Things that make me smile, today...

 Some days are easier to handle than others. 

Lately, I've had a few things that have tried to chip away at my sparkle.

Dampen it.

Life can hit you a bit sideways at times,

and in those moments I have to find little ways to bring my sparkle out.

It really doesn't take too much to make me smile.

In fact, my favorite things are so simple,

yet make a profound impact in my mood.

So here are a few of my smile sparklers!

Sparkle in unique locations

Comics in the newspaper

Baby Anything. Puppies, kittens, ponies, (otter) whatever it is, they are adorable and make me insta-smile.
Not setting my alarm clock.  Nothing says good morning like the sun rays slowly welcoming you to the day.

Two words...yoga. pants.

Fluffy bunnies-seriously.

First sip of coffee

Strutting like you're wearing sassy pants,

and Somecards.

 

A girl and her dog...her most trusted friend.

A tongue hanging out of an animals mouth and any adorable animal in sweaters. 

How cute are these mini's?!

And last but certainly not least, this little girl. 

She's so excited!!

Despicable Me-It's so Fluffy

Oh man, I almost forgot this one!

I definitely feel better now.

My Dad and His Squishy Heart

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
I'm not sure who originally made that statement, but just like most cliche' statements, they're used because there's a lot of truth in it.

In my case, I know exactly where my love of animals comes from...my parents.  But in honor of Father's Day, I will focus on my Dad.

He might look all tough (nah), but he has the squishy heart of someone who loves animals.

Sorry Dad, the secret is out...though you can deny it, the proof is in your life. hehe

My Dad:

• carries a camera in his truck to take pictures of yards he likes, but also takes pictures of goats, llamas, and cute dogs.  Like this little cutie from the other day...looks a lot like Murphy!  Hmmm...reminds me of a little girl who would buy disposable cameras to take pictures of all her doggy "friends"...
• has let his daughter bring home stray animals her whole life (you too Mom!)
• understands that vacations include his daughters' dog.
• has been known to feed his lunch to animals along his route.
• is a carnivore, but can't think of where the meat comes from without losing his appetite.
• carries extra peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because there's a llama that LOVES 'em.
• always has a bag of dog biscuits to greet pups at the houses he delivers.
• he hates the moles that ravage his yard, but can't bring himself to actually kill them when he has a chance.
• makes squirrel houses and bird houses, and pretty much any kind of house to keep an animal warm and safe.
• couldn't put the cap on my chimney because there was a nest of birds in there. Actually, as annoying as they were, I couldn't do it either.
• keep the fence in his field low so that the deer family and their babies can jump over it easily.
• Loves his yard, but loves his gdoggy Murphy more, so he...

• wrestles with him on the floor,
• makes sure that the splashy pool has clean water,
• identifies and makes a plan for places that Murphy can dig (and not destroy his plants),
• has left the trench path that Murphy created 3 years ago throughout his yard (Murphy's own agility course),
• doesn't make the "pruning" of his plants a big deal...even though Murphy doesn't know what he's doing.

Thank you Dad for spit shining my show boots,
watching every horse show I was in,
and coming to each choir concert...no matter how many show tunes we sang. 
But mostly, thank you for knowing how important animals are to me and supporting me always.
I love you Dad, and your squishy heart!
Happy Father's Day!

Spring Cleaning with a Purpose

Wait! Don't throw that away!

We can reuse that!

I woke up thinking about cleaning.

Rotten way to wake up, right?

Yeah, I agree.

But see, I have this dog living in my house...

Yes, you Murphy.

 Don't pretend that you don't know how stinky you are today.
Stinky boy!

With the endless splashing in the creek and in his splashy pool,

it smells a little like wet dog. 

Yuck!

That is not the smell that is very welcoming.
So, it's a cleaning day.
Spring Cleaning Day!
WooHoo! or woohoo...
Cleaning isn't my favorite activity, but I do love the end results.
Are you spring cleaning?
If so, please set a few things aside.
Sure, you can put items aside for the Goodwill,
but if you find any towels or blankets,
please set those aside for Dove Lewis Animal Hospital.

With all of the critical and life-saving work that they do every single day,
they go through a lot of towels and blankets to make the animals comfortable.

And if you're also like me, you have a large supply of towels and blankets.

No, I don't really need ALL of these items.

Yes, Murphy is a stinky, wet dog on a daily basis,

but really I only need 7 dog towels, not 20!

So, until the end of June I will be collecting towels and blankets to donate to Dove Lewis.

If you live in the Lake Oswego, West Linn, Wilsonville area,

I'd be happy to meet you to collect them from you.

Of course, my dear friends, you know that I'll drive to your homes to collect as well.

Basically, if I know where you live, you can contact me,

leave them on your porch and I'll get 'em.

 

If you are feeling extra generous, I'm also collecting other supplies too.

Here is a full list of things that I'm looking to collect.

Dog toys for our canine blood bank

Cat toys for our feline blood bank

Beechnut Baby Food (stage 1 turkey, chicken or beef)

Reusable wee pads for dogs

Yesterdays News Cat Litter

World’s Best Cat Litter

Towels or blankets

I haven't mastered the whole coupon thing, but I'm sure some of you have.  Maybe you can find coupons for the baby food or cat litter? When people are worried about their animal, the last thing that they should have to worry about supplies for their care.

 

Spring Cleaning is way more fun when you can find a way to reuse your unused items. :)

Too bad I can't find a way to reuse the Murphy stink...ewwwww. 

He seems to have an endless supply of that! 

But at least he won't be stinky for long and then I can begin the real work,

spring cleaning and collecting items
for Dove Lewis.

Can you help me too?

Remember, message me if you live in the area,

and I will happily pick up your donation.

Together we can help Dove Lewis, who is always helping us.

Thank you to all of my dear friends and family

who have already filled the back of my car TWICE!

As always, you amaze me

and fill my heart with love.



Please Use Caution

It's official.
I'm worried.
Keep in mind that I've been worried for awhile.
My students would attest that I worry about poor behavior
or behavior that could escalate into something larger and much worse.

I worry that our society is always looking for the newer, better, and more convenient products.
The newest computer? Trade the old one in!
Launch of a new cellphone? BOOM... upgrade!
Not enough room in your house, car, yard?
Why you shouldn't a newer, better, faster, bigger, prettier....whatever.
Yeah. Please.
Yes...I have a big yard. Necessary for dog playtime.
Yes, I have an SUV. Totally needed to haul a muddy, wet dog around town.
And yes, I like pretty, sparkly things. Duh.
I love to sparkle.
I even like new things.
But I'm going to draw a big worried line in the societal sand here about this.

There is a business currently open called Hannah the Pet Society. They provide pets for people. Sounds great, right? Heck, you know I adore pets!   In fact, there are some positives in that Hannah the Pet Society allows people the opportunity to have a pet.  But most people who go through this organization don't actually own the pet.  They have a contract with Hannah the Pet Society which sounds nice...1) All veterinary care provided  2) Food and supplies delivered and 3) Training and On-going support.

So you might be wondering what the problem is with that.
Well, in my mind there's a big "Yield" sign flashing.

People can lease a pet. Yes, lease...like a car. But, this has more of a Rent-a-Center vibe to it, because if you're not happy or there's a flaw with your lease, you can return and exchange it.  Return...okay, I get that some matches might not work and yes, animals are expensive.  There are times that animals have larger issues then families are able to care for, and so it is much better to find them a new home.  Still, I worry that this kind of business model will promote temporary relationships. I know, I know.  Not all dogs are as smart as my Murphy.  Some are not analyzing every situation like he does, but I see how quickly pets "fall in love" with their families...so I worry.

We're talking here about living creatures, with real emotions and feelings, not a handbag or TV. It's a dog, cat, bird, rabbit. Animals make connections right away. Within seconds if seeing Murphy, he was my family. He trusted me and looked to me for safety and guidance. It's my job to care for him.  Of course, I think of my pets as family, so I prepare for it like I would with any family member.  No, I can't predict that something bad will happen that may cost me a lot of money in medical bills, but I know that it's my responsibility.  Pet ownership IS a responsibility and we should treat it as such.

In my mind, living things are not exchangeable. No dog, cat, bunny, horse, or pony replace those that I've lost. I would never attempt to replace Woody (8 years), Bun-Bun (10 years), Jinx (18 years), Babe (28 years), Spunky (28 years), Quincy (16 years), Sammy (18 years), or Roy (14 years). By adopting new pets, I just add to my list of animals that will changed and stretch my heart.

Also, I can't help but wonder...
What are we teaching these animals about the value of their life if we show them that they're exchangeable?

How can we teach our children to love and care, long-term,when we support business that treats animals like a product?

I certainly will not support it.

But more pressing on my mind in is...what will you do? Will you support actual humane societies that promote lifelong relationships or designer, convenience pet ownership?

Please educate others that pets are a lifelong commitment.

Remember...your actions demonstrate what you truly believe. Live a life that you can look back on and be proud that you made it a better place. We can all make a difference. No action is too small.

All my warmest hugs,
Lori and Murphy too!

On Hannah the Pet Society website,

they have a very large FAQ's section that address questions

that have been asked about their product.

After (or before) reading their FAQ's,
check out some of my favorite local humane societies! I have NO worries about these fabulous organizatons.

Oregon Humane Society

 

Family Dogs New Life Shelter

 

Cat Adoption Team


Humane Society for Southwest Washington

Happy Rescue Day!

One picture.

That's all it took.  Just one.

One look at this face and I knew.

That face and those four paws needed to be in my life.

How did I know?

I have no idea...it's just a feeling.

A feeling that your life would never be full without them.

A feeling that you had to go get them, wherever they were.

A guess that's how love at first sight feels.

I've never felt that with a guy with two legs,

but I definitely know the feeling with a guy with four paws.

 

We had never met.

He was in Yakima, Washington...I was in West Linn, Oregon.

He needed a home...He needed someone to help him get well.

I had a home needing a dog...

I had a hole in my heart that only a furry best friend could fill.

I guess you could call it a successful online relationship!

I didn't ask any questions about him.

Really, I didn't care.

All I knew was that I needed to have him in my life.

I knew that he was sick.

There was a month waiting period before he could be adopted.

I never asked what he had...

I didn't care what it was, because I would care for him.

I needed to care for someone, and he needed care = perfect combo.

I drove hours...

He had waited months...

Nervously I arrived at the house-run shelter

...not knowing what I would find.

I saw him...he saw me.

He cried at my feet, and my heart jumped.

It was done.

We were each others, to care for.

He was scared, so I gathered all 35 pounds of him in my arms

and carried him to my car.

I briefly asked about his personal and medical history.

This is everything that I heard...

-He and his sister were rescued from a home filled with feces. (Hoarder)

-They were the only pups to survive.

-They both had parvo, worms, and any other parasite that a dog could have.

-They had to fight for food.

-They had been very sick.

-They had both been "fixed".

That's it.

But, really...I didn't care.  Whatever he needed, he would get.

 

Miracles do happen.
Two lives changed forever.
One picture was all it took.

Murphy- Rescued, March 13, 2010
Lori- Rescued, March 13, 2010

Furry Friend Poetry

Inspiration is all around us. 

My head seems to be filled with

puppies, wagging tails,and dogs running free.

So it was no surprise to me when one of my favorite poems

that I wrote with the kids was about "Un-Chaining Aurora".

How could I not be inspired by that experience?!

Now, let me back up a bit...
Last week I started teaching a unit on poetry.
I was a little nervous myself...
...but we started off slow.
I emphasized that poetry didn't have to be all about trees, flowers, and nature.
It didn't have to rhyme.
It didn't have to be intimidating and scary.
You don't even have to worry about punctuation! Bonus!
Heck, it could also be about animals too.

Hmmm...
Why in the world would my students write so much poetry about animals?
Dogs...cats...horses?
Shocking!?!
Nah.
No surprise at all.
My students really took hold of that idea about animals,
particularly dogs and rolled with it.
I guess they knew the way straight into their teachers' heart. :0)
Just for fun, and to make your week a little brighter...

ANIMAL POETRY

Simile Poetry: Aren't these as cute as a kitten?

Another type of poetry that inspired the students to write about animals was

CONCRETE POETRY.

Farty? Really?  Okay, at least it's honest.

Guess which students were sitting next to each other during the activity? Yeah...tough one, right?



And, here was my favorite...

If that doesn't make you smile, then...well, you need serious help.

Just kidding...sort of.

SO CUTE!

Now, doesn't this make you want to go write some animal poetry?

Oh, it doesn't?

Well, I hope it at least showed you that poetry

doesn't have to be about trees, flowers, and nature.

...instead it should always be about dogs, cats, and horses!