Walking in a winter wonderland.

Just a few pictures from our snow day here in NC! Ben had never seen snow before, other than a bit of flurrying, so it was lots of fun to watch him romp around and enjoy it! Thanks to my friend Paige for taking these for me, as my camera wasn't ordered until that afternoon.

In other picture news, my Mom has been going through all of the old family pictures. She's mailing some of them to me, I think, so we shall see what old relics she digs up. If it's anything funny, I'll consider sharing :)

Ok, here's the ones from Benny's first snow day. Enjoy!

What's all this white stuff?

Who cares?! I love it!!

White Fang and I.

Good news or bad news first?

Well, the good news is that I finished my hermeneutics papers and I'm off to go watch Handel's Messiah.

The bad news is Ben just had diarrhea....in my living room. Sick.

I thought weekends were supposed to be better than the weeks? What happened to that concept? Instead I'm spending my Saturdays writing papers and cleaning up after my dog....Oh well, it's a character-building opportunity I guess, right? Right....

One of those days

Today is just "one of those days." I can already tell, and it's only 10:15 in the morning.

Upon waking, I found that I have somehow strained my back, probably from bad posture while sitting at the computer ALL FLIPPING DAY. I have been working on papers, etc., and have yet to actually be really productive at churning out words for them in order to finish. Funny, huh? Lack of things to say is rarely a problem for me.

Also upon waking, I discovered that it was really late....late, as in "I am supposed to be at work in 10 minutes kind of late." Granted, I'm not on time anyways, but this was bad, even for me. Gotta love baby powder for days like this for turning that two-day old hair blond again :)

On my way (almost) out the door, my darling pooch decided to throw a hissy-fit when it came time for him to go to the porch. Nevermind that it was a warmer morning and the porch comes equipped with chew toys, breakfast, fresh water and sunshine....He was having none of it. He throws his body to the ground, rolls on his back, opens his mouth and proceeds to wiggle/bite/claw/scratch my hands away whenever I try to grab his collar. I finally got ahold of him and went to go throw him outside, only to *ahem* forcefully open the porch door, right into my own face. Needless to say - it left a mark.

So here I sit, with work to do and papers to write, with a knot on my forehead and my heating pad on my back...Is it the weekend yet?

Things That Make Me Go "Hmmm...."

Life is odd. Here are some thoughts:

1) It was record-breaking heat this weekend. Today, although it's mid-September, is still in the 90s. Mind you, that's fine with me, although I wouldn't complain if fall started soon. But why, oh why, in 80-90 degree heat was the heat on in my office building this weekend?? Lunacy.

2) Another thing that is lunacy is the GAS prices! Ridiculous! Many places here in Raleigh are sold out or charging an arm and a leg for a gallon of gas. For example, it ranges from $3.99 to $4.39 around my little ole' town. That's a jump of AT LEAST 40 cents from when I filled up pre-craziness, thanks to Adrian. The most ironic thing is that the price for a barrel of gas actually dropped to below $100 for the first time in a long while....Which should make prices go down, not up, right? Notsomuch, apparently.

3) Speaking of my amazing boyfriend, isn't it ironic that I - who swore never to do the long distance thing - am in love with someone who lives 4 hours away. It's not one of my favorite things about this relationship, let me tell you. However, also ironically enough, I am OK with it for now, even though it makes things more difficult. It just makes me appreciate the times we are together that much more, like this weekend when I get to see him!!

4) It is also somewhat funny (perturbing, whichever) that out of all the things in my bedroom, Ben decided to shred the one that inflicts pain on him. Last night, getting home from small group, I found shredded newspaper all over my room. Where did it come from? His whoopin' stick. It's the rolled up/taped up newspapers I use to spank him....If that's not an "in your face" I'm not sure what is. He wasn't super-selective though: He also got a hold of a blanket, an important undergarment and a favorite book.

Weekend in Charleston

It feels like forever since I have updated, and I guess in "blog world," it has been a while!

I went to Charleston and Walterboro last weekend to see Adrian, spend time with him, and see what "real life" is for him. It was great to just be together and to see him interact with the kids in his youth group. Plus, I got to hear him speak on his trip to Thailand, and I really enjoyed being there with him for that.

All in all, it was a great weekend! He and Mom and Dad will all be coming into town tomorrow, so I am super excited for them to all meet and get to know one another. Until I update again about life and my thoughts and what God is doing in my mind and heart, enjoy looking at some of the pics from this past weekend!

Such a good boyfriend! He takes care of Benny for me :)


Benny boy loved the ocean! It was his first visit to the beach. Aside from a little bit of an upset tummy, it went pretty well for him!

This beach shot was our first official picture as a couple, I think.

Feeling refreshed and ready to head downtown for the afternoon/evening


Walking around downtown Charleston

After dinner, we walked along the waterfront and got eaten alive by mosquitoes, but stopped for a photo opp at the Pineapple Fountain.

Why my dog is like a child.....

....but not in one of those creepy "I spoil him rotten and treat him like a baby" kind of ways.

As a single female with a dog, I often get made fun of by certain people for "thinking my dog is my child" (Shout out to the guys at the office). Let me be clear: I am aware that having a dog is not like having a child. I do not see my dog as a substitute for a child. I do not dress my dog, nor do I allow him to sleep in bed with me. There are clear distinctions, as he is a dog. I am aware of that.

With that being said, I think it's time to admit that those things people often think are so precious that their child does are in fact, common traits my dog also has - I'm just saying.

1) Singing a lullaby to my pup put him to sleep when he was little when nothing else would. His "favorite song" happens to be "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins. It was the only thing that got him to sleep the first week I had him, when he slept in his crate at night.
2) Bribes work really well for him, especially food treats or toys. Unlike many dogs, he's not a people-pleaser, but a self-pleaser. Give him a treat and he's yours. No treat? No response. It's that simple.
3) Toys never remain in his toy basket for long. If I vacuum and put them all up, once the vacuum cleaner has been put away, you can bet he'll drag all his toys back out, just for the sheer joy of having them within eye-sight.
4) If I have guests over, and Ben needs to be put into another room, he will most assuredly throw a temper tantrum to avoid being removed from the "action." This usually includes laying down, rolling onto his back, biting, kicking his legs, growling and resisting all attempts to forcibly move him. Cue treats and watch him happily comply (see #2).
5) When he needs to use the bathroom, he gets really antsy and won't leave me alone until we go outside.
5) When Ben is hungry, he gets obnoxious and wants to hang on me and play all the time. This especially happens at bedtime.
6) Benny lives and dies by a schedule. If we do not go for a walk/run/trip to the park after I get home from work (between 5-6) he goes nuts. Cabin fever sets in from the hours of 1-5 every day, no exceptions.
7) When it's bedtime and he wants to sleep but my light is still on, he puts his head under the bed-skirt to block the light from his eyes.
8) Like having a child allows you to go places you wouldn't go alone (out to eat, to the park, etc), having a dog validates me so I don't look like such a loser as I would sitting by myself those places. He's a great companion. (If I do actually still look like a loser, even with dog in tow, please don't tell me and destroy that illusion of coolness I have going. Thanks)
9) When the kids start crawling and make their way into whatever room you're in, only to lay down behind you - touching you - as you cook or put on makeup, know that this is something Ben also does. He is most content when he has a paw on me and is touching me, even when I keep moving away. He will follow.
10) He greets me happily every morning with a "smile" and a lick (I know the kids don't lick, just give kisses. This is Ben's version). He even loves me with morning breath and nasty hair. Gotta appreciate that unconditional love!

What does your child do you think is so completely adorable? What does your dog do that is a very human trait? I'd love to hear and compare :)

Anyways, if you think I am completely nuts after reading that, go back and read the disclaimer at the beginning. I still expect the insults, though. Let the mockery ensue.

One year Benniversary!

As of Saturday, I have had Ben for a whole year! I told my parents, surely the first year is the hardest and it will be smooth sailing from here on out! He's a bit of a terrorist at times :) Look how sweet he was as a pup, though!

This was the first day I got him Our "one year Ben-niversary" picture. Trying to simulate the pose, but he's much bigger and rowdier now!

In honor of a year with him (complete with a few months of trying to find him a new home, then deciding to keep him), this weekend/post was all about Benny!

Friday he and I went to the river, our first time to go here in NC. We used to hang out at the river in TN as I worked there and we kayaked a lot, but hadn't made it out to the Neuse since I moved here. It was a gorgeous day and a gorgeous area. We hung out down around the boat launch, which totally made me wish I had the $$ for my kayak right now. Half of summer will be gone before I get to enjoy it! :(

But, I DID enjoy watching my crazy pup. You'd think he hates water the way he panics when his stick goes in too far for him to reach easily. He's only just begun swimming for it, at over a year old. He's a cautious one, that Benny o'mine. Here's a funny little video of how he tries to entice the stick to come back to him: Paw water first, then bark, then hop a little and hope he can swish it over his direction!

I wanted to post some pictures too of his new bed I made Saturday...

I thought it turned out cute!
Two layers of fleece, "tied" together with quilt batting the middle

Checking out his new digs...aka, a new toy.

Let's see how long it takes him to try and rip it up. Hopefully he won't succeed!

My alarm clock

Mornings have never really been my thing. I love lazily stretching and rolling out of bed whenever I choose to do so. Real life doesn't function that way though, I know. Hence, I have an alarm clock I use all the time, though it works only marginally now. I have since begun setting my phone alarm clock, and when I'm really desperate, the alarm clock on my iHome in the bathroom.

The most effective thing at waking me up though is the darling face you see here: my dog Ben. Nothing like a warm tongue licking your arms when they emerge from the covers to jolt you awake. If that doesn't work, he also enjoys pouncing on me, or squirming underneath my bed, getting stuck and growling at me to get him out. If none of that is effective, he paces and whines, making me think he has to go out and pee RIGHT NOW or he'll make me regret laying in bed for so long.

Anyways, just thought I'd share the sight of what I see nearly every morning. (He's gotten the hang of sleeping in on weekends, which is good.) He makes me mad sometimes, but he's so darn cute. Who couldn't love that goofy face?

Weirdness

It has been a weird couple of days.

Yesterday I stayed home sick from work with what appeared to be sinus issues. I don't get sick much anymore, and generally not enough to skip work, but I was feeling crummy. It was a fairly un-eventful day. I watched a lot of TV, slept a lot, hung out with Ben, and ran a few errands. However, last night was pretty sleepless, as I was dealing with Ben's bowel issues. (If you care to, you can read about it here.)

As I woke up this morning I was greeted with the jolly voice of Kenneth, one of my co-workers, calling to make sure I would be in today. Good, he said, I had a lot of work to do.

One of Southeastern's professors passed away last night after battling cancer. I never knew him, only knew of him, but it seems like he was an amazing man. I had the honor of paying final tribute to him by writing a news release on his life and death. Here's a link.

I prayed the other day that I would be able to look at my job as more than a job, but as a ministry. I'm sad that it takes events such as Dr. Bush's death to make me feel passionate about doing my work, but I am thankful that I have the opportunity to join in this ministry here at SEBTS. When there is a story to tell, I am reminded that God has given me a gift and the skills to use it, if only I will dig.

I am hoping that with the upcoming move to a WordPress format for our campus articles, I will be able to delve back into feature articles, which are my favorite type. I do really love getting to know people and their stories and making them worthy of others reading about them. So anyways....Just kind of general weirdness!

All about Benny

My mother suggested I write a book, in the same vein as Marley and Me, about my experiences living with a crazy dog. Though I don't foresee a book anytime in the near future, I thought I'd go ahead and start blogging about my daily life with my little terrorist of a pup, if for no other reason so that I don't forget what it was like when he was young and crazy.

The link is here so feel free to check it out if you're interested!

I get a kick out of him; You might too.

Home for the holidays

There is something so special and sweet about being home with family at Christmastime. I don't think there will ever be any place so comforting and calming as being home, with my house decorated for Christmas, the fridge full of tasty food, the lights off except for those on the Christmas tree and on the mantle and my family and pets around.

Lucky and Rudy Poody (my parents' dog and cat) are fat and fluffy this time of the year. Neither one of them really welcomes Ben into the house...they're old and set in their ways I guess :) Last night, Lucky stole Ben's bone and started chomping on it. Ben tried to take it back and got growled at, so he stopped and looked at me, confused. Then, the cat started hissing at him and making this eerie high-pitched meow, which is basically his "Come and get it, dog. I'll take your eye out," sound. It's never good to hear that. So anyways, Lucky is growling at Ben, Rudy is hissing at him, and Ben is stuck in the middle, looking very shame-faced and scared about his situation. Ah, it made me laugh.

Church this morning was good too. It's interesting to come home to my church, and see how things have changed, and to compare it to what I have gotten used to now at Bayleaf. In a lot of ways, they're very similar, but there are some differences too. We now have a women pastor on staff; she doesn't preach, but she led the congregation in prayer. I haven't studied that topic enough, but I know it seems weird after getting used to being taught by men....Anyways, I ought to look into that so I can make intelligent comments on it, rather than just rambling!

Hope my faithful readers are having a wonderful Christmas Eve eve!