high five for friday (2)

This week has been phenomenal and I'm excited to share the highlights with you.

Linking up with Lauren again for High Five For Friday! I really love doing this link-up.

1. I changed my phone background to this cool teal/green ombre. I think that helped with a good start to my week. Feel free to snag it if you enjoy it as much as I do, I found it on Google Images.

2. My grief group kiddos never cease to amaze me. I went into our meeting Tuesday with a not 100% set plan and it worked in my favor. They drew a border around a blank sheet of paper and inside their border wrote a letter to their loved one who has passed away. For the first time ever, I was really touched by what they contributed to the group and started to cry. On a similar note, a student in my other grief group (there are so many kids at our school that I am able to run two separate grief groups) had a complete breakthrough with me. Three months ago she feared coming to school because we were going to meet in grief group. This week she brought in pictures of her and her dad, letters her classmates wrote to her when her dad passed away, and the newspaper with his obituary in it. It was such a wonderful thing to connect with this child and she had me smiling all week, especially when she told me that she had nominated me for staff member of the month! I was so touched and am so thankful to do the job that I do with these kids. As an intern, I do not get paid for my time spent at the school, but money does not compare to what these kids give back to me. Their appreciation means the world to me. I wish I could have opened up to someone about my dad passing away when I was her age. I'm so excited, blessed, and honored that I get to be the person they share their hearts and souls with.

3. I got my nails did! I refer to my bi-weekly manicures and once per month pedicures as my form of therapy. It is so nice to catch up with the wonderful woman who does my nails. I'm really digging these new spring colors.

CND Shellac Grapefruit Sparkles

OPI You're Such A BudaPest

4. I had so much fun participating in Tuesday's link-up, Dogs Are Babies Too hosted by Kara, Kate and Laura. I had fun sharing my love for my furbaby with the blogging world. If you missed me talking about my obsession for my "child" you can read it here.

5. Reaching goals is a wonderful feeling. I broke 200 hours of logged internship time and it feels like my 300 hours are going to be over before I know it! On the hunt for a counseling job and 8 weeks from graduating = an exciting time in my life. Also, I am now up to 5 followers, so yay! That was my blogging goal for the month. Thanks to those of you who are reading my adventures, I am so appreciative of your support.



What was wonderful about your week?

Update: also linking up for Find and Follow Friday. Check out the deets for this link-up over at Melissa's blog A mile in her boots

My kind of link-up: dogs are babies too

In the past two days I have started following quite a few blogs. I am really trying to get out there and meet people in "blogville" since I want this school assignment turned personal project to be a big deal. I was reading Kadi's latest post on her blog Sheer Serendipity  and I am so glad I did because she shared a link-up today with Laura, Kate and Kara titled Dogs Are Babies Too! I have to participate in this.

Below is the link if you want to join in on the fun and share about your fur baby. You don't have to have a dog, any pet will work.

I'm slightly embarrassed to admit but I think I take the cake when it comes to a babied pooch.

The guidelines according to Laura are: "Dogs are Babies Too: Tell me a story when you shamelessly babied your canine at great expense and/or effort." Think: overpriced doggie clothes, carrying a tired pup home during a walk, taking a sick day to be with him/her, that sort of thing."



I do not have just one story to share because life with my dog has been one big adventure and is comprised of a gazillion stories. Buster is the love of my life. My little furbaby just turned 2 years old a couple of weeks ago, and yes, he received birthday presents. A week before his birthday he also received a Valentine present. On Christmas, he had as many presents to open as my mom, my brother, and I did. To put it in simple terms, he is spoiled rotten! When people, especially my students, ask if I have children, my response is "yes, and he is covered in fur." I often look at Buster and wonder what he really is because to me, he is not a dog, he is a person covered in fur that walks around on four legs. He is my doggy soul mate.

First day with Buster and his car ride home!

I sometimes try to remember what life was like before Buster and it's hard to imagine. What did I spend my time doing? I literally cannot recall. Where did my money go? I spent most of it on me, but now most of it goes to his expenses such as food, toys, and doggy daycare.

Report card from doggy daycare

YES, I take him to doggy daycare at a wonderful place called The Dog Resort. He gets to play with his friends which is much better for him and me. Today, he was left at home during the time between my brother leaving for work and me returning home from my internship. Somehow, his foot tall, 9.5 lb self managed to get a loaf of bread off the kitchen counter and ripped the bag and bread to shreds. Buster has major separation anxiety since the first day we brought him home and cries even when he is left alone in the house for less than two minutes. So, shamelessly, I will send him to doggy daycare where he can be entertained and socialize with other dogs instead of rip our house, or what he hasn't yet ripped of our house, to pieces. A second round of training is on my to-do soon list when I have the time because I know my little baby needs some help.

"I wanna drive, Mom"

So, how did Buster come into my life? After I graduated from college in 2010, I begged my mother for a puppy. We had a family dog when I was younger and we had to give him away when I was in high school, after my father passed away, because we were unable to continue to care for him at that time. I always wanted to get another dog when the time was right. After I moved home and started working on my Masters degree, I felt that the time was better than ever for us to get a dog. Finally, after much begging and pleading on my part (I'll admit I was a little dramatic) we searched for the new member of our family. With my brother's allergies, a hypoallergenic dog was necessary. I really wanted a Yorkie but somehow my mom came across an ad online for a Morkie - a Maltese and Yorkie mix - and we contacted the person who was running the ad. We received pictures by email and fell in love with these cute little balls of fur. We had a male dog before so that is what we wanted to get this time around too. On Easter day in 2011, we went to "just look" at the male puppies from one litter. I knew going into it there was no "just looking" about it because we left that day saying "We want him" and thinking of possible names on the car ride home.

I choose this one!

 I am so lucky and thankful to have my little Buster. He certainly knows how to brighten my day. He is super goofy and very intelligent. He knows a handful or more of tricks and learned how to roll over in 30 minutes. He has 2 dog beds, a large wardrobe of clothes, at least 30 toys (though not all are in use because many have holes that need to be repaired) and is loved by my entire family and his doggy daycare family. I am more than happy to spoil my dog child because he has brought so much happiness to my life.


Enjoy these last few pictures $

This picture is enough proof that he is spoiled!

Snuggles with Mommy are the best, especially when you can just put your feet up

Happy and loved

Soul mate

I might be biased, but it doesn't get much cuter than that!