Saturday, May 29, 2010

The Love of My Life

Olivia was born April 14, 1997, and she came into my life that November. She is THE best gift I have ever received, being that she was an early Christmas present from my parents. I had asked for a dog every year that I can remember. Finally when I was 12, I got what I asked for. She will always and forever be my little baby.

I can imagine a piece of what the unconditional, powerful love a parent has for their child feels like. Even though Olivia is “just a dog,” I love her with all my heart, would do anything for her, and love every moment of being with her. Of course we have times that we get on each other’s nerves, mainly when we are trying to share the bed at night, but I can never give her enough kisses! Probably like most children that she thinks that I can, but she lets me anyways. Whether it has been 2 hours or 2 weeks, we miss each other like crazy. There is nothing like coming home to a sweet puppy overcome with excitement just because you are home. I know raising children and dogs have similarities, but for the most part are immensely different. However, I think the benefit of dogs over children is that they never outgrow you. They always want to be cuddled and kissed no matter who is watching.

Olivia does the cutest, sweetest little things, and she brings me such joy. Now, at risk of sounding like a bragging mother, here come the pictures and stories that you would just smile and nod about if you were to hear them in person. Here are just a few for now, but of course there are thousands more.

Olivia loves to sleep in “The Big Girl Bed.” She has two doggie beds of her own, one in the den and one in my room, but her favorite bed is of course, my bed. My parents started calling it “The Big Girl Bed” several years ago, and Olivia knows exactly what it means. She even has her own flight of doggie stairs, so she can climb up on the bed all by herself. Her favorite spot in the bed…right smack in the center. Don’t try moving her unless you want to be growled at, hence why we tend to get on each other’s nerves at night. Although, we do like to cuddle sometimes too.


Olivia never ceases to amaze me with her personality or intelligence. One of her favorite things to do is play “The Game” as we call it. She eats two meals a day, and once you set her bowl in front of her, it begins. She looks at whoever is around and wags her tail. She waits for someone to attempt to get her food, and when they do, she growls and barks all the while waging her tail a million times an hour. She absolutely loves it when someone walks up to her and says “I’m gonna get it!” My mom actually created the little monster one time when Olivia was sick. Mom wanted to make Olivia interested in her food, so she pretended to take it away. Now Olivia won’t eat without playing “The Game” first.

Olivia loves to wear clothes. Most people think that dressing dogs up is cruel, but they have not met Olivia. She has about as many outfits as I do, and they are kept in a container under my bed. She wags her tail when she sees it. She is never forced to wear anything she doesn’t want to, (well, with the exception of her onesie…she hates it, but I love it!) and believe me, if she doesn’t want to wear it, you won’t be able to get it on her! When it’s an outfit she wants to wear, she’ll sometimes stick her foot in or her head in before I can put it on her myself. She just wags her tail, and she loves to be complimented on how pretty she looks. Such a little girly-girl!



Friday, May 28, 2010

Still Waiting

Wait for…
the one who will be your best friend.
the one who will drop everything to be with you.
the one who makes you smile like no other, and when they smile you know they need you.
the one who wants to show you off when you are in sweats and have no makeup on, but appreciates it when you get all dolled up for him.
the one who will put you at the center of of his universe, because obviously, he's at the center of yours.


It's hard to wait around for something you know may never happen, but it's even harder when you know it's everything you ever wanted.
- Unknown

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Anyway

I love music. I love how it can make me feel happy, encouraged, sometimes sad, and even understood. It lets me know that I'm not the only one to ever feel this way because someone sat down and wrote a song about it once upon a time. They went through the same struggles, and they lived to sing about it. A lot of times in life I'm left wondering why everything happens the way it does. I feel helpless, hurt, and alone. I feel like I shouldn't have believed that things could change, loved so much, or even dreamed that something was possible. Things don't always turn out how I hope they will, but I will keep singing, dreaming, and loving anyway because...

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
- Philippians 4:13


Anyway
Sung by Martina McBride

You can spend your whole life building
Something from nothing
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway

God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

This world's gone crazy
It's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway

You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
In a moment they can choose to walk away
Love 'em anyway


God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

You can pour your soul out singing
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway

I sing...I dream...I love...anyway

Sunday, May 9, 2010

I Heart Mom





Happy Mother's Day to my momma and best friend! I don't know what I would do without you. I love you!