What's that you say?

You want to see some more pics of Penny the Puggle? Well, if you insist...

Penny likes to show off her blinged out collar!

....just kidding, she hates it, actually.

Penny wants her puggle snuggles!

This is how she sleeps when she's reeeeeeally tired =)

Happy Memorial Day! As we remember those we've lost in service to our country, I hope you are spending it with the ones you love, I know I will be!

-V

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Songs:

"Pennies from Heaven" Lois Prima

"Penny and Me" Hanson (yup, Hanson.)

Holy Haircut, Batman

Okay, so there's something you should know about me.

I don't handle change well. I have a little bit of a control issue, and I don't like it when things happen that I either couldn't prevent, or just didn't see coming.

Lately, life has been more than slightly nutzo. I got a puppy on Friday (my b-day), an MRI on Saturday, and put my two weeks notice in at my current job on Sunday. Busy weekend, to say the least. And mainly because of the health issues I've been dealing with for the past few months, and just the general feeling of not knowing what's been going on, I've felt like I'm not in control of my body, my emotions, my life! I've been focusing on the things I can change, the things I do have control over. Thus, I decided to get a haircut today. I made an appointment at the salon and I was super excited, just wanted to get a little trim and get some shorter, side-swept bangs. Nothing drastic, just a little something new.

K, well I am now minus eight inches. Eight. I asked for 3-4 to be cut off, just so it would be lighter and more manageable for summer. My stylist, whom I have always been pleased with, got a little scissor happy I guess, I don't know. Bottom line; my hair is too freakin' short. And I, being the change-phob that I am, well, I'm not super chill about it. I cried. Like Julia freakin' Roberts in Steel Magnolias. Don't worry, I waited until I was in my car with my sunglasses on before I had my irrational meltdown. My mother would be proud.

Alright, I'm done being a baby now. Hair grows back, and I have a lot of good things going on right now. Sometimes I think these little curve balls are thrown our way in life so that we can learn a lesson in humility. I have food. I get to eat every single day. I don't have to worry about having clean water to drink or money to pay the bills (unless I overindulge in a little retail therapy that month), I have love in my life and family and friends and an adorable puppy. I am blessed beyond blessed, and although my life may be a stressful right now, I do have faith that there is a plan for me and God has some good things up his sleeve. I'll get the MRI results back soon, and we'll go from there. New job=good. New puppy=good. New haircut=whatever. Life goes on. We'll file this under ridiculous things I've cried over lately.

Mantra of the week: Glass half full. Embrace the change. Suppress the crazy.

-V

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Songs:

"I am not my hair" India.Arie

Nobody likes you when you're 23...

...except for my gorgeous girl, Penny!

Friday was my birthday. So, now I'm 23, I think that's how birthdays work; you survive for 365 days, and they give you another tally mark. Instead of spending my birthday out with friends as I usually do, I spent it at my parent's house with my family and Joshua...and baby Penny the Puggle! Josh and I left at the crack of 10:30 to make the nearly two hour drive to Grand Island, NE to meet the breeder. We listened to oldies and smiled the whole way, I couldn't wait to meet my puppy!

The breeder asked us to meet her at the Walmart "off the first exit" whatever that means, I don't speak Interstate, so I just drove into town until I found a Walmart. Honestly, it felt kind of like a drug deal....I handed her the cash, she handed me the dog. In the parking lot. Of a Walmart. Nevertheless, Penny the Puggle is here and she is the cutest thing ever and has such a sweet temperament. She is very friendly and loves to play with everyone, but she definitely prefers to cuddle with her momma =)

I love our little family!

On the car ride home

Too cute, right?

Look at her little wrinkles!

Playing with her favorite chew toy, it's a pacifier...cuz she's a baby =-)

Well, Happy Monday, everybody! Penny Lane and I are going to take a nap before I head off to my afternoon class and work! I hope your weekend was filled with as much love as mine was!

xoxo,

V

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Songs:

"What's My Age Again?" Blink 182

"Say Aah" Trey Songz feat Fabolous

Oh the times, they are a-changin'

It's gonna be a busy rest of the week, y'all!

*New puppy.

*New residence.

*New age. (Happy Birthday to meeeee)

*New something else that I can't tell you about yet ;-)

Mantra of the week: New is good. Embrace the new.

Bam! Bring it on, life!

xoxo,

V

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Songs:

"Times They are a-Changin'" Bob Dylan (duh)

I'm gonna be a mommy!

Well...kind of.

As of Friday, May 21, which happens to be my 23rd birthday, I will be the super proud owner of a little baby girl puggle (pug and beagle mix) puppy! Josh and I have named her Penny and I can't wait to meet her! She is coming to me from Sappa Creek Puppies, in Beaver City, NE. Lois at Sappa Creek had been very kind in answering all of my first time puppy parent questions, of which there have been many.

I wanted to know what kind of food to buy, so that she wouldn't have tummy troubles when I brought her home, I wanted to know how many litters her mother has per year, because I am ever leery of the dreaded puppy mill. She answered all of my questions and gave me a reference to call from her previous litter so I could ask about the temperament of the puppies. My fears have been assuaged, puppy supplied ordered, and my deposit is in the mail. I am so excited for next week!

Penny already has a license with her name on it,

thanks to the sweetest boyfriend on the planet.

Meet Penny the Puggle (pictured here at 4 weeks)

More to come!

-V

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Songs:

"Penny Lane" The Beatles (her namesake, because I had that song stuck in my head all night when Joshua and I were discussing puppy names)