Happy Saturday My Friends......

It's 7 AM on Saturday morning. I'm laying in bed. The room is dark except for the glowing of my computer screen. Seadra and Zoe are cuddled up next to me and I can hear Seadra licking her paws. Other than that the room is quiet. I'm usually up and about by this time, even on the weekends but I decided it felt good to stay in bed longer this morning. I just want to do nothing but blog for a bit.

I just kissed my hubby goodbye. He's off to catch a plane this morning and is headed to Las Vegas for the SEMA show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) He won't be home for 9 days! I guess I'm starting to get used to his traveling. It's that time of the year. When he gets home he'll be home for 2 weeks then gone for another 2 weeks and so on.... This will last through Dec. so there is an end to it. I'm just grateful it isn't all year. And above all I'm grateful that he has a job he enjoys.

And speaking of jobs.... I really like my new job. Can I still call it my "new" job now that I've been doing it for 10 months? OK, I'll stop calling it my new job when I've been doing it for a year. It feels like such a huge accomplishment to me that I am now able to say "I really like my new job". I am so proud of myself. The whole transition has been huge for me. So much about it was stressful.... learning the job, being thrown to the wolves, trying to clean up the huge mess I walked into, going from part time to full time plus, losing physicians and staff, gaining new staff, a buy out from the hospital, dealing with stressed out staff. Sounds like a nightmare, huh? And believe me my old self would have run for the woods in the past. I am not one that likes to go out of my comfort zone. It was not easy. There were a few months that I was questioning my sanity. And many days where the tears flowed.

I put my big girl panties on and made it! The challenge has been good for me. I pride myself on the state of my office, organized, caught up, and manageable. It took a long time to get it to this point. I actually feels good each morning when I put my key in my office door and I look forward to what the day has in store for me. Not every day is roses but I've come a long way Baby! And I've said it before... I love the patients. They make my day. It is a joy to help them and offer what little bit of comfort I can be to them. They do not know that they are the ones that bless me.

Well, the sun is now peaking through the window blinds so I must get up and start my day. The weekends are too precious to waste.

Happy Birthday Bailey

Tonight we celebrated Bailey!

Caleb bought her a Kindle for her birthday. She was thrilled!

Caleb brought Bailey into our family about 6 months ago. We couldn't help but fall in love with her. She makes Caleb so happy...... what more could a mother ask for?

A Quick Weekend Getaway

Craig wanted to get one more Silver Lake fix in before they close for the season. So at the last minute we made a hotel reservation and headed up.

Jordan met us for the weekend too. It's only about an hour from her college.

The weather was not the greatest and it rained on and off but we didn't care.

I've never been there this time of year before. Usually it's in the heat of summer and very crowded. This weekend there were just a handful of vehicles in the dunes.

Good Bye Silver Lake until next year!

Life......

Sunday is Jordan's 19th Birthday and Caleb's 21st birthday. It doesn't seem possible. Jordan was home last weekend so we celebrated early with Craig's family. Nothing makes me happier than celebrating my kids!

And for my Zo-Zo followers. It was a scary week with my Zo-Zo. Even the vet didn't think that Zoe was going to pull through. I have never seen her so sick. And we still don't know what really caused it. He liver enzymes were off the charts and the vet thinks she contracted some type of bacteria that affected her liver. She spent last Wednesday all day at the vet hooked up to IV's getting fluids and meds. She had not been able to eat for 11 days prior to that, what little she did try to eat never stayed down. When I picked Zoe up that day the vet told me that if Zoe didn't respond to this treatment that she was going to have to go to a specialist to have biopsies of her liver and scans etc. I broke down right there in front of the vet. I knew that we couldn't continue to put Zoe through anymore and I was preparing to say goodbye. I took her home just heartbroken.

We couldn't believe the turn around Zoe did in 24 hours. She was eating and keeping it down, also able to keep her meds down. I think that was what has turned her around.... just being able to keep her antibiotics down. Each day she has gained strength and her sweet happy personality is back... my Zo-Zo is back! She went back to the vet today to check her liver enzymes. They are still very high according to the normal ranges but they have dropped to half of what they were a week ago. That is good news. The next hurdle is that we are hoping her liver enzymes stay down after she finishes the antibiotics. For now things are looking good! I am loving on Zoe every moment I can.

Following are a few of the many faces of Fiona.....

This is her..... I may only be 10 pounds but I rule this place face.

This is her adorable pout.... What do you mean you won't throw the toy for me anymore face.

This is her..... Oh come on, you know you can't resist me face.

My Little Road Trip

Fall has arrived in all it's glory. I find myself being a hazard on the road. I try so hard to drink in every bit of it's beauty that I don't keep my eyes on the road like I should when I'm driving. Yesterday I drove to kalamazoo for some shopping and took the long scenic drive home. I didn't have my camera with me so today I hit the road again... camera in tow.

I just let the roads lead me......

I stopped along the roads whenever something caught my eye, stopped at a few city parks, the Paw-Paw river, a few U-pick fruit farms, a cider mill, the Chocolate Garden, even stopped at the rest area on I-94 just because it was so beautiful. I bought caramel apples, apple cider, and chocolate truffles. What a beautiful day!!!!!

And now a Zoe update.... Still not doing well. Today is day 8 that she hasn't eaten any food. She's losing a lot of weight. A few days ago she did eat about 2 tablespoons of food and I was hopeful that she would start to eat. The food didn't stay down and she still will not eat at all. I sit on the floor with her begging her to eat. I try to hand feed her, I bribe her with chicken, sausage, canned food, bologna, you name it. We had her to the vet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday last week. She's had abdominal x-rays and blood work. He liver enzymes are 3 times the normal values. Dr. says it could be from a virus or bacteria. Zoe is such a scavenger when it comes to food that we are concerned that she ate something that has either poisoned her or given her a bowel obstruction. X-rays didn't show an obstruction but the vet can't be sure. I don't know how she's walking around not eating that long. She does drink water and lots of it. She still wags her tail when we talk to her. She'll be going back to the vet again Monday. We'll keep you posted.

Zo-Zo

Zoe's not feeling good at all this week. We've had her to the vet twice this week already. She did eat a tad bit of food tonight, the first she's eaten in 4 days. Just hoping she can keep it down and eats a little more tomorrow too. I hate seeing her sick. To know Zoe is to love Zoe. She's just perfect in every way. Hope my Zo-Zo feels better real soon.

Fantastic Fall.....

I love fall. I know I've said it before but I'll say it again.... I love fall! Two of my favorite fall activities were this weekend. The annual soup supper at the cottage and the Chapel Hill Arts and Crafts show.

We made a girls day of it. Jordan, Bailey and Dawn joined me at the Chapel Hill Show. Dawn and Bailey had never been before. I like taking people who have never been before. Bailey and I both said we wished we could have bought something at each booth. This show is amazing and huge. Here's Bailey modeling a cupcake hat.

I bought this harness and leash for Fiona.

Then we headed to the cottage for the annual soup supper. No, we didn't have frog soup. But there was some frog catching going on later in the day.

The weather was cool.... perfect.

My three favorite (OK, my four favorite).

And we got to enjoy Jordan home this weekend too.