deaf ears.

Chris and I have both realized lately that life has become increasingly busy and slowing down to enjoy things has become impossible. We're going to try to take this weekend to just relax and spend time together before he leaves for the field for six weeks. I'm sure the pups will enjoy the undivided attention : )

"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." - Edward Hoagland