There Is No Explanation For Some Pictures

Dear poor, neglected blog; I am sorry to have abandoned you for so many days. I have been so busy I don't even have a clear memory of what kept me away from you. I have vague recollections of using a crate-load of tissues to stem the copious amounts of phlegm my body was producing, while working my butt off to meet the needs of my clients. I finally began to emerge from the cloud of fatigue and nose blowing just in time to have one of my favorite people come into town to stay at the Bond Bed and Breakfast for the weekend. I didn't even realize how much I needed a Girls Night, dear blog, until Ms. V. and I went out for a dinner of appetizers and dessert, followed by a little shopping. It was delightful!

The next night we indulged in one of our favorite pastimes--wandering around some cool architecture and taking fun pictures. Of course, there is no sane explanation for some of the pictures we took....

Before she left, I convinced Ms. V. to take a couple Easter pictures of Mr. B. and I.

Best of all though, I officially became Mrs. B. at some point since the last posting. My social security card AND driver's license are both sportin' the best last name in the history of last names!

I would like to promise to visit you daily from now on, dear blog, but I hate relationships based on lies. It's best if you just accept my limitations. Sincerely, Mrs. B.

Washington DC for Free--Well, Kind Of

We got amazing news today. Mr. B. is a match for someone who needs a bone marrow transplant. Actually, he won't be donating his bone marrow; it will be a less invasive procedure where they take the stem cells out of his blood after 4 days of injections. The procedure (after the 4 days of injections) will consist of 8 hours of him hooked up to something that reminds me of a dialysis machine. I'm so proud of him and his willingness to do something wonderful for someone he has never met. I'm grateful it's not the extremely painful process of having bone marrow extracted, but he was completely ready to do it. I admire him so much for his generous nature and desire to help others (one of the reasons I married him). In addition to the wonderful feeling connected with helping another human being, we will be flown to our Nation's Capital--a place that I LOVE to visit. Mr. B. has never been and I am so excited to share my favorite spots with him. Now I just need to find a babysitter for the puppy--any takers?

Sunday Summary

Things I have not loved this week:

1. Being sick (no voice, sore throat, sneezing and coughing).
2. Sudden cold weather and accompanying worry about the garden.

Things I have loved this week:

1. Mr. B's determination to pamper me back to health (i.e. cuddles on the couch, running to the store for herbal tea and lemons, keeping the vapor mister going, making yummy and nutritious meals, and forcing massive amounts of Vitamin C down my throat).
2. Waking up one morning while Mr. B was at work to find that Louie had jumped into bed and was cuddling with me by practically laying on my face.
3. Seeing Mr. B's 5-year-old kick butt at her tournament and qualify for Nationals.
4. Getting to be part of a ground breaking project at work, which could revolutionarize the way we do attachment work with teens.
5. Having lunch with my trainer from the mission. LOVE HER!
6. Peach herbal tea with honey.
7. Sleeping in and spending all day in my pj's.
8. Spending $125 on groceries and saving $89.67.
9. Having an amazing mother-in-law who is teaching me about coupons, sales and other money saving endeavors.
10. Knowing that after I post this I am going to take a nap :).
11. Having an amazing hubby who understands that he might not see me much for the next two weeks (because of the ground breaking project at work), but is supportive because he understands how much it means to me!

I love weeks where the good stuff completely out-weighs the bad.

Miscellaneous Musings

For the past four Wednesdays I have been learning about Equine Therapy. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is using horses as kind of a "co-therapist" in my work with children and adolescents. So, assuming we can find funding, I am going to get to spend part of my summer teaching kids about relationships, feelings and trust using some amazing animals.

*When my boss emailed me this picture I almost didn't recognize myself! It's amazing the tricks your mind can play on you when you loose weight. I can look in the mirror and still see myself 3 sizes ago, so it's nice to see irrefutable proof of what my clothing tags have been telling me.

In other news, check out the cool pictures I took with my phone. I was driving home from seeing clients in Socorro and drove right past a wildland fire. While I can not confirm nor deny that I was driving while operating a camera phone, I will point out that these are pretty good shots under the circumstances.

And finally: one of our neighbors came over this morning to return some movies Mr. B. had lent him while said neighbor was recovering from a gunshot wound. Our neighbor is a S.W.A.T. officer and was wounded in the line of duty. Mr. SWAT has a giant German Shepherd who he is training as a police dog. Louie, of course, immediately began attempting to dominate Kody (see two posts ago for detailed description of Louie in order to understand how ridiculous this was). Kody has been learning how to bite. When he had enough of Louie in his face he reached down and wrapped his mouth around Louie's torso. Mr. SWAT reacted immediately and separated the dogs. Louie was completely unharmed. Kody didn't even leave any drool on him.

My hope is that Louie MIGHT have learned a few manners, but I doubt it since he appeared unfazed by the entire incident. He has been trying to leverage the experience into additional treats today, though.....I swear he would sell his soul (or his mamma) for one of his "Crack Snacks".

Best Wedding Present EVER

Mr. B. and I got married December 23rd. We got married in a state few people had even heard of, let alone been to. Because of the timing, location and short notice many of our friends were unable to be there, so we had a post-wedding party in Arizona. It was so fun to see so many of our friends!

Some of my old roommates decided to give us the best wedding present ever given in the history of wedding presents. Filled with adventure, word-play, and unmentionables, it started with:

And progressed to:

Followed by:

And then:

(Yes, those are BUNNY EARS on my head)

The little piece of paper in my hand is what takes it from "good" to "great":

(It wasn't until we got home that I noticed on the back of the card was written "Thunderball. he he he". I doubled over in laughter and immediately called Christina, only able to choke out "Thunderball" through my giggles. )

With encouragement, I discovered that the box had a false bottom which led to this:

There was more in there, but there were children present and I was already having a hard enough time explaining why someone would give us a pink feather boa as a wedding present, thus it will have to be left up to your imagination. Though I will tell you there was a little black bowtie as well as the James Bond toy gun. Let's just say that this is one gift for which I will not be following proper etiquette when I write the thank you note...I will not be sharing how we are using the gift ;).

These are the culprits, though, and their faces are filled with pure gleeful delight.

My Two Alpha Males

Mr. B. is a big, strong, HANDSOME, sexy, masculine firefighter.

Louie is 12 pounds of mischievous, adorable, spoiled-rotten, white cotton-candy fluff.

Long before Mr. B. and I got married I adopted Louie. He had been on a kill list at a Missouri puppy mill because he had a birth defect which meant he couldn't be bred or sold (puppy mills are evil). Arizona Cocker Rescue did just as their name says and rescued him, and a bunch of other dogs (LOVE Arizona Cocker Rescue). I adopted him from them when he was just a couple months old.

Louie does not like men, especially men who I dated. Louie doesn't always like my female friends. Louie thinks small children are evil. Louie HATES when people come into our home. The maintenance men in my town home were terrified of him and refused to come inside unless he was locked in his kennel. He's very protective of his mamma, and I was worried about the potential for WW III or Armageddon ensuing when my tall, manly Alpha male and tiny terror of alpha-wanna-be met. Little did I know that I was marrying my very own Dog Whisperer.

I don't know how it happened, but they are best buds. Louie's life is only complete when he can sit on the couch with both of us, but if I am not around he is just as happy cuddling with Mr. B.