Paws and Smiles

Some people say that animals don't have emotions.
That animals are just mimicking the things that they see, hear, and feel.
Those people are stupid.
Very stupid.
Maybe they have no senses?
I haven't figured it out yet,
because when I see an animal with their human
you can feel the emotion.
It's felt through all of the senses.
You can hear the squeal in their happy cries.
You can see their faces filled with love and joy and elation.
You can feel those emotions in the air around you.
That's exactly what I felt last weekend
helping Rex and his beloved person build a new living space.

Rex loved his person...and she loved him too.
Anyone can see that...feel that...hear that.

That's why we build.

Well, one of the reasons...

but we build.

That and the chance to

love on a pup.

Of course, that is my favorite part and

that day I was able to snuggle, pet, and brush, sweet, sweet Rex.

"Love animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled. Do not trouble their joy, don't harass them, don't deprive them of their happiness, don't work against God's intent. Man, do not pride yourself on superiority to animals; they are without sin, and you, with your greatness, defile the earth by your appearance on it, and leave the traces of your foulness after you--alas, it is true of almost every one of us!"
--Fyodor Dostoyevsky (novelist)

"Animals share with us the privilege of having a soul."
--Pythagoras (philosopher and mathematician)

Rex has a beautiful soul and his person mimics that beauty too.

As soon as Rex was unchained,

he raced to his girl and then the wiggling began.

Wiggle...Wiggle...Wiggle.

He was so excited to share his new yard with her.

Thank you for letting us join in the celebration of setting Rex free from the chain.

Our hearts have gained another paw print.

I love every single paw print,

and this sweet boy has a very special spot with all of my herding dogs.

Luck and Lucky

I'm lucky.

No, I didn't win the lottery, though that would be amazing.

No, I'm not good at winning things at all.

Through winning is fun, I don't need to win all the time.
Actually, I love watching other people win too.

The joy on their faces makes it worth the loss, well, sometimes.

And no, I didn't find a dog named lucky or have ever had a dog named lucky.

But I am lucky.

I don't have everything new...in fact,
I love the treasures that I've found at garage sales and items that were passed on to me.

I don't have a lot of money...but that wasn't a goal in my life.  I don't measure my success dollars or the purchases that I have made.  I measure my success in the people I am surrounded by.  

I like to think that I measured in people.

They are my tape measure of success.

And by all that I can tell, man, I'm a billionaire! 

Watch out Oprah...watch out Bill Gates!

I have billions of imaginary dollars in laughter, smiles, hugs, support, and friendship.

I don't need real billions...I'm happy right where I'm at.

See, I'm lucky.

I'm lucky that I have parents and family that cherish me, accept, give me unconditional love and support. My family is a gift. They truly are. Sometimes it's hard to remember this precious gift when they are annoying...especially growing up, but they are. Family sticks, when other things fall away.  Family picks you up, even when you can't look at yourself in the mirror. It's unconditional, remember? My family is all that and more...see, I'm so very lucky.

I'm lucky to have found friends that are beautiful on the outside, but man, if you could see your hearts...whoa! There's a reason that God had to place their hearts in the center of their bodies, because the shining, sparkling light that illuminates from them would be blinding.  Some I remember our meetings; at college orientation, walking through campus, or singing in the high school choir, while others just natural occur for what seems like no reason at all.  Friends like this are effortless. I'm lucky.

I'm lucky to work in a school that loves.  That's it...they love.  They love teaching, they love our crazy, zany, middle schoolers, and to learn. But mostly, they love each other. And though we don't always agree, we respect and love other to a compromise. See, how lucky is that?

I'm lucky to live in a place that loves animals like I do. People don't look at me weird when I talk about my dog...all the time. They understand that I feel pain when I see animals hurt.  They know that there must be a better way to treat them...but while knowing is great, action is even better.  I'm lucky that I don't have to feel like a weirdo animal person, because there's a whole group of amazing, beautiful, and hardworking people dedicated to making this world better.  Not better just for us human, but better for all creatures. Lucky.

I'm lucky list could continue for a long time...and eternity really. 

Sometimes I think about my luck in feathers on a wing. Strange,I know, but hang in there with me. I don't really find it lucky that these things are in my world...it's a gift and it's love...and it's two. Yes, TWO (or 3 or even 4) very hard working, dedicated, and strong guardian angels. I figure their names are Luck and Lucky. They've been working hard to keep me safe from 36 years now.  Sometimes the battles have been tough. They've lost some feathers in their wings, but they win and they keep me safe. They allow people in my life to provide the protection I need in human (& dog) form, while keeping the unforeseen things at bay. Someday I'll thank those guys in person. I figure that by the time I see them, they may be burnt, beat-up, bloody, and have a broken wing (or two), but they'll know that they too are cherished. They're loved.

See, not only have I got Luck, but I've got a Lucky too.

Cheers to 36!

Kids Know Everything

I'm old.
I know this, but part of me still feels young...like college young.
Going to the bar, staying out all night kind of young.
But that's not me.
I'm old.
Not my Grandma's old,
but the kind of old where I look at technology applications
and I don't know anything.
Nothing.
Nothing at all.
I realized that the teens that I teach know everything.
Not everything, everything, but everything about technology.
Unlike myself, they've always had technology.

At their age, my technology was a graphing calculator,
or a rockin' pager.
Man, that technology was AMAZING!
I tried to explain a pager to my students, and they looked at me for the point.
"Soooo...you have a device that rings and you have to go find a phone to call them back?!"
"Yes.  Yes, that's right...and we thought it was amazing!"
"Why?"
Good question kids.
It really doesn't make much sense, but at the time it was awesome.
Times have definitely changed.
During the school year when I have a question
about something with technology, I just ask my students.
They like teaching the teacher. 
But, when it comes to technology and new apps, they are the experts.
I really don't know how they know all of the this...
I have a feeling that they don't read the information pages like I do,
but somehow they figure it out.
And then they show me.


Yesterday I needed my student "teachers" to show me how to use Instagram.
Urg! I know...it's embarrassing to even write that, but it's true.
People do all sorts of fancy things and I don't have a clue.
The main problem is that September through June I just poise a question like this to my class, "Soooo, what's the deal with the multiple pictures on Instagram? How do they do that?"
I pause for the shocked faces,
and sad little nods of their heads until one of the students says,
"Really Ms. Chambers?  You know that's a different app, right?"
"Uh-huh...yeah.  I totally knew that.  What's the name of that app?"

Until September I'll read the information pages,
and then the students will explain to me how I'm doing it all wrong in the fall.
It's a good exchange.
I supply reading, writing, and speaking skills to help them in life,
and they keep me informed about social media.
It works.
And I like it.
See.  Kids know everything.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving













No, it's not Thanksgiving...
but who says that you have to only celebrate Thanksgiving in November?!
It's rainy and cold in November...not very cheery.
Plus, I certainly don't think that being thankful happens only once a year.
For me, I feel lucky everyday for the people and things in my life.
So on this sunny day,
with the sun beaming in my windows,
I'm reflecting on all that I'm thankful for.
(Not in any order...just how it pops in my head.)

My little house on my little street

puppy snuggles

cherished garage sale finds

happy news

discovering new places in my heart

loving my family, more and more every day

yellow...anything that is sunshine yellow, or butter yellow...I love yellow.

Consistency

My "through-it-all" friends...they stick, thank goodness!

the evening breeze

daisies

straws...everything tastes better through a straw

flip flops and pedicures

new and old friends

Murphy and IO's paw-ship (friendship)

Hands that help others

Finding a charity that not only touches my heart,
but it replenishes my soul.
Love FFF!

The Murphy

Oregon berries...every berry that grows.

Mom and Dad :0)

The chance every day
to do something good

love

happy tears

early morning walks

strolls with the stars

summer

and YOU!

I am thankful for YOU

and letting me into your life.

Thank you!

Thank you!

Now I want a Thanksgiving dinner...minus the turkey.

Oooooo...maybe I just need a pumpkin pie.

Now that's being thankful!

Chewie in my heart

I seem to fall in love at every fence build.
Normally I don't fall in love quickly,
but when they're pups, it happens very fast.
Instant love.
Look at this sweet face?!
And today,
this sweet face will have a space to run and play,
free from a chain.



Do you see that chain? 
Well today it's history...though the cuts on my legs from that stupid chain may be there for awhile, they are worth it to set this boy free.  Plus, the cuts are good reminders of why we sweat and toll in the sun, and rain, and cold...because the cuts are temporary, but the freedom we give is eternal.

 That alone is priceless.

But first, we needed to clear an area for his fence.

Good thing we had two expert brushcutters on site. :0)

 

 Amazing how a field was tranformed into a fence yard in just a couple hours!

While they brushcut, we prepared ground wire, brought in his new house, pounded stakes,

stretched wire, and secured the area for our Chewie boy.

 He couldn't wait to get through the gate. 
Tug and pull...tug and pull.
After living on a chain,
he was anxious to start his new life.
And we were ready to share the adventure with him.

Chewie was so thankful for his new shady space to run and play,
that he went around to each and every volunteer to show his appreciation.
He thanked each of us will snuggles and kisses.
Perfect love and joyful appreciation.

 Nothing fills my heart with joy like an un-chained dog.

Freedom is a joy like no other,

and I'm thankful to be a small part of each release.