Hope for the Helpless

Friday night, I sat with tears streaming down my face. I read a story about the hundreds of horses in Oklahoma that were killed because of the horrible tornadoes. Hundreds of them. A rescuer described the scene as they arrived saying he will live the rest of his life trying to get those images out of his mind. I just can't. even. imagine.

Then, because my heart was already broken, I jumped on Facebook to check the latest news from Central Oklahoma Humane Society. There are still dozens upon dozens of animals separated from their families and left without homes. My heart breaks for every single homeless animal in the world. Every time I walk into an animal shelter, I think about their stories. Where they came from. What they've been through.

And then I think about the animals in Central Oklahoma. I think about their itty bitty hearts that must have been beating out of their chests during the fury of a storm as massive and deadly as those that ripped through their town. And then I think about the aftermath. Thank goodness they were rescued. But what must be going through their minds now? Where's my family? Will they ever come get me? Where am I? Where's my home?

As I write this, each of those animals above is still waiting for their family to find them. Some of them may never be reunited.

For those of you who want to help, I still have a few Glimmer of Hope bracelets left in my shop. Right now 50% of the proceeds are being donated to the Central Oklahoma Humane Society to help every one of those animals above and the hundreds of others still needing food and shelter... and love.

And then I just realized this post resembles that of an ASPCA commercial. Cue the Sarah McLachlan...

What Can We Do While They're Sick?

Is there any worse feeling than being next to someone you love who is sick and not being able to make them feel better? And when I say someone I mean human or animal.

Two years ago, I adopted my tortoiseshell cat, Stella, from the Humane Society. Three months later she had a breast cancer scare and went through an emergency mastectomy. I was heartbroken. To have to take my cat to the vet, leave her there for several nights! [is that not the hardest thing to do?], and then pick her up with her eyes sunken in, her tummy shaved, and then watch her bump into everything with her cone on. I felt absolutely horrible for her.

We made it through that and then a cross-country move three months later, but didn't realize how hard things were about to become. Stella and my parents' cat, Missy, [but really she was my cat too] were there for me every night when I came home from the hospital the week that my mom died. Another time that I had to sit and watch helplessly.

Eight months later, I sat beside Missy as she tried desperately to hang on to life but her lungs and old age just couldn't do it anymore and we lost her too.

But through those losses, as horrible as they were to go through and still are today -- I've had my Stella girl by my side. Late last night, Stella started not feeling well. At all. She was up on her perch above the refrigerator and I climbed up to get her down and she collapsed into my lap and snuggled up.

I decided it was time to close up shop and for the two of us to go to bed. I carried her in my room, got under the covers, and motioned for her to come over. She is really a dog, I'm sure of it. Instead of coming over to snuggle against the other pillow, Stella wedged herself between the edge of the bed and my shoulder. Where she would be closest to me. She laid her little head on my hand.

It sounds like it's back to the vet we go. A place I hate just as much as the hospital. Keep my sweet girl in your prayers this weekend and send some happy thoughts our way.

Sometimes all you can do is be there to comfort a loved one. No matter how hard it is to admit, you can't take the sickness away. Just be there. By their side. Whether they're human or animal, it makes a difference to them.

What I Plan for 2013

This year is so fresh ahead of us. Anything is possible. Last year I had my word that I continued to strive toward. It was "become." I've never really been one to make New Year's Resolutions. I don't look at life as having problems to fix. I look at it as an experience. What can I do? What can I see? What can I become?

Lists aren't really my thing either. I've noticed that I never end up sticking to them. However, there are some things I want to DO this year. In no particular order:

+ Donate my hair in honor of my mom.
This is something I always wanted to do but never could because of the decade that I highlighted my hair. [You can't donate bleached hair.] Now is the time, and in February, around my mom's anniversary, I will donate my hair so that a woman who's able to receive treatment while battling cancer can have hair, even after she loses her own.

Although my mom's cancer was incurable and chemo/radiation was not even an option, she underwent those horrible treatments long ago, when she was younger than I am. It was for an entirely different type of cancer but I will never forget the way my mom talked about how it scarred her. Literally. If I could have given her a piece of me then, I would have. Her hair never grew back the same.

And maybe these women won't have their hair grow back the same either. Maybe their bodies won't be able to take it and the wigs are only worn for days before God takes them away. But they deserve to know we are thinking of them. And that they are beautiful.

I measured out 8 inches of hair and I still have just under two months left to grow!

+ Get to work on my San Diego bucketlist.
My bucketlist is still in the works and once it is semi-complete, I'll be sure to let you in on it. It's fun being new to the city and having people tell me, "Oh, you HAVE to go there!" Put it on the bucketlist :)

+ Find a job that's so "me"
Since I'm a daredevil and left my job in VA so that I could move to CA, I'm ready for a new, exciting start with my career. I've thought seriously about going back to school and that a career change might be on the horizon so this year my goal is really to find something that utilizes my talents and passions!

+ Continue to go to the gym regularly
I found a gym in San Diego that I really love which makes going there a real treat! I want to continue making that a priority throughout the week and seeing the results!

+ Experiment with new recipes
Being a single gal living alone can be tough in the recipe department. Recipes leave me with more leftovers than I can or would want to eat. However, I'm determined to find some new yum yums that I enjoy making and eating. I'd also love to try some of my mom's lovely recipes so I can pass those along in the family.

+ Write
Writing is so important to me. I want this blog to reflect that and I want to really write for myself. My mom always told me I should write a book and maybe this will be the year I start working toward that.

+ Find new foods and nourish my body
Since I moved to California, I've been exposed to new foods, vegetables, fruits, drinks, etc. I've recently become obsessed with avocados and tried milk tea for the first time. As I walk through the grocery store, I see so many fresh produce items I never saw on the East Coast and I can't wait to try them. I also want to nourish my body with antioxidants and superfoods.

+ Help the homeless animals 
It's no surprise here that I want to do something to help those poor, little animals. It is a passion of mine in this life to support no-kill shelters and encourage the adoption of those animals who have been abandoned, lost, or injured. Whether I work for a rescue league or volunteer my time and hopefully my home again one day, I will do this.

+ Always add to this list
I don't want to limit myself here. Moving to a new city means always discovering new things and always pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. I'm sure this list will continue to expand and new ideas will constantly be added :)

I won't end this with a cliche, "2013, I know you are going to be even better than 2012." We all know how I feel about 2012. I just want this year to be great. And full of health. And happiness. And progress. I love you all.

Faith in Our Four-legged Friends

You know how sometimes things keep happening in your life and you know you just need to write about them? That's what has been happening to me over the past 24 hours.

If you don't know already, I am a huge advocate for adopting and fostering homeless animals! You can read my fostering story about Kip and the one about 3 baby kittens. Fostering will forever be one of the most rewarding opportunities I've had. Right up there with adopting Stella :)

I can't wait until I am able to foster again and I especially can't wait to adopt my first dog! Yesterday, I couldn't stop thinking about the day when I can open up my home to animals in need of forever homes. I decided to search online for dogs in the area that were in desperate need of homes. I came across a husky named Spook, who is currently living in a high-kill shelter. I have wanted a husky since before I can even remember and looking at pictures of that guy was yet another reminder of all the animals who are in danger.

Then, I read the story of another dog, a boxer named Brad. Brad was taken to the shelter by Animal Control after being found chained up in someone's back yard. He was found with an embedded collar which means the owner put a collar on him but never re-sized it as he grew out of being a puppy. The collar had to be surgically removed and they noticed a femur that had been broken some time ago and was never treated.

This morning, I got to work and my co-worker had brought in a dog looking for a home. Her name is Molly and she is a one-year-old St. Bernard/Collie mix whose owners kept her in a crate. She is much smaller than you would think (due to the St. Bernard mix) and super happy but due to being locked up all her life, she is still learning her commands.

My heart just breaks and I wish more than anything that I could adopt them all. These dogs are real. They have stories. They just want to be loved. Brad's foster mom said she'll sit on the floor and he'll snuggle up to her. She'll rub his tummy and sadly had a feeling that it was the first time Brad received affection. 

Although this post is titled "Our FOUR-legged friends," it's also about our two-legged friends. Today, I wanted to share a story about Faith. Faith, the dog. Faith was born with two severely deformed front legs. She was found underneath her mother after birth, as dog mothers tend to do this naturally when they know their pups aren't born healthy.

Faith was saved and trained extensively by her loving family who took her in. She learned how to walk upright on her hind legs! She is literally a walking miracle and proof that every dog should be given a second chance.

If you or anyone you know is in the DC area and might be interested in giving Spook, Brad, or Molly a forever home, please let me know and I can pass on the information!

My hope is that one day I can play a larger role in the rescuing of these homeless and disabled animals. Until then, I'll do what I can to encourage everyone to adopt, adopt, adopt! Or even foster, foster, foster. It is truly one of life's greatest blessings.

May I Confess?

It's May 1st! This year, the start of a new month has meant more to me than in past years. It's a fresh start, a chance for something new. I'm super excited for all the future has to hold as I mentioned yesterday and I'm even more excited to announce a project I've been working super hard on!! However, I'm going to keep you waiting a little bit longer ;)

Today, since I've had quite a few new readers join in on the fun recently, I figured we'd play a little confess sesh game! This way, those of you who don't know me can get to know my quirks a little better and those of you who do already know me can just laugh at with me!

+I confess: It had been over four months since I had my hair trimmed. However, thanks to my awesome family friend [Hey, Tammie!!] my locks are looking nice and healthy again! I love chunky layers and having a super cute and fun stylist who I've known since I was born helps too! :)

+I confess: I listened to N*Sync's first album [aka the best album] on the way to work this morning and I was in Heaven. It literally takes me back to 6th grade every time I listen to it. I melt. I'm not kidding when I say I feel like I'm a 12-year-old every time I listen to that album. And I confess I love that feeling.

[via]

+I confess: My current-day N*Sync crush would have to be JC Chasez. 12-year-old Chelsea OBVIOUSLY was marrying Justin Timberlake. We won't even go there right now. Let's just say that adult Chelsea sees a lot of great qualities in Mr. DC-native Chasez. PLUS, how great does Chelsea Chasez sound? Seriously. God must have spent a little more time on JC... [Don't worry - Ryan Gosling is still my main man!]

[via]

+I confess: I considered decking my entire office out with leopard print things. Hobby Lobby sure made it tempting. The nearest Hobby Lobby is also about an hour away and you better believe we drove there this weekend. Sadly, I walked out with a few, petty items :( And zero leopard print!

+I confess: I don't know how many pictures would be considered "average" to have stored on your cell phone, but... I have a lot. Raise your hand if you're also a picture hoarder.

+I confess: I wish I could rescue every homeless dog and cat. I really do. Then I'd be an animal hoarder too but I just don't think it's right or fair for these animals to be put down due to circumstances that are out of their control. I got to hang out with this little guy at work. He was hanging out under my desk, scared as can be and now, having not seen him in a while, I'm terrified to hear of his fate...

+I confess: Thanks to my DVR, I have no idea what day any TV shows come on and I'm usually a week behind on all of my shows. Regardless, I still "count down the days" until the next episode of Dance Moms: Miami. I was unsure of the show after watching its first episode but the teachers Angel and Victor are awesome and their studio has really grown on me. Do I dare say I think I might like it better than the original Dance Moms? Shhh...

[via]

It's your turn now! What do you confess on this fine May day? Can you believe that? It's MAY!

One Year Ago | Bell and Whiskers

My life was changed by someone. She was small and scared and curled up in the back of her cage. Her neon green eyes stared at me sadly. I remember the first time I held her in my arms. She just collapsed into a ragdoll shape and molded herself into the crease of my elbow.

My then-husband and I took her into the "get acquainted" room where she was more concerned with finding a good place on us to snuggle up than she was with playing. She'd walk back and forth between our two laps, getting nice and cozy.

I texted my dad a picture of her. His response: "Just looking, right?"

At the time, we were just looking. The Humane Society has always been a place that I've frequented to visit with the animals, looking forward to the day when I could adopt. I had no idea that, upon setting foot inside the Humane Society that day, I would find my forever friend.

Her name was “Bella.” She was a one year and nine month old short-haired tortoiseshell cat.

She filled my heart with joy that day.

"Well, let's go fill out the paperwork" he said.

"What?! Really?" was my response.

I guess I had always kind of blocked the whole ‘actual adopting’ idea out of my head. I had figured I'd be visiting these homeless animals for years before I'd be able to adopt one of my own. I was wrong. The more we sat there and spent time with "Bella," the more she fit right into our hearts.

He went and got the paperwork, we filled it out, took the card out from the outside of "Bella's" cage, they gave us a box, we paid a small fee, and she was ours. Bella had a new family. Someone who'd never give her away.

Bella soon became Stella. It fit her perfectly.

For the next few days, Stella was quiet, scared, and didn't do much - including eating, drinking, or using the litter box. Finally, she warmed up to us and the rest is history!

During the rough months of my life, I truly felt the bond between Stella and I grow. It may sound crazy for those of you who don't have a pet, but I couldn’t imagine my life without her. She’s been my little shadow; my Toto running after me everywhere I go. Waking up every morning to her all snuggled up beside me with those sweet, green eyes just makes my day.

The reason I’m writing this today is because yesterday marked one year since I adopted Stella. She has been such a joyful addition to my life and I’m excited for many more years with her :)

For all the times she’s reached over to my hand, woken me up in the middle of night by coughing in my face {yes, this really happened}, for all the boxes and presents she’s so willingly helped me unwrap {because she can’t wait to sit on the tissue paper}, and for all the times she’s just been there by my side, I love her with all my heart :)

The Story of Stella

Let me just start off by saying that, while I have a cat, I consider myself an ANIMAL lover! I don’t discriminate. I don’t think cats are better than dogs and vice versa. Every animal is so unique in their own way and they each have something wonderful to offer as pets :) With love, food, and some training, pets can end up being some of our greatest companions. Today, I’m excited to be linking up with C Mae for Tail Wagging Tuesday!

I’ve mentioned my cat Stella a few times on this blog, but, because I had a different blog when I adopted her, many of you don’t know her “story.” So, I figured since this is my first time linking up about my pet, I’d dedicate this post to Stella and the role she’s played in my life thus far :)

Homeless animals have always had a huge spot in my heart for as long as I can remember. I’ve been known to go to the Humane Society/SPCA to just visit, see the animals, and say “hi.” February 12th of this year started off just like any normal trip to the shelter. I had the intentions of going and saying “hi” to the cats and dogs. I entered the cat room and there in the second cage was a little tortoiseshell cat. Her information said she was 1 year 9 months old and the reason of intake was a “move.” She became the first cat I took out to play with in the little room there at the shelter.

She was a little ragdoll and loved spending time on our laps. I fell in love with her instantly. I knew after only a few short minutes that I may never find another cat like her. It just felt right. The decision had been made. After filling out some paperwork and paying a small fee for baby girl, she had a new forever home and that was with me :)

Her adjustment into a new household was a little iffy at first. She just wanted to hide under the bed all day and didn’t eat for about three days. I was getting worried, but after the first week, she started loving her new home! She became such a little cuddle bug and was always SO playful!

As most cats do, she found the most creative places to nap. I got a kick out of this spot when I walked into my closet one day and saw her laying with all my tote bags!

Stella would even curl up in a skillet we had just won in a giveaway. She’s a riot, I tell ya!

Then, one day in May, everything got turned upside down.

We noticed a pea-sized bump underneath her skin on her tummy. There were a few smaller bumps as well. I made an appointment at the vet and found out Stella could possibly have breast cancer and would need to have a mastectomy as soon as possible. You see, female cats that are not spayed when they are young run a much larger chance of developing breast cancer than cats that are spayed earlier in life. Stella had not been spayed until she was turned into the Humane Society. The worst part is 80% of mammary masses in cats are malignant!

The weekend I had to take Stella in for surgery was so scary and sad, not knowing what the result was going to be. I cried and prayed, cried and prayed and was SO happy to receive the call from the vet that she was doing well and could be picked up.

My little girl could hardly get around with the cone on her head. We placed this suitcase at the foot of the bed for her to use as a stepping stool but instead, she made it her new bed and slept there all the time. I had to help her eat and I’m sure using the litter box took all the energy she had. She was a trooper.

The days of waiting for the test results were long. Finally, I received word from the vet that the masses were, in fact, NOT malignant and you better believe I jumped for joy. Stella’s post-surgery check-up went well and soon her collar came off. I still check her tummy for those bumps as they could easily return. Do you and your pet a favor and, while you’re giving them a massage or rubbing their tummy, check for anything out of the ordinary. You never know…

Call me ridiculous, but Stella has felt like a child to me. I admit, there was a time after she was first adopted that I was out one evening and said, “I wish I could call Stella to make sure she’s doing alright.” That’s love right there.

I’ve had her for almost exactly eight months now and we’ve already gone through so much together. She was the only one there on those lonely nights in Utah and she made the journey across the country with me where she’s adoring her new home and all the loving people around her. She follows me around like Toto, jumps up on the couch next to me when I’m watching TV, and LOVES to play fetch.

This weekend, I had the delight of waking up to this {my most recent picture of her}:

She’s been the perfect little companion and there’s not a thing I wouldn’t do for her :)

If you have a little fur baby, be sure to head over to Happiness is and link-up!

Fostered Loves

Fostering animals has been one of the biggest blessings for me. Second to adopting an animal, I’d say it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done. I admit, I was a little heart-broken after taking Kip back. It wasn’t the same without him but I know it was time for him to go find his forever family.

{By the way, Kip AND Bronson finally found their FOREVER HOMES!!!! :) }

I saw that the rescue league we fostered from was in need of a foster for three 4-week old kittens. 4 weeks old? They’re practically newborns! They were being weaned off being bottle fed and were to start on soft food soon. I knew I had to help.

Three sweet fluffy grey little babies. Ladies {and gents} meet:

Lani is super gentle but will do anything to get the others to play-wrestle.

Kiki is the little adventurer and loves to explore & tickle your feet. She is FULL of energy!

Pearl is the tiniest of the group and loves to snuggle, snuggle, snuggle! She’s my little buddy.

I definitely have my hands full with these three. From bottle feeding to watching their every move {in case of an “accident”} it’s quite a day. Bottle feeding kittens. Must be easy, right? WRONG. When one is being bottle fed, the other two want the bottle and they will do anything to get it – jump and lay their entire body across the bottle, climb all the way up my leg as I hold the other kitten to feed them. Uh, THAT was painful. They’re kind of like triplets except they don’t wear diapers and can crawl up, in, and out of everything. Lovely.

The cat bed was fun for them on the first day but once they saw how comfortable I was, they were set.

Pearl {on top} and Kiki started off like this and ended up like the second photo {with Lani at the bottom}

Here are some pictures from our cuddles seshes. Pardon the iPhone picture quality – it’s all I could really reach for at the time!

In the below picture you’ll find three little kitties all nestled on and around me.

About a half hour later, they rotated positions…

They crack me up. Well, only when their claws aren’t scratching along the surface of my skin as they maneuver their way around. I wouldn’t be lying if I said my arms look like I got in a brawl with Freddy Krueger. Gross.

They each have their own little personality and it’s been fun for me to watch their unique quirks or hear their different squeaks and chirps.

It’s been a great opportunity to foster these little critters. It’s sad to think that they’ll be separated once they get adopted, but that’s just usually how it goes.

I had always dreamt of fostering kittens. I never imagined it would be this grueling but I also never imagined it would be this rewarding. They are such tiny little loves with so much spunk. As I did for Kip and Bronson, I pray these kitties will be able to find their forever homes.

Oh, and in case you were wondering… their temporary names were inspired by towns on Oahu :)

Have you fostered animals before? I’d love to hear your story! :)

I’m linking up with The Shine Project for this post on pets! Go check her out if you haven’t already!

Little Brown Eyes Looking Up–Kip

If you know me or have been reading my blog this past month, you know how I feel about homeless animals. If not, go check out this post from a few weeks ago. You may even know about Kip, a sweet little terrier mix that I was able to foster. If you don’t know about Kip, go here first.

We fostered Kip one Saturday night from an amazing adoption center up in Park City known as Furburbia. Furburbia is the adoption center where rescued dogs and cats stay during the day then, at night, they are all loaded into the van and taken to a ranch, only to go back to Furburbia the next day. We hadn’t been planning on it but when we took Bronson back to the center after fostering him Friday night, a lady who worked there asked us if we’d be able to foster Saturday night as well. Bronson was a great dog, but had a weird relationship with our kitty, Stella. He was very giddy when she was around and liked to get in her face. Stella was just interested in letting this guy know that this was HER house by hissing repeatedly. Lovely. So, we figured we should see if a smaller dog was better for her. That’s where Kip comes in.

The little guy was sitting in a crate with a chihuahua named Clyde (gotta love these names, right?) and my husband suggested we take him out. Seriously? A little white dog with fluffy ears and an even fluffier tail? I mean, I can understand that he doesn’t like little “rat dogs” as he likes to call them, but I thought he would want to take out a Min-Pin or something. Guess not. So, we took out Kip and he was a doll. He had lots of energy and would jump up to put his paws on my knee. We decided we’d foster him for the night and came back a few hours later to get him.

Kip sat on my lap for {most of} the car ride home. I’m sure he would love to stick his head out the window but as soon as we cracked the window to see, he not only put his head out, but started to put his paws out as well. Not happenin’. He climbed back in the backseat to investigate and took a little nap. Then, before I knew it, a little nose was poking my arm trying to figure out how to get back on my lap.

He got along very well with our Stella girl. He was curious about her but only for a few seconds, then it was on to investigate the house and find a nice bed to snuggle up on! Kip was SUCH a snuggler. He snuggled…

And snuggled…

Kip loved car rides. He loved looking out the window…

But really, he just wanted to snuggle! Kip snuggled in the bed in the car…

He snuggled on the passenger’s side on the ground where he could catch some shade…

He snuggled with my arm as I drove…

He snuggled on my lap as SOON as we got in the car {and before I started to drive – don’t worry!}

He even liked to snuggle between the front console of my car!

We watched Kip on Saturday night and when we took him back Sunday morning, we were asked if we could foster again that night through Tuesday morning since they’re closed on Monday. They really needed fosters and we really loved Kip, so we had Kip those two nights as well. As I ventured up to Park City Tuesday morning for, what I thought would be, our last trip, they asked if we could take him that night too since they just got a litter of puppies in and didn’t have room again. “Of course” was my answer :)

However, the day before, we had noticed how sick Kippy was feeling. He had a very runny nose and was coughing. Wiping a kid’s nose is one thing, but have you ever wiped a dog’s nose too? I definitely felt like he was my child. The adoption center gave us some meds to give him. Whew! Don’t worry, although he was a little out of it… Kip still loved to snuggle…

And even snuggled upside-down on newly-washed laundry…

Stella started getting used to having a fluffy buddy there with her each night and the two started snuggling together which just warmed my heart…

Kip even went to find her in her “nook” in the closet and snuggled up right with her. How precious!!!!

In just four days, they became buddies and Kip became my little man. However, I knew we were only fostering him. He was sick and needed to go back to the shelter to 1) be able to be taken into a vet if needed and 2) to find his FOREVER HOME! I wish more than anything we could adopt him and welcome him into our home for a very long time.

It was very difficult for me once we took Mr. Kip back to Furburbia. I knew he was a very sweet dog and would be able to find his new family but it still broke my heart. I was going to miss waking up to seeing him asleep on my leg. I was going to miss him walking all around my car while I was driving. I was going to miss his little short legs scurrying across the kitchen floor. I was going to miss having him stop on the way up the stairs from a walk because he wanted me to carry him.

I do miss all those things. I miss the little guy.

I have been keeping up with the adoption center and it looks like Kip still hasn’t been adopted while the other two dogs that were in his crate with him have been adopted. It makes me sad. It truly tugs at my heart. Kip has such a special little spirit and deserves a loving, permanent home.

Fostering is a beautiful thing. There are opportunities to foster litters of baby kittens, injured dogs that need rehabilitation, or just a cat or dog that needs somewhere warm to snuggle at night. The opportunities are out there and fosters are in high demand. Even if you can’t foster for a prolonged period of time {like us} try it just for a night. You’ll be helping out a shelter and helping an animal more than you know.

I pray that Kip is feeling better and warming the hearts of others just like he warmed mine :)

I love that little guy with the soft, floppy ears and cutest little trot. I miss my little Kippy. I miss those brown eyes looking up…