V-day is fast approaching!

Aaron and I never really had a specific anniversary date when we started dating, so we always used Valentines day because I wanted to bundle everything into one day of celebration (because I like to be practical of course). This year, we're celebrating 6 years together - I'm in disbelief! We've been together now for 25% of our lives, and I couldn't be happier that we ended up together.

We will be celebrating this year by going ice skating and our usual tradition: going to China Buffet. Nothing screams romance like chinese food, I know, but there is a good reason.

Aaron and I became acquainted with each other while we were in high school through show choir. We both participated in the musical our senior year, and we went out with our friends after practice one evening, which happened to be February 14. Now, we remember our first Valentines day by visiting the same restaurant (now with a fancy table cloth!) and talking about the early stages and evolution of our relationship.

If you had asked me then, I would never guessed that we would be married, own a home, working jobs that we both love, and living a fulfilling life together.

We'll be celebrating this year the Saturday before Valentines day because I have to work late on Mondays, but I can't wait for some designated time together.

I Love Lucy

I got a call yesterday from a coworker in the shelter asking me to help a Spanish speaking client. Gladly, I accepted the call, and learned that the family was looking for their lost dog.

After they got instructions on the process, they visited the shelter, and they found their dog! I got another call from the family today, and they are now interested in getting their dog neutered (male dogs tend to run off when females are in heat) and getting him vaccinated.

I couldn't be more proud that my hard work in learning Spanish paid off!

Fortunately, German wasn't offered the year I tried to sign up. Fortunately, I enjoyed learning Spanish. Fortunately, our school had teachers that provided good instruction. Fortunately, my parents were able to help me go to Spain to study. Fortunately, I practice enough to be able to help the family and their dog.

Having Spanish speaking clients in the vaccine clinic inspired me to continue practicing my Spanish, and I'm so glad that I did.

Oh - and fortunately, I always wanted to know what Ricky said to Lucy when he was chewing her out : )

Role Models

I chuckled after I titled this blog post because of the immature, but popular movie. But onto the real post....

I recently realized how fortunate I am to know many admirable women who serve as role models for me in my career. I know these women through work, volunteering, and networking.

They are making an impact on animals' lives in Indianapolis in so many ways:

• Spaying and neutering thousands of cats yearly
  
• Beautifying a cheerless yard in front of Animal Control
  
• Coordinating a food pantry, fencing projects, outreach events, and more
• Transporting huge amounts of fence and then helping needy families install it
• Trapping and transporting hundreds of feral cats
• Shouldering the animal issues that matter at Indianapolis Animal Care and Control
  
• Managing all of the Humane Society's operations and make it look easy
• Rescuing, rehabilitating, fostering, and adopting out homeless and neglected animals
  
• Planning the new spay/neuter center in Fountain Square that will sterilize thousands of animals yearly
  

These women manage households, raise children, have careers, and do all of these things simultaneously. I seriously admire these women and hope that I grow up to be as cool as they are : )

A few quotes about happiness

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up. ~Mark Twain

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. ~Abraham Lincoln

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. ~Joseph Addison

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. ~Robert Brault

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its counterfeit. ~Hosea Ball