I am slowly becoming my parents

I grew up with two sisters and we also had a female dog, so needless to say there were a lot of girls in our household. There were multiple occasions of us girls being called by the wrong name and occasionally we were even called by the dog's name. As a kid I remember wondering and being a bit annoyed at the fact that my parents could not get our names right. How hard could it be? They did in fact pick out our names.

Well, the other day I was out running and Maggie had dropped back behind us on the trail sniffing out something. I was pushing Luna in the stroller and wanted Maggie to catch up. So I turned around and at the top of my lungs yelled, "Luna." As soon as it came out of my mouth I knew I have just called the dog by my baby's name. It came out so naturally, I was honestly surprised.

Now I know how my parents did it so easily.

Jogging

About 4 years ago, while we were still living in Massachusetts, I started running, my objective was to get in shape.  I have been running 10-15 miles a week ever since.

When I started, it was just me going out for my runs.  We lived down the road from the town forests, with tons of trails.  It was invigorating for the soul to run in the forest each day.  I loved being off the roads and all by myself it in the woods, it was so peaceful. Usually it was just me in the woods, although maybe once a week I would come across another runner.  The forest felt like it belonged to me :)  Running started serving a very important purpose for me, it lifted my spirits and was my time each day to refocus and connect with God.  

I ran solo for about a year and then we adopted our dog Maggie.  Maggie became my running partner.  When we got to the woods I would let her off the leash and she was in her element. Literally she would have the biggest smile (yes, dogs do smile).

Maggie became my motivator.  In the winter, those cold New England mornings, the mornings that the news anchors say to not be outside longer than 15 minutes, the mornings where it is so cold it hurts your lungs to breath and your nose hairs freeze, I even ran on those mornings. Maggie needed her exercise.  It was always an adventure to run with Maggie you never knew what she was going to stir up.  She loved to chase the deer and squirrels and a couple times we came across a coyote.  In the summers it would be so hot at times both her and I would sit/lay in a creek to cool off.  It was wonderful, we were so blessed to live so close to the woods.

Once we moved to Washington, running changed for me.  We live a good distance from a trail, it is about 1.5 miles on road to the trail.  But at least there is a trail near by.  Once we get on the trail we are only on it for about a mile.  That is the only time Maggie gets off leash. Unfortunately there are houses that back up to the trail and there has been more than one case of me having to go into some one's yard, on to their deck to retrieve my dog.  It is especially embarrassing when they are sitting there watching you.   The only animals to chase are bunnies and I don't let her chase them because the only place to chase them is into some one's yard.  Running is no longer the same for Maggie either. Although she still smiles as she is running off leash along the trail.

Now with the addition of Luna to our family, I have started running with a jogging stroller.  For those of you who have never run with a jogging stroller it is not easy.  When I first started it kicked my butt but it has gotten easier over time.    So I run with the stroller and Maggie on a leash, 1.5 miles on a road, a 1 mile on trail and then 1.5 miles back home on the road.  My mind is occupied with trying not to run over Maggie with the stroller, trying to keep all of us out of the way of the cars, singing to Luna when she gets bored and of course my favorite part picking up Maggie poo.  Not quite the peaceful, spirit lifting type of running I use to love.  But I do it because Maggie needs the exercise and still smiles when she is off leash, Luna loves to make funny noises as she bounces in the stroller down the trail and because I still love chocolate.

Here is photo of Luna and Maggie all set to go on our run, it was raining this day, hence the bubble.  

Not what it use to be, it is no longer just about me.

Fostering through the Eyes of Maggie

We have the best dog in the world, Maggie.  She was actually our first "foster to adopt."  We got her through a rescue organization called labs4rescue.com.  We read a small online posting about her and they shipped her from Arkansas to us in Massachusetts.  The deal was that we had 2 weeks of fostering and during those 2 weeks we could give her back if it did not work out.   After that she was ours.  We kept her :)  Since then,  she has been a blessing to us and to each foster baby/child that has come through our doors.   

Maggie is laid back and mellow which is ideal when you have foster kids coming and going. Here is a look at fostering through the eyes of Maggie.

Getting kisses

When ever the kids are eating this is where you will find Maggie.

Maggie wanting to be right in the middle of all the action.

Getting snuggles

This is my favorite photo, I think it is just hilarious.  It is as if they are waiting for me to give them something to do.

She tolerates a lot, one of which is babies sucking on and testing out her paws.

For Our East Coast Friends

Halloween in the Pacific Northwest
We carved these pumpkins the day before Halloween and they have been outside on the porch ever since.

Yes, that is a slug on my pumpkin....

Man, it is sure wet and damp around here...

Pomegranates

Recently, I went to the grocery store and pomegranates were on sale. 

Back when I was little (elementary school), every once in a while my Mom would put pomegrante seeds in my lunch.  I remember opening up my lunch and being so happy when I saw the seeds.  I knew that it was a lot of work to get the pomegranate seeds out and that my Mom had to really love me to put them in my lunch.  

So seeing the pomegrantes, I thought I will buy one and give it to Luna to show her how much I love her.  Although I do realize at her age she will not remember her first pomegrante seed but she will know the feeling of being loved.

When I got home, I realized I had a problem...all those years of my Mom giving me pomegrante seeds and I never learned how to get the seeds out myself.  Luna is sitting in her high chair eating her lunch while I sat next to her looking at the pomegrante.  I started by cutting it in half and then used my fingers to try and pry the half in half.  Well the next thing I know, Luna, myself, and the floor are covered with pomegrante juice and seeds.  The pomegrante had exploded.   Maggie had a hay day licking up all the juice and seeds.  Luna just stared at me as if to say "why did you just spray me with liquid."  I am dumbfounded, I don't think this is how my Mom did it.  Well I eventually get out most of the seeds but it was not a pretty process.

A few days later I was talking with my Mom and telling her of my ordeal.  Well of course as a good mother does she tells me how to get the seeds out the right way, she also picks up a brochure from the grocery store to show me as well.  

Today I tried again and success!  The seeds are out and neither Luna or I are covered in juice.

Does anyone else have this problem?

So I have a problem that can be a bit embarrassing at times.  I often say something I completely don't mean and am actually surprised that I have said it.  After it happens I wonder where it comes from.

From my last post you can see I love turtles.  Well I was recently at a party and we were talking about kids and Halloween.  I was talking about Luna and instead of a turtle what came out of my mouth was frog.  Why, I have no idea.  I love turtles not frogs.  The conversation continues and I must say how much I love frogs multiple times and don't even realize.  A friend asks if I love Kermit.  I think to myself of course not, I love turtles not frogs, then I realize for the past 5 minutes I have been talking about frogs.   Again I wonder, where does that come from.

This is not the first time it has happen and some times it can be a bit awkward.  One very awkward time was when I was in college.  I was living in a dorm on the 10th floor.   It was a Friday night and I was on a bus heading into downtown Seattle with a bunch of friends.  There were two guys sitting in front of us and we started making small talk.  Through the conversation we realize we lived in the same dorm.  They ask what floor I lived on, I say the 12th (but I actually lived on the 10th).  Well of course I do not realize my mistake before they say that they live on the 12th but have never seen me there...I back pedal and say actually on live on the 10th, but it was awkward and weird.  What is going on in my brain?