Let's BAKE!

I have been thinking about the topic of cooperation vs. competition.  So often, we are afraid that someone else's successes will result in lost opportunities for ourselves.  Perhaps the individualistic tendencies of the United States has contributed to this type of thinking, but I couldn't disagree more.

When I stumbled across this blog article recently, I knew I had to share it: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/2012/06/16/helping-others-succeed/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+becomingminimalistcom+%28becomingminimalist.com%29

It discusses that very issue and explores the wonderful outcomes that can accompany encouragement, sharing, and cooperation with others.  Can you imagine what could be accomplished if we (as coworkers, friends, family members, organizations, churches, businesses, etc.) resolved to support one another?

Some think the pie is finite, but if we work together, we can make the pie bigger.  So, let's BAKE!

Reflections and plans: June

Just as soon you think Summer has arrived in Indianapolis, the weather changes its mind!  I had to bring my coleus plant in from outside this evening (it cannot live when the temperature dips below 65 degrees).

Here are my goals for the month of June:
- Stick to my workout goals that I've set out to do on my schedule
- Plan a creative date night for us.
* For Christmas, I gave Aaron the gift of a monthly surprise or date night each month in 2012.  In May, I took him to our favorite comedy club.
- Finish the art project (that I already started!) for our spare bedroom
- Survive living in a house with 4 dogs for a week (we are watching my parents dogs as they leave for town on their vacation).
- Get mulch for our flower gardens
- Create a proposal for the Indianapolis Animal Welfare Alliance board about getting the other group's involvement in the pet food pantry.
- Make headway on a large and exciting project for the pet food pantry (more info on that later!).

Looks like June is going to be busy!

Finding breathing space

Saying goodbye and welcoming a new family member

Two years ago, Aaron and I were looking for a second cat to provide a companion for our cat, Long John. Around that time, Aaron was touring Johnson County Animal Care and Control and while he was there, a Siamese cat was being surrendered. Because he'd already been surrendered there before, he would have likely been euthanized.

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He brought him home and surprised me that night with a little bundle in his arms. Within a couple of months, we noticed that Oliver had some litter box issues and had some skin problems. We took him to the vet and had a urinalysis and had his skin checked out. We also noticed that he was pretty impatient with Long John.

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Over a two year period, we made many trips to the vet and checked for all kinds of skin issues (from ring worm to mange) and allergies. We tested different types of food, litter boxes, litter substrates, and litter depths. We isolated him in a room by himself, and then rotated every other day with the other cats (we eventually got a 3rd cat). We tried three different types of medications to alter his mood to stop the overgrooming and self-mutilation.

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He came to us declawed, so he would not have made an ideal barn cat (in addition to the potential for infection from his skin issues), and so I asked friends and colleagues who'd had animals with behavioral issues for their advice. I also consulted with a vet who is working to become a behaviorist. Visibly he wasn't suffering, but clearly he was miserable. We chose to let him go several weeks ago, and we miss him terribly. I would love to extend a very sincere thank you to my friend Lise Greil (www.lisegreil.com/) for taking some wonderful photos of him before we said goodbye.
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Whenever I think about him, I feel very sad and start to miss him so badly that it hurts physically. My heart is broken, and I just wish that things had been different. We will be using his "room" as a dedicated foster cat room in his honor. I am so happy to have known him and glad that we gave him the best chance possible. Without a doubt, we will always miss him and his adorable ways; from his chirpy meow to his sweetness and affection.
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A few months before saying goodbye to Oliver, we welcomed a new member to our family. He's been a part of our household since the beginning of January, and we officially adopted him in February. He's very different because he was born with only two legs - just the back ones. He walks upright but does many things normally.
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He plays with Angel, our pit bull mix, and he likes to play with toys. He runs and jumps, and of course, enjoys treats! I take him to the shelter with me almost every day for work; he draws a lot of attention during potty breaks. It is so strange - we often are filmed or photographed. We love him so much already and cannot imagine our lives without him!
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A lot of people dive right in and try to pet him, but they don't realize that he is very shy. I try to warn people to go slowly, but they often do not listen. If you ever get a chance to meet the handsome little guy who has stolen our hearts - please go slowly!
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Another anniversary!

Tomorrow, November 22nd, is my one year anniversary at the Humane Society of Indianapolis. It's been a wonderful experience, and one of the most fulfilling/frustrating parts of working there has been fostering shelter animals in our home.

I love my job and my coworkers (I think because they love their jobs too), and the work provides meaning to my life. Certainly, there are challenges and frustrating days (and patrons), but looking into their little faces reminds me of my purpose.

My first fosters - a litter of kittens named after Glee characters -

Emma Pillsbury

Mercedes
Puckerman

Santana

Jo Jo Ridgebottom

Beezy

Fred (fostered him several times for various illnesses!)

Georgette

Velma (wanted to keep her but she wasn't all that great with cats)

And finally, my current fosters - momma and puppies. You are all my witnesses - I will never foster chihuahua puppies again!

Cinderella

GretelHansel Rapunzel

And Snow White, the momma (we call her Buena because she's a good girl!)

“Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.”

Anniversary : )

Towards the end of the summer, Aaron and I celebrated our one year

wedding anniversary. I am disbelief that a year has flown by so quickly.

In that time, we've both switched jobs, we put all new siding on our entire home, our furnace went out during the "great ice storm" of 2010, we fostered 12 animals from the Humane Society, and we've struggled with bad days, work schedules, and your typical squabbles and disagreement

In the throes of planning our wedding, we thought a lot about how to make the one day special while not losing sight of what makes a good marriage. It seems so crazy to me to be talking about such a serious topic at age 24 - Aaron and I have both admitted to one another that we never expected to be married so young. In some ways, we feel like little has changed since we were dating, but indeed they have.

Here's to many more years sweetheart!

Chicago!

I recently made a trip to Chicago for a training seminar for the software used by our shelter.

I came a day and a half early to visit my good friend Colleen. Transportation back home was a ride with my coworkers, but the trip down required some planning - so I took the megabus! My experience was positive, and I would recommend it to others.

Colleen and I visited the local botanical gardens - it was so beautiful!!!! Here is just one picture of the dozens of acres that are covered in gorgeousness. It was a very enjoyable day and a half to catch up and just relax.

Colleen was so kind to drop me off at the hotel where the conference was held, and I waited for my coworkers to arrive. Truth be told, the conference was not as helpful as we'd hoped : ( but we did bring back a few useful tidbits to use.

I found this trip to be pretty timely as I had named my most recently foster dog after a character (Velma Kelly) from Chicago, the musical. Isn't she cute?