Rescue Dogs

Rescue dogs aren't like other dogs. They have a story. It's usually a sad story, but it's their story. Through their sadness they are able to find strength, and an appreciation for their life that is unlike anything you've ever seen. They will sit and they will wait day after day, sometimes for weeks. They will see so many faces on a daily basis and see so many friends just like them, with stories, come and go. They will continue to wait until that one day when that one special human walks in and their eyes meet and they both know..............that their story together is just beginning. Rescue dogs don't just get rescued,  they rescue you too. Their warmth and their genuine thankfulness for you and for their life is witnessed from the moment your eyes meet at the shelter and every day that follows.  Don't feel sorry for rescue dogs, learn from them, adopt them, love them, and watch your life change and your mindset grow as you see things through their eyes and share your story with them!!

Once you get them home, that is when your story TOGETHER begins. You find out their lil quirks, and their fears, and their triggers, and their needs, and how you can help them, and how they help you. Learning their stories over time, the stuff they weren't told upfront at the shelter or because the dog came in a stray, is an interesting process. I have had my five rescues for two years and with Shiloh, his story is still unfolding. He still has a fear of men when they are standing. He wont go in front of you in a small room, he goes behind you where he can see you but you can't see him. When I cry his world is torn apart, he hates it. We are slowly learning cues that work with him. He is my greatest protector. You can't hug me without his consent. He came to the shelter with a brother who was more brave and he stayed behind him the whole time they were there. When his brother got adopted I was there in minutes to get Shiloh. I love him more than words. Monty Boy is my dumped dog. I saw it happen with my own eyes and found him running a few days later and took him to shelter only to adopt him a few days later. I have since found out things that happened to him before he was dumped and you would never know it. He is the sweetest dog and always happy. The second I put him in my truck after saving him from the road he was licking Leo's toes. He has become Max's best friend. He has seperation issues when Max leaves. But its nothing a lil romp with his OCD with a toy won't fix. lmao Another of my amazing rescues who is the BEST dog. Mocha doesn't really have any issues. He obviously didn't come from a home with a vacuum cuz he has no concept. He won't move lmao I'm pretty sure he is part bear and part mini Newfoundland. His fur is amazeballs. He is a chunky monkey laptop dog. You sit and he is on you. Perfectly potty trained. I still can't believe he went unclaimed. My precious gain!! Scottie was said to be unhousebroken........well that was false the second he got to my house. His previous owner was the unhousebroken one, not him. He is Leo's lil buddy. I think they are twins, partners in crime for sure. Those are our stories so far....

What is your story with your rescue dog??

Til next time...

Today is a Good Day

Today is a much better day. I owe it all to my horse, Trader. I got to spend a longer time with him last night and it got my mind back in check. He is seriously my therapist. Without any words being spoken, just a walk in the field with my boy, a nuzzle, a hug, taking in his smell, and all is right with the world. I don't know what I did before I had horses. My life was seriously lacking. I wanted a horse my whole life but was never able to make my dream a reality until I was a grown up. Having a horse is unlike ANYTHING else in the world. They are the MOST special creatures on the planet.

This post is a shout out to my big boy, the one who has captured my broken heart and is helping to mend it every time I am with him. I love you beyond words, Trader!! Thank you for everything!! I know I can never repay you for all you have given me. 

Oh, and friends told me today that he and I have the same hairstyle. lmao I never noticed. We rock!! :)

Til next time...

What's the Point

What's the point??

Of life.

I'm over it. I don't even care anymore.

...

I Will Never Get Over It

Do you have something that has happened in your life and you just can't seem to get over it? I do. It happened years ago, but it still haunts me. I think about it every single day. Most days I am able to push it to the back of my mind and be ok. Some days I can't. This time there is a trigger so it makes sense why it is haunting me. That still doesn't make it any easier to deal with though. 

Time does NOT heal all wounds. It helps with some, but others, the ones that rock you to your core, do not ever heal. They linger, in wait, and reopen themselves often.

So what can you do about these wounds?

I cry. I obsess. I wonder "what if". I cry some more. I have a real shitty day. Or two. Or three. I cry.

And then, when I am lower than low, it will retreat to the back of my mind again. But I know it won't stay there.

It will return. And that is just a part of my life now.

Til next time....

Funny Stumblings

I always find it humorous when I am browsing the internet for something else, or just messing around and something pops up that hits home with my life!! It's like finding a lil gold nugget!! :) I posted the other day about being frustrated and regretting that "the" plan we had didn't work out. It is still such a bummer. It woulda coulda should been so awesome!! But, alas, it wasn't meant to be.....

After finding this quote today, I have faith that our plan is out there awaiting us, no matter what letter we have to get to to achieve our dream, we will get there!! :)

If you lose hope, just putter around on the internet and ya just might find your nugget to get you back on the right track!!

Til next time...

Just Breathe.

Just This

Do What You LOVE

Seems simple enough, right?? We all have a pretty good idea about what we love to do. I love riding my horses, being with my horses, doing anything related to my horses, being artsy, drawing, painting, drinking coffee, watching movies, listening to music, laughing, being silly, shopping, going to the zoo, going to corn mazes. Gosh, I could keep going!! I didn't realize there were so many things!! Wanna know why??

Life.

Life gets in the way of doing what you love. There isn't enough time in the day. There isn't enough time on the weekends. There especially isn't enough time when you want to spend time doing things you love with SOMEONE you love. Life likes to send ya these road blocks all the time and I just don't know why. Why does the list of TO DO always have to trump the list of LOVE TO DO??

I guess we have to just take charge and slack off on the TO DO list and then we can do our LOVE TO DO list allllllllllllll we want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Yeah. Like, that's gonna happen. That's just not how life works, how mommyhood works, how familyhood works, how chores work, how things that break work, how bill paying works, and on and on and on.

So, ya have days like today when your head is screaming at you to do something you love, smile, be happy, enjoy life, have a good day..........

What do ya do???

Well, ya pick SOMETHING from your list of things you love and DO IT!!!! There has to be at least one thing that you can do amidst all of the life stuff!!!

I choose...........................................WATCH MOVIES!!!! :) I hereby declare today MOVIE DAY and I will watch til I get a smile on my face and a laugh in my belly and remember that life is a bitch quite often, but it's how we choose to respond to it that matters the most!!

I self-therapize alot, can you tell?? lmao Psych degree probs...

Til next time...

Argh

I have alot of things stirring in my head today, and nothing is good. It is Tuesday, after all. Enough said? Yeah. So, I will focus on just this one thing, and I will make it quick so that I don't stray to other topics.

Words cannot express how much I really really really really really wish that "it" would have worked out how we had wanted it to. You aren't supposed to live with regrets, but this is one regret I think I will always have. That's not saying "it" can't still happen, but NOW would have been a really great time for it to happen. For me. Not for everyone though, and I guess that's why "it" couldn't happen now. Sigh. Always the sacrifice.

So the suffering and enduring will continue..................for who knows how many years.

Oh yay.

That's all.

Til next time...

Black and White

"It's a press on tattoo!!" lmao JK!! It's very real. I was just channeling Meg Ryan there for a sec. The tattoo is doing well and I just wanted to share a pic from today. :)

Til next time...

For the Love of Pete

Move on already. It started out at a good place, sorta a second place place, but whatever. It was real and it was fun while it lasted. You got something outta the deal that you never would have, and we got something outta the deal too. Then life happened and it wasn't working anymore. It's not like you put up much of a fight, so that must mean deep down you felt it too. So, let it go...

It's ok.

Til next time...

Today I Got a TATTOO!!

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

I have been wanting to bust this out for a while now, but forced myself to keep quiet until it was all done. I GOT A TATTOO!!!!!! Yay!!! I found an idea of what I wanted but then I drew it and perfected it myself. It took a couple of weeks and several different tries to get the one that made me cry. That's how I knew it was the ONE. I already had an appointment made and was collaborating with my tattoo artist to get his input since this was my first tattoo. He probably thinks I'm nuts but he was really great and I felt comfortable the entire time!!

I am not going to show the actual pic online. Eventually I may show portions but I know how the internet is and I just don't want my private design shared and used. 

I got this in memory of my angel Owen and my angel Sisco. If you wanna close your eyes and try to imagine my tattoo, feel free. :) If you look closely you can see an S for Sisco and there are two lil O's for Owen. The three lines on the hearts are for Owen, Sisco, and myself.......our hearts are joined together for infinity. ♥

This day has been kind of emotional. I wasn't nervous or scared about my tattoo. Once I got the tattoo and ever since then today, I have had things pop up that have reminded me of exactly why I wanted to get my memorial tattoo. Some songs I heard and some shows I watched touched a place that I have reserved for Owen and Sisco. In a way, it reassured me that they are with me and that was their way of telling me just that. Today has been a bit teary at times, but then I stop and think, you know what, I went through hell from 2010 to 2012 with what seemed like loss after loss and the universe just knockin me into the ground. It was a very hard thing to bounce back from and I will be the first to admit that I took a hella long time to do so. But now, things are good. I feel like myself, actually I feel better. I have become even stronger than I was and I also gained the knowledge to help others who have to go through something similar. The tears and the sadness will never be something that will completely leave me, but I am determined to be happy, and make my life everything I have ever dreamt of it being. I feel like we are beginning again and life is brighter and sunnier and Someone is on our side!! I feel like I can BREATHE again and it feels wonderful!! :)

Here's looking forward to what lies ahead in life and being able to look down at my wrist and smile at where I have been and how I have learned and grown from what I went through. Cheers!!

Til next time...

Surrender

Hey, remember that one thing from a while ago?? Yeah, that thing. Well, disregard. Nevermind. I was wrong. Again. But ya know what, it's ok!!!! I am ok with it!!! 

And...........I've realized some things. 

It can't be already in existence, I HAVE TO CREATE IT MYSELF!!!! 
I have spent a very long time chasing and trying to force the issue. Several times.
Now I surrender. It's time to see who finds me and stays. :)

Ok, that's all I have for now. lol Vague, I know. But, it's all good!! 

Til next time...

A Bit of a Rant

As far as I'm concerned, you forfeited everything. You don't have a say. You don't have time. You don't have a clue. I am so beyond done with your convenience bullshit. I have zero tolerance for you anymore. You are so wrapped up in your own life and your own lies that you have missed out on everything. Even when you say you're going to change, you don't. Just save your words, save your precious time, save your lies, save it all!!! I don't trust you. I don't believe you. I don't rely on you. I don't want anything from you. Ever. So, the next time you feel the urge to be CONVENIENT......................DON'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





(Ahem. Sorry for the rant. I got a bit annoyed tonight and I get so sick of people getting to skip out on responsibility and of people treating people like they are a convenience. Just sick of it.................)

Til next time....... (and a happier less violent blog post lmao)

Psychology of Color

My favorite color has always been blue. I came across this today while playing on Pinterest. It is pretty spot on. Eww, I hate saying "spot on". It is pretty gosh darn accurate!! Much better. Here is a link to my color of blue, and from there you will see a link to a Pinterest page and that is where you can find all the other colors. Find yours!! Is the description correct?? Isn't Psychology FUN!! :)

The Land of Color

Click it. You know you wanna!! Remember to click the link in the link to get other colors if your favorite color isn't blue. If it is, then, you're welcome!! ;)

Til next time...

Hello??

Hello? Oh hi!!  :)

No, really though, is anyone reading my blog........or nah??

Just wondering. Say hi if you're out there seeing this!!

Til next time...

Tuesday

I told ya so. I knew it was gonna be a crappy day. It took all I had to make myself get outta bed this morning.

Here's how it all started. Yesterday I was a laundry beast. Clean sheet day!! Yay!! Well....about 3 this morning...which would make it stupid Tuesday, my cosleeping toddler decides to spring a leak. Really?? My first and only thought was "Why do I even bother? I swear nothing I do is appreciated.". Great. Thank goodness for the waterproof cover though!! A towel later and back to sleep. My alarm goes off. I am really dreading leaving my bed. What else does Tuesday have in store for me? I decide I better get up and make sure the teenagers and the preteen leave for school on time. So I drag myself outta bed. Oh it's raining. Again. Seriously, when did I move to freakin Seattle? When it rains my wimpy dogs don't want to go outside. It's a battle to get them out. Even then........they decide they would rather just go inside. Thanks. Like I don't have other chores I'm already doing. Please add to the list.

For the moment I have taken a seat. Mocha in hand. All my chores are done out here. I have to wait for the peeing toddler to wake up so I can continue choring where he is. The sun is trying to come out. I am hoping that I can keep this Tuesday's crappiness contained to just this morning. 

Ah crap. The toddler is awake. He is full force sceeeching and chasing the dogs too. Yep. It's Tuesday and I don't think she's gonna give up that easily. 

I suddenly have Cher's, "If I Could Turn Back Time" blaring in my head. 

Wish me luck.

Til next time.....

Signature

I made a signature. And tweeked my HTML and CSS codes to get rid of that annoying border that showed up around it for some reason. 
Yay!! Ain't it cute?? lol

Til next time...

Monday

Monday.

If you go to work or go to school, then you dread Monday. If you are a stay at home mom, you look forward to Monday.

Let's call it what it really is for us stay at home moms. Let's take out that "n" and put in an "m" and make it Momday.

As a stay at home mom, the weekends are crazy and busy and total chaos. We look forward to them all week but then come Sunday afternoon, we're done. We're spent. Weekends. We have our spouse home and our school age kids home and the routine that you and your little one follow all week long is totally lost and destroyed and nonexistent on the weekends. Our little one overdoses on stimulation and is a total brat whose ears are completely broken. There are too many people telling him what to do. There are too many people doing what they want. There are too many people......too much stuff............and it is overwhelming.

This is why Monday is really Momday.

Momday is when we can BREATHE and relax a bit and get back into our routine and refocus and get our daily mom things done. Our little one that stays home with us is a lil more controllable and a lil bit nicer because he too appreciates the routine and knowing what we are doing each day and he doesn't have to deal with the willy nilliness of the weekends that makes him, in his own words, "CRABBY". It's quieter and there isn't the stumbling into or around of other people while you are trying to get done what you do on a daily basis.

Monday is a calm day.

Tuesday though..................that's a whole different story.....

Keep calm and Momday on!!!


Til next time...
xoxo
S

Watch and You Will See

Watch and you will see.

So often we feel like we are alone, that we are the only one feeling the way we are feeling, the only one going through what we are going through, that we couldn't possibly tell anyone the real truth that bounces around in our head and clouds our thoughts and consumes our minds. But, it's just not true. We aren't alone. I have felt this way alot in the past couple of years. I have really struggled with who I am, who I thought I was, who I am supposed to be. These things don't just pop up randomly, they have triggers. There are things in your life, or people in your life, that lead us to these false thoughts. While at the time it seems nearly impossible to see past what our current feelings are, I want you to know that it is just temporary. Let me tell you why I feel this is so....

If you are in a funk, a low point in your life, where you feel all alone, and so lost and like it will never end, that there is no light at the end of the tunnel..........just WATCH. If you open yourself up to watching, you will see, and it will change your perspective. Now, I am not saying it's just that simple. I know firsthand that it isn't. You have to be ready for it. It may take a while. You may NEED to sulk and be self absorbed and be naive in thinking you are alone in what you're feeling and just have an overall sucky outlook on your life for a while. Trust me, I know. It took me about two years to fully come back to myself. I'm a lil on the stubborn side. lmao ;)

BUT...........

When you are sick of yourself being that way and it is draining you and you finally decide that you don't want to be that person anymore, that it's not YOU, and it has to stop.........THEN.....................THEN you are able to WATCH and see. 

All of the sudden you will have people appear in your life in the most random of places and times, you will read things people write, or see things on TV that make you do a double take and say "SAY WHAT??" in your head. You will smile and shake your head and absolutely believe that you are NOT alone!!!!! You will see a light at the end of that tunnel. And then you will have another thing happen and that light will get even brighter. You will probably wonder if you could have seen those things when you were in your funk and feeling alone, and although we will never know for sure, I am betting that they were there, just to see if you were ready, but you weren't yet so they just tucked themselves away for another time. It makes me LOL. Life is just crazy like that, isn't it??

So, remember, just when you think you are all alone, you aren't!! Take inventory of what you're going through and then when you are ready to begin again, just WATCH and you will SEE and it will amaze you. 

I just SAW something this morning and I thought something was one way and that I was alone in my feelings, but then I had something appear right in front of my face and I laughed and couldn't believe it. I immediately sent a message to the other person involved because I know how important it is to be told you aren't alone!!! 

Pay it forward!! Use your experiences to help others!! :)

That's all for this time...

xoxo 

S

To Be a Mom.....

To be a mom is...........

Seriously, the hardest job I have ever had.

It is also the most rewarding job I have ever had.

And, the most stressful job I have ever had.

As well as, the one job I have had that has made me doubt myself, look down on myself, and judge myself.

But, I wouldn't trade it for anything!!!

I have always been good with kids and I have always wanted to be a mom. Did I think that I would stay home with all of my kids and let go of having a career and using my Psych degree?? No. But I am right where I want to be, right where I need to be.

Do I struggle often with myself and think I am failing at being a mom? Um.....yes!! I am not proud of it, but when the low days pass and I am refreshed and recharged, it gives me a renewed sense of just who I am right now, and who I was meant to be right now.

It's always funny to me, when I am feeling low and beating myself up and feeling like I am not good enough, where I find my answer, my confirmation that I am good enough and I doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing at this point in my life, even that I am doing a good job, most days. 

My kids are seriously the most amazing beings. They are kind. They are genuine. They are thoughtful. They help others. They are smart. They are beautiful. And, gosh darnit, I have a big part in them being that way!! Are they also stubborn and bullheaded and don't let people push them around and think they know more than me?? lol Yep!!! I also have a big part in that. hehe

I know I am not alone on feeling like this. I know that I will stumble again and struggle. 

And that's ok.....

I am me. I am real. I am good enough. I AM A MOM!!!

:)

Til next time...
xoxo
S

The Struggle

Sigh. Ok. Well. Following my last blog, this one will seem a bit off, but if ya read the title........then.....it is what it is.
I know I am not alone in this. That gives some relief, but it still doesn't make it all better. First off, let me say that I chose to stay home with Mr. Rotten Pants Leo, and I love it. He is quite the handful and makes me wanna pull my hair out minutely, but I would not want someone else raising him, or to send him somewhere with dirty germy kids. I am his mom and if I am fortunate enough to be able to stay home with him like I did my other kids, then I am gonna do it. That being said, there are still those days that sneak up on me and make me doubt myself, make me wonder if I am a good mom, make me wonder what I am supposed to be doing with my life, make me wonder if I am wasting the money my mom worked her ass off to make to pay off my college degree. These days make me feel like a total loser. A total waste of space. A slacker. Basically, I feel like a piece of shit. I guess my ego wins over me on these days. I shouldn't be so vain. I have been around enough to know that I am not sought after by people. I am not on the inside of things. I try and try, but I still remain on the outside looking in. Right now I really don't have the time to throw myself into something. I could make time, but my life is chaotic enough and I want to focus on my kids right now. It will be all too soon that they are out of the house. I just hope they don't look back and think of their mom as a loser who sat at home all day eating Bon Bons and being a worthless piece of crap when I should have been out working like other moms and contributing to society and paying my dues and earning that $100,000 Bachelors Degree in Psychology that my mom worked so hard to pay off, on her own, as a single mom. Ok, now I feel even worse. I thought venting might help a bit, but nope. It's a struggle. It has been for years. I like to think that I am NEEDED and SOUGHT AFTER by people in the workforce, but I'm not. I'm nothing special. I'm nothing that can't be replaced. And that's just a fact of my life. And, the funny thing is........I don't even want a job. I don't want to have to deal with people. I don't want to have to make small talk and deal with work drama. I just.......................I JUST WANT TO BE WANTED. Sigh. So there you have it. A glimpse into one of my deepest darkest demons.
Sharing is caring, right?? lmao

Til next time.....
xoxo
S

I'm Back!!

To be honest, I hadn't even thought of my blog in a very long time. Life has been crazy and a constant chaos and blogging, sadly, just never seemed to make it onto my TO DO list each day. Well, today, a friend of mine (Hi Beth!!) asked me about my blog and I went "Oh yeah, I did used to blog!!". So, here I am!! And let me tell ya.......after looking back over my last posts on here, I just wanna say WOW!!! I had a lil bit of stuff goin on, huh?? lmao

I am happy to report that that "stuff", is in the past. I admit I had alot of things to work on, some things got stuck in my head and were on repeat for quite a while. I had some growing and learning to do in order to be able to LET IT GO. But, I am in a good place now. I am..............HAPPY. Say what?? lol

My very last post was about finding myself. Well actually, not to very long ago, in fact, I had an epiphany. I have been where I belong since a little before Leo was born, so two years and some change. I don't know why I didn't see it or realize it sooner, or maybe I did and just didn't know it enough to put it into words. But one day it just hit me and I was like "DUH, Stef" and then I just smiled because it made me happy. I bet you probably wanna know just where I belong, don't ya?? Well, if ya don't then you can leave now. If you do, then you will probably say you already knew that when you hear it. The place I feel like I belong is........................drumroll please..............our ANIMAL CENTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, let's all hear the gigantic DUHHHHHHH!!!! ;) It's ok, I can take it. Promise!! Anyway, the Animal Center........it started with seeing a dog that was just so adorable, I knew I had to have him. Mocha. Adopted. Then it progressed into fostering dogs and helping to find them homes and while I had them in my home, work on training and socializing them. Well, I had quite a few successes!!!! But then, I slowly but surely turned into a Foster Failure. lmao I began ADOPTING my foster dogs. Shep, Monty, Shiloh, Scottie. I couldn't help it. Their stories and their lil faces just found a way into my heart and I didn't feel like anyone else could love them better than I could. Meh, it happens. hehe Unconditional love and a desire to help the helpless, the animals that get dumped and pushed aside and treated like they are worthless. It's a tough thing to do, the sad stories you hear, the things you see done to animals, the look in their eyes, having to let some go when all else has been exhausted, it hurts your heart to the very core. But more times than not, it is the most rewarding and heart-filling thing I have ever done. More times than not, there are great success stories and happily ever after endings and you encounter amazing people who make you forget about all the horrible people out there. I just wish I could do more......

Whew!! Ok, I think that is enough for one blog. Now that it is back on my radar though, I hope that I can make it a regular thing again.

Til then....

xoxo
S