HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This was the day that Pirate Puppy Boy was conceived......... him and his fellow Sweet 16-ers........


That's snow on Ursa's face....... she was out for a romp.................

Ursa had puppies, and we were hopeful to have gotten one, but that was not to be the case. BUT, THIS IS HOW WE ENDED UP WITH CORSAIR'S BOOTY, A PIRATE TAIL, yeah!!!!!!

October 30th, 2007 Trying to get puppy pregnant!!!

It's been such a long and difficult road, waiting on this paper pregnancy, BUT, with that many things there have been blessings, like my Chelsea.. my 7 1/2 month old Wheatable Mixture Mutt, and now, with the ever increasing wait for our baby, maybe it's time to expand our family with our Forever Briard. You might remember the Briard from Married With Children....... "Buck", and then there was the Briard that was in My Three Sons....... well here's how they look at just one week old. !Just got off of the phone with the breeder, and one of these boys is mine. I HAVE A SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to drive to visit with them on Tuesday, hopefully, have to figure out the details........ will get more pictures up on the site as soon as I know............. too excited to contain myself, as I've been waiting for this pup for a long time.

Tomorrow, Miss Chelsea starts Advance Beginner classes.......... she went hiking in the woods today, and it was tick city........ my little Princess will be a big Sister, and her older Sister, well, at 15, she really could be the Great Grandma, but Kirby will be a big Sister as well.

Anyway, will post plenty of pic's in the days to come.......... this is what gets me through the wait.

19 MONTH LID VERSARY LAST NIGHT 10/29/07

So, again, I can't even begin to express the feelings that I'm feeling regarding this wait. I realize that for everything, there is a perfect timing, and reason. I just can't fathom the reason, but one day, I do so hope to finally understand....... entering my 20th month of paper pregnancy..... it's funny, I've heard this compared to that of an elephant's pregnancy. I feel as though I am an elephant, ya know where you see the elephants all walking in a line trunk to tail, shuffling along one behind the other. I'm in a long line of elephants, walking towards China.

I probably could walk there faster than this adoption is taking place. So, in the need to redirect my energies, and absolutely in need of baby breath, we're searching for our puppy. Our Chelsea has just turned 7 months old, and now that the dust has settled, (training a pup can be quite exhaustive), I'm ready to start all over again.

We've fallen in love with a breed of dog, the Briard, a French Herding dog and I've been going on, and on about this breed for months now..... check back in the archives, and you'll see other posts, and cute pictures too. Well, it's almost as hard to get a Briard puppy as it is to get our baby from the adoption. Well, not quite, but it is really hard. I respect this quality that the breeders are exhibiting, making sure that the homes one of their pups receive is a solid good home. I was initially refused a puppy a few months ago, as the breeder felt that my Chelsea was too young, and neither one of them would have gotten the proper socialization that is required, especially with a breed such as the Briard. They are highly intelligent, free thinking, often a bit stubborn, and high energy. Couch potato Briards run few and far between. This breeders advice to wait, and refusal to sell me her pup at that time was the best advice that I could have gotten. I can truly appreciate this now. Chelsea is even a bit young now, but I'm trying to find my pup, just born, or about to be born, and then Chelsea will be at least 9 months or older. We're also starting some major obedience classes, as she's got me wrapped around her paws.......

I finally actually thought that we had our puppy, just born a few days ago, a male of impeccable breeding, but when the contract was sent over, I nearly fell over from the price. I wasn't prepared for that amount. I've been researching this breed, as I've mentioned before, and I'm pretty aware of what an average pup would go for. I had to walk away. This is to be my 50th Birthday present......... and I just couldn't justify this pup with the baby coming. There are other Briards, and less expensive.......... so, I'm now going to sign Chelsea up for classes in Obedience...... I actually need them more than her. She see's me, and says, yeah right..... no biscuit, no trick........... down what?? Sit where??
I don't think so.

So, that's it for now. Referrals should be arriving sometime next week I think, and we're all hoping and praying that the CCAA has at least included the 12th of December....... that would be somewhat encouraging news. Keep your fingers crossed.

Wednesday October 24, 2007

Entering my 20th month in 4 days.............

This wait is unimaginable......... can't even talk about my baby......... I'm pretty sure that our wait will grow to be 28 months before referral easy.....

Happy Columbus Day October 8th, 2007

Today was a gorgeous, sunny, absolutely magnificent day. Dave and I went out for brunch....... Bloody Mary's, yummmmmmm, AND, then we went down the road to the beach..... we took Chelsea with us, and granted, the picture of her in the water above is from a few days ago. I forgot the camera today, and missed photo op, after photo op........... so enjoy the polar opposite of a day. The photo of Chelss, in the water is soooo gray, and today, was SUNSHINE CENTRAL.

She is quite the swimmer these days, completely loves the water..... too bad it's October, but it was in the 80's today, here in New York.... and I am VERY HAPPY :)

Here's a side note...... Dad's back in the Hospital, and has just been diagnosed with MRSA Staph....... if anyone knows about this, please email. I was a primary care giver, and packed and cleansed that wound for weeks....... if I caught anything......... and he wants to come home here tomorrow. I have to rethink this.........

October 7th - "Were's My Baby"!!!!!!!

We'll it's been a while since I started this blog, and virtually haven't much mentioned the center of it all. There IS a baby, perhaps two, that have all encompassed my thoughts, pervaded the very essence of my soul for what now seems like years. It has been so discouraging to fathom, and due to that, I've barely mentioned babies at all.



If I could express every emotion that I've ever felt in this short blurb of my blog, well that would be something. Truth be told, there is never a moment, never a breath that I take, that doesn't encompass the fact that I, we, are a family. Everything that ever was, or ever will be, is here before me. I know our family exists, I just can't forsee the point of it taking the years that it's taking.



I received an email today from a new friend that I met through this process. Granted her lid is way behind of mine, but she mentioned that she doesn't read the boards....... well that's really paraphrasing, but my interpretation of what she said is that she doesn't read the boards because of all of the wining........... and the whining part is a quote .WELL, WAS THERE EVER A BETTER REASON!!!!! anyway, I've been one of the whiners....... WHERE THE F.... is my baby!!!!!



Signing off for now............... disgruntled future Mom ...

Babies, Bunnies, & Puppies *** Check out Dela & Higgins "BRIARDS IN ACTION"

Babies, Babies & More Babies.............. well, it appears that the referrals for our fellow adoptive waiting parents have arrived, or shall I say trickled in. Apparently, there only seems to be a few days worth, and they may have just completed the Month of November '05...... which took about 6 or 7 months to get through I might add, so, we'll move on to a happier topic....... or possibly, NOT!!!!!


Bunnies, Bunnies, and More BUNNIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


If you've been following along, and read some of the other archived posts, my Dad has been recuperating at our home.......... just about 6 weeks now. One day, he decided that my husband Dave needed a new lawnmower........, well, we'd just purchased one of those environmentally green, push mowers, but our lawn is so lumpy, my father saw Dave going over and over the same section a million times, trying to get an even cut. His suggestion, go buy a new lawnmower on him.......... he couldn't be disuaded, so off we went. We really weren't too sure about this, there's a million other things that we could use, ie. a power washer, new stove, baby furniture...... I could go on, and on, but this post needs to be short.

Off we go to purchase a new mower, and after shopping around, we finalized our purchase, and lucky for Dad, a sale was in effect. Well, we have this brand spanking shiny new RED mower, just waiting to be fired up.

Dave decided to mow the lawn a couple of days later, while I was taking Dad to one of his MANY Doctors appts............ I get a somewhat disturbing phone call from Dave, saying that he started to mow with our Virgin lawnmower, and not long after beginning, a teeny, weeny, baby bunny kinda comes shooting out from under the mower......... Dave's upset, and asked what I thought that he should do, as the bunny just looked a little dazed and confused. I suggested that he place the bunny in a box for safe keeping till I could get back and give him the once over.

Good advice, well taken.......... so Dave rescues the baby bunny and safely places him in a box, smartly using a towel, so as not to touch the little guy. BUT, damn it, my dear conscientious hubby wants to finish the darn lawn, and has no idea where the bunny came from. He looked around for some holes, found none, and thereby resumed the task at hand. No sooner having begun again, another bunny comes shooting out, only this one, didn't fare as well........ Dave placed him in the box, next to his sibling, and noticed a little bit of blood on it's foot. Then came the phone call............. what should I do................ I frantically said forget the lawn, and bring those poor babies to the Vet........ who I called as soon as I hung up the phone with Dave.

Okay, in as much as I love happy endings, this story just quite doesn't cut it. The second bunny's foot got mangled, and after much protesting on my part to the Vet. stating that I will pay to have it tended too, and then adopt the bunny, giving it the best life I can, seein' that we ruined it's poor life to begin with, but the Vet disuaded us......... and after my Osprey failure, I didn't want to torture the poor baby any longer and agreed to the euthanization.

Now, here's where it gets a bit tricky......... we have the one remaining bunny, that is thankfully okay, and needs to be returned to it's hole....... not only are we coached on the procedure from our Vet. on the exact steps to take, we call the Wildlife rescuers and further our education.

We're told to glove our hands, and then rub them in the dirt and grass......... pick up the baby bunny and place it back at it's hole, which after mangling the second bunny, Dave had the exact location. So, we wait till late afternoon, waiting a bit, as the bunny Mom, usually will make a visit either in the early morning, or evening, sometimes both, but to give a milk feeding to the babes. These little ones, were old enough to be on their own as the white spot, which is a sign and sits atop their little heads was gone, and their eyes were completely open........... okay, so, evening rolls around and it's time to complete our mission, return bunny to hole. We creep out to the hole in stealth mode, pick up the bunny and place him in the hole, but not only does he jump out and start to run around screamin' bloody murder, another baby bunny pops out. Now we've got two hysterically screaming hares running for their life........ do you know just how loud a teeny weeny baby bunny can scream................ it's deafening........ well, not really, but it is quite loud.

Well, now, if you could have seen Dave and I scrambling around trying to catch these things, which we finally do, and creep back up to the hole to try again................. when two more bunnys pop out of the hole giving us a total of four itty bitty, little teeny weeny bunny hopping around our lawn..................... jeeeezzee, now what................

We finally round up the bunnies, but we in no way are going to make that mistake again. We put all four in a box................. place the box on it's side within a few feet of the original hole, which is also sheltered by some very full Crepe Myrtle bushes that we have. Okay, task finished......... hopefully the Momma Bunny will return, and coax them all back in the hole.

The next morning, I couldn't contain myself, and had to run out to the hole at first light. Two bunnies remained in the box........ I prayed that the other two, were either in the hole, or hiding somewhere....... not that I want bunnies running all across our property, my puppy seems to love to taste bunny poop, but I won't let a hare on their head get hurt........... pun intended.

Well, after I'm sure the Mom won't be back for the day, I turn the box upright and close it somewhat so that the babies can get a decent days sleep, and then later on I'll figure out just what I really need to do............... BUT, later that day, late afternoon, I snuck out to have a peek, and wouldn't you know it, great photo op, and I didn't bring the camera............ there were two tiny huddled babies on the outside of the box.................... and two inside. The remaining two found their siblings and huddles through the cardboard.

Come Evening, the two outter bunnies were gone, and I set the box back on it's side. In the morning, all bunnies were gone, and I took away the box...................... I don't care if we have 10 feet of grass....... this lawn won't be mowed till Spring.

My new lawnmower is jinxed....................

PUPPIES, PUPPIES, PUPPIES, PUPPIES.......... Dela & Higgins

Dela is having her pups as I type. I'm in love with Higgins, and would love to have a puppy from him.................... so far, she's had two pups, and both are males. It seems to have been hours since the first two, so I hope that all is well. Look at how cute and beautiful Dela and Higgins are at the top of the page on their first date, the date that consumated these puppies................. Can't wait to hold my pup for the first time.......... but just like our adoption, I have no idea when that will be :(

Faith & Steve Tie The Knot 9/30/07 Sunday

The girls get together to celebrate Faith's retirement, and bridal shower..... sushi anyone????, ummmmn...... SAKI............. of course, I totally overindulged........... there I am second from the left....... all of us worked at Skippers in Northport, at one time or other..... Faith, in beige, in the middle took the plunge and retired after what 20 years I think......... doesn't she look happy???

Well, this is how it started, we made some bows and decorations, and then got a little crazy....

There's my Chelsea........ my Briard "wanna-be". One day I was busy making bows downstairs only to find her upstairs, making her own bows...... ribbons all over the place.... she's such a girlie girl..........

Faith & Steve getting ready to say their Nuptuals..................

Clink, Clink,Clink...................... Dave & I made up a Margaritaville Banner, as Faith & Steve are Buffett fans, (us too).
Susan and I made the bows and decorated the Gazebo in the Northport Town Park, they were married by the Mayor of our Town........ don't know the two sitting on the steps, they were there when we went to take the bows down........
Susan on the left, our glorious bride Faith in the middle, and me on the right!!!!
Well, I think it is safe to say that my dear friend Faith wasn't sure when the day would come, that she and Steve would take the plunge, BUT, it did, and the weather, and every planet and element in this life aligned and cooperated this day. The weather was incredible, the ceremony lovely and the Celebratory Brunch absolutely fantastic. They are one terrific couple.......... may they celebrate many, many wonderful years together.

We had tons of fun creating the bows and Dave the banner..... I helped by sticking my two cents in as I always do.......... HAPPY WEDDING DAY FAYEZEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!