A Love Letter

                     

My sweet Percy girl,

It’s been 2 ½ weeks, and life has not been the same without you.  From the moment I laid eyes on you, it was love at first sight. Your sparkling personality still echos through every square inch of this home, despite your lack of physical presence.

                                                                                                                                                         I remember so vividly moments spent with you, and dread the days when those memories will fade. And although I’m sure there are beautiful, eloquent, touching ways to put this, the meaning remains the same…I miss you.

I miss those big beautiful chocolate chips eyes that were always full of something…wonder, excitement, understanding, comfort, companionship, happiness, and every other emotion that your sweet little being felt.

I miss you ALWAYS at my feet…always, following me throughout every room of the house and making yourself comfy as you watched me fulfill the task at hand.

I miss your nose underneath the bathroom door for every trip to the bathroom, patiently waiting.

I miss watching wrestle mania in my living room for hours every night with you and Petey….followed by choosing the perfect spot to settle in and snooze.

Oh I miss that tail. That sweet little curled tail that wagged and wagged from the time you woke up in the morning until the time you went to sleep, and sometimes even in your puppy dreams.

I miss your well behaved and patient demeanor, and your inquisitive and curious nature.

The day that I lost you, you curled up to me and snuggled that morning unlike you ever had before. No matter how ridiculous or irrational this may seem to others, I will always cherish that as our special goodbye.

You were my first dog. You were the one who changed my entire mindset and opinion of pets and animals. You brought something to my life that I have never experienced before. Until the end of time, every dog I encounter will be compared to you, and never hold up.

You were my favorite subject of all time to photograph. And although my heart still aches missing you, I am grateful for the short time we shared, and the memories made and lessons learned from my first sweet puppy.

Every time I open the door, I still imagine you trotting happily toward me from your last exploration adventure.

Thank you for adding to the richness of my life. And although you are not with us any longer, you are and always will be a very significant part of my story.

And you really were the best little dog ever.

With love, always.



The Heart of a Warrior

For the last 4 years, I have watched as my husband has lived out his passion of being a football coach.
I have watched, as he has...

-Fallen in love with a new group of 20-25 boys and the dynamic they share each season that begins. Loving them, teaching them, holding them accountable, and guiding them as he would if they were each his own.

-Lost sleep over players, plays, big games, parent issues, coaches issues, plans, strategies, and countless other things.

-Made some very difficult and brave decisions.

-Stood up for those decisions, when many turned their back on him.

-Struggled, enjoyed, and triumphed in the building of a program that he believes in from the bottom of his heart.

And although this season did not end up how everyone had hoped and dreamed...I find it hard to see my husband as anything but a true champion. As the years have passed, I have watched some pretty tough losses. I have seen a cruel world turn it's back on him, only for him to keep fighting onward in the pursuit of his truth and beliefs.

Of course this season, for us, was much different than most, as we celebrated the happiest and most exciting time in our lives, followed by a personal tragedy unlike anything either of us had faced before. And through it all, when I looked at my husband, I saw a Warrior.

I saw a Warrior as he spent the summer anxiously awaiting and planning out the season ahead...and...the new upcoming role of parenthood.

I saw a Warrior as his team remained successful and he refused to give himself the credit, claiming that it was only the boys and what they had done for themselves that had gotten them to the point they were at.

I saw a Warrior as I watched him hold our little girl in his arms with strength and courage as his heart shattered into a million pieces.

I saw a Warrior as he carried on his many daily duties, responsibilities to his team and his job, and took on the responsibility of carrying me through my most difficult endeavor. An act that I will always deem impossible to repay.

I saw a Warrior as he held my hand, or held me close and stayed awake...sometimes for hours, as I cried myself to sleep every single night for weeks, with eyes full of his own pain, stress, and exhaustion.

So, no, I cannot say that I look at this football season with disappointment and sorrow for their 2nd place finish. I see a group of boys who are hard workers. A team of leaders who are learning life lessons, gaining a passion for the sport, and loving every minute of it. I see the accumulation of years of dedication, and doing a lot of things that at the time, are not that "fun" to step toward the greater good of the goal. History was made, and I see a group that is hungry for more. For second chances. For next year.

But above all, for me, standing at the front of the pack...humbly beaming with pride for his team..his "other family"...I see a man with the heart of a Warrior.

I love him now...today... more than I ever thought possible to love anyone or anything. Words could never express how grateful I am to have been given this gift of his love in my life. When I married Kevin Clausen I had no idea of what I was getting myself into in many, MANY regards. Yet somehow, I ended up the luckiest.

I ended up with a Warrior.

The Studio

Today has been a very long day of packing, hauling, and clearing out the studio. It is hard not to question at times if I am making the right decision with giving up the building. As I deal with each item, each photograph, each piece of furniture that was specifically chosen for a place and a purpose…sometimes waiting months to find the perfect piece that I had envisioned, it is bittersweet to say the least. Everything has a memory attached to it, and almost always a good one. It is crazy how much you can accumulate in such a large space over the course of 2 years…and equally as crazy how all of it can be cleared out in just a couple of days.

I’m not sure if it’s because my overall mindset is still under a large storm cloud of loss, or if it’s just the exhaustion of the big move, but I am continually needing to remind myself that not working out of a building does not take away my ability to take photographs, or my desire to. It does not take away all of the memories, the clients, and the people. It does not make me “less legit” or all of the other thoughts that have been running through my mind.

I couldn’t help but find the irony in the process of moving out and how it compared so closely to the process of my grief lately. The building started out as full, warm, safe, and comfortable…then shocking news of change, followed by the mess that ensues when packing begins and it’s a complete disaster, then, as it is now, almost completely empty.

And yet, despite the questions and sadness, there is something to be said about the weight that is lifted with the end of such a large time and financial responsibility. Although I remember the wonderful things, I also remember the editing sessions that lasted far into the late hours of the night, missing dinners, time, and even “goodnights” with Kevin. I remember the stress of such a heavy workload, coming home to empty cupboards, full laundry baskets, and messy counter tops. It will be nice, and fulfilling, to shift the focus of care and love of the business/building…into my home and family more than I’ve ever had time for.

I feel myself getting stronger as the days go by. I still have some very dark, haunting moments and some pretty rough nights…but overall, I am healing. I have this vivid memory of being in the hospital for labor and delivery. We were finally admitted, changed, and checked in. Explained what would happen and were all “set up” for what was to come. The doctors administered the medicine to induce labor, shot a syringe of pain medicine through my iv, and then left the room. The minute the door shut was one of the first moments Kevin and I had been alone since hearing our life altering news. I felt a rush of the pain meds course through my whole body, relaxing every limb and muscle…and my mind…for the first time in hours. My mind went blank and I could finally breathe again…large deep breathes as if they were my first. That is the moment that I lost it as Kevin held me close, neither of knowing what we could possibly say in that moment. I sobbed harder, longer, and more uninhibited than I ever have in my life…and the release felt good.    

Every day since then, I have longed for the feeling of release similar to that…without the tears of course. I can feel that the grief has taken a toll on me physically with the tightness in my joints, muscles, and mind …as a result of attempting to “hold it together.”

But there is beauty to be found in emptiness…which is a need to be “refilled” again. I seek fresh starts and new beginnings with our lives and goals and perspectives. Every day is a new day, and life goes on.  I will never forget holding my sleeping angel in my arms with my heart shattering into so many pieces, I think I could hear it breaking. But now, it drives me to live a life so much richer, kinder, and fuller than I ever thought of or desired for. I have the ability, and the choice to do so. And if our precious daughter cannot share in the wonder of life’s greatest blessings…I will try to live in a way that can do so for the both of us, while holding onto the hope that a baby we so desperately long for, is still in God’s plan for us.

And just as my emptiness will someday be filled again…so will the building in which I used as a key element in progressing my career. The building will now become a bakery, and specialty cake shop, run by some wonderful people who have had a rough road themselves in getting to where they are now.

We all have a story, but it is up to us how the story ends.

Holding an Angel

There are lessons that can be found in pain so deep and a heart so shattered that nothing else in the world matters. Slowly, as I keep breathing, keep pushing through each day...all 11 so far...I begin to find comfort and very tiny, small moments of peace.

It's still very hard to believe that you can wake up every day for a very long time with the thoughts, hopes, dreams, and life changing plans for the tiny human growing inside of you, and in one moment...it's gone. It's still hard to believe you can go through pregnancy, labor, delivery, holding your child in your arms, and leave the hospital with nothing but a broken heart. I still struggle with an overwhelming feeling of longing in every single moment. With empty arms and an empty home, it is hard not to feel robbed of the one and only thing that ever mattered more than anything else.

Yet...despite the fact that I have now experienced the worst day of my life thus far, it is the same day that I laid eyes upon the most precious and beautiful face I've ever seen...and all of a sudden nothing else in the universe mattered.

Life is SO precious, and so delicate, and at times...so unfair. We must  keep in mind as we go through the day to day and get lost in the shuffle of  "busy-ness" and the daily grind, that in an instant, it can be gone. And that every single person...is someone else's precious angel.

I cling to thoughts of the future...and about the things that I have now that I didn't have before.

...an understanding of HOW incredible the man that chose to marry ME actually is.

...an appreciation for my family.

...an amazement at the amount of people willing to pray for you and support you in a time of need.

...a new found confidence in myself (and my marriage)...that I and we really can make it to the other side of anything.

...a love unlike I have ever felt or known before in my life...and for someone I didn't even get to meet.

And...not many people can say this, but I have held an angel in my arms.

"A thousand words can't bring you back,
I know because I've tried.
And neither can a million tears,
I know because I've cried.

I didn't have to look into your eyes
to fall in love with you,
I didn't have to hear you cry,
To know you loved me too,

If tears could build a stairway,
 and memories a lane,
I'd climb right up to Heaven,
 and bring you home again."

'Till Death Do Us Part

I'm going to get right to it. I stayed up all night to watch the Royal Wedding.

For days before the event...or more like weeks, I listened and watched a ridiculous amount of coverage on Kate Middleton, (who quickly became referred to as Catherine, since I guess that made her sound more legit as a royal princess) on the wedding, the speculation, the details, the parties, and on and on and on...

As this coverage spun incessantly, I began to see people posting things on their facebook about how "annoying it was" and "who cares?" and other very strongly irritated feelings on the topic. And although I COMPLETELY agree with how ridiculous some of the constant coverage and seeming obsession got...I'm not gonna lie...I couldn't wait to see her.

Now, first let me defend myself before I even start by saying that I do have an above average interest in all things wedding and bride due to my profession. I mean if you really think about it, half or more of my entire income comes from capturing and sharing in people's wedding days. So there.

Anyway, yes...I stayed up and watched. And when I saw her, I gasped. She was radiant, stunning...and all I could think about was the perfection of this event. I couldn't stop thinking about being a guest at that wedding...or the bride herself...or a photographer! (*sigh* can you imagine?)

(Look at her, though, I mean...stunning.)

This series of events leading up to and actually watching the royal wedding itself made me think about what weddings have really become in today's world.

My wedding day was great. A lot of it I don't remember because it went by in a flash, but what I do, it was a fun day with so much emotion...happiness, fear, anxiety, excitement, and every other emotion under the sun. But lets be honest...there were some disasters. And being someone who not only attends but is behind the scenes with many weddings each year, I have yet to be a part of one where these little disasters don't take place. No matter the bride, no matter the budget, no matter the amount of detailed planning down the the minute. (Well, lets be honest, Princess Kate's 50 mil probably bought her a pretty stress free day...but besides her.)

But in all reality, there is so much pressure for things to be "perfect" on that day. I'm not exactly sure where this comes from...maybe just the age-old idea of fairy tales and princesses and happily ever after. The funny thing is, we all know that's not real, yet still have secret hopes and visions of that. 

Weddings are hard to plan. Relationships are hard work. Marriage is HARD. That's reality. But we do still seem to cling to the idea of the glitz, glamour, beauty and story of love and fairy tales.

But I'm sure Kate had her ups and downs on her special day too. I mean, she's human, so lets not forget HER moments of sweaty pits, needing to pee, sore feet, throbbing cheeks from smiling for HOURS straight because millions of people are watching, a growling stomach because she didn't eat, or ate too much, and on and on...but still, she's a princess now, so she'll be fine.

Anyway, all in all, I thought she was one of the most beautiful brides I've ever seen. I just hope (genuinely!) that her marriage is as wonderful and "perfect" as her wedding event. (Quick depressing fact: 3 of Queen Elizabeth's 4 children are divorced.)

On a slightly different note, because of all of this media coverage, I also became aware of the engagement ring Kate Middleton was given, that was also princess Diana's. A $60,000 (in the 80's, mind you) blue sapphire stone surrounded by 14 diamonds.

I thought to myself...hmmm...this ring looks familiar!!! And on the night (well morning by that time!) of the royal wedding, I dug out this dandy of mine:



No, no, no, hold your horses, I did NOT order this off of an infomercial as a replica so I could have the same ring as the new princess. I actually bought this for myself in college. (The first piece of nice jewelry I ever bought myself, actually!) And although I didn't spend 60 grand on it, I did spend more than I should have as a college kid with no money. But I didn't buy it for any other reason than the fact that I thought it was one of the most beautiful rings I'd ever seen...(hey, what can I say, I have taste like a royal.) I knew I couldn't afford it, but I vowed I would work it off and cut corners elsewhere to own this ring. (And despite being aware of how senseless that is, and it being a reason behind why some people in our country are in such economic turmoil...I have to admit...I'm so glad I own this ring.)

At the end of the day, I hope that people can always keep in mind what wedding days are really about, which, for me, is the promise of commitment, the vow of devotion and faithfulness to the marriage, and the love between two people being strong enough to withhold life's realities.

And hey, if that's number one on the priority list...then by all means, throw in some SPARKLE! :-)

He is Risen!

Happy Easter!
He is Risen!

I haven't always loved Easter...and as a child was many times quite indifferent about it. But in my adult life, I'm beginning to see it more as not only the Holy Day that it is in the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, but all that it can symbolize in our own lives in today's world! A re-birth...a refreshed spirit...a renewed belief in the power of Christ to work miracles within us. A stronger sense of faith. A reset button. A clean slate.

As a child, I remember praying the Rosary with the family, and my favorite "Mysteries" were on Wednesday and Sunday...the Glorious mysteries. More specifically, I loved the 1st: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the 2nd: the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. I really wouldn't pay any attention to the words I was saying in the Hail Marys, but would imagine and daydream over and over again Jesus moving his hand from left to right in a dramatic slow wave and opening the tomb...then as the giant, circular stone rolled away slowly, beams and rays of light would burst from behind him. I also imagined he was suddenly very clean.
Then, a large pure white cloud would lower down from the sky and Jesus would step onto the cloud and slowly rise up toward the heavens. I would also imagine the people who were around watching, what they looked like, what they were wearing, and how they were waving and reacting.

Then, by the time I finished with my daydream...the Rosary was over. I always questioned (and sometimes had some guilt...sometimes not) whether or not my daydreaming counted as actually praying. Sometimes my daydreams scattered far beyond the realm of the actual subject matter of that "mystery"...(examples of daydream topics: boys, evening gowns I might wear to a prom or a ball someday, dance choreography for my sister Teresa and I's next performance for the family...either ballet, broadway, figure skating, or gymnastics...names I might name my children someday, etc...you get the point, sometimes it had nothing to do with the Rosary.)
But when it was about the Resurrection and the Ascension, the daydreams were about that...and now I feel like it totally counted!

Of course, as a child, another huge perk of Easter was the Easter Bunny's visit to drop off a grand amount of candy! I never did believe in the Easter Bunny, though. For some reason, I always thought of him as a grown man dressed in a bunny suit, which just seemed creepy to me...

Although this is NOT quite the image I always had in my head of the "easter bunny," I thought this photo was too hilarious not to post...considering my explanation of my childhood vision. (also, sadly, when I googled searched for a photo of a man in a bunny costume, I was a little horrified of all of the photos that came up of different men in differen bunny costumes...anyone else find that odd and a bit disturbing? Anyway...)

Have you every heard a song, or a poem, or seen a picture, or heard a speech or read a saying that completely and totally personified the way you feel about God, your faith, and your soul? For me, it is my favorite "God" song of all time... it was sung at my wedding by my sister Andrea, and every time I hear it I want to dance around my living room, or take a huge giant deep breath and exhale loudly...the kind of sigh that feels good to the core. It's called Word of God Speak...and here are some lyrics:

Word of God Speak,
Let it pour down like rain,
Washing my eyes to see,
Your Majesty,

To be still and know,
That You're in this place,
Please let me stay and rest,
In Your Holiness,
Word of God Speak

(Click here for a YouTube video to the song with a slide show of some photos.)

So, lets raise our glasses and toast to the many wonderful new beginnings that the Easter season brings...and to all the strange men dressed in adult bunny costumes. Hey, they need love too! Ha!
Cheers!

What a Day!

Before I start, I just want to mention that I will not be using my blog to give a play by play of each day in my life accompanied by photos. However, today I'll make an exception. Today was a great day.

Today was one of the first whole and complete days (in a long time) that both Kevin and I have had off together...so we made the most of it! We tried out the Chinese buffet restaurant in Williston (which, might I mention, has the most delicious vegetable egg rolls!), wandered and shopped through 3 antique stores between Williston and Sidney (and boy-oh-boy did I find some dandies!), and attended the MMA fights in Sidney, as one of Kevin's football players was fighting tonight for a title...and he won!

Now each of these events alone would be fun in themselves, but all together?...what a day!
Here's why:
1. I love eggrolls, and I love fortune cookies (not because of the cookie, but because of the fortune.)
2. I love antiques.
3. I can't say that I love mixed martial arts fights, considering this was my first, but they are definitely fun and exciting as I found out, especially when you know someone in it...and I love taking photos of things I never have before.
4. I love my husband, and getting to spend time with him, which has been a little sparse lately.
5. I love taking photos of things because I want to, not because I have to. (I love that too, but in a different way.) And although while having a photo shoot in my kitchen of all of my antique finds of the day at 2:00 a.m., I did have a moment of thinking, "this can't be normal...normal people don't do this," I was having too much fun to mind for more than just a short moment.

So here is my day in photos...enjoy!

Find #1: Adorable antique doll buggy. Won't it be AWESOME for infant/baby shoots? (Percy modeling in one. :-)

Find #2: Four...yes FOUR new hats to add to my antique hat collection. Aren't they beautiful?! My plan is to get some display stands and have a large display in the studio, but not before a photoshoot with them on some models, of course.

This is a hat my mom just got for me on her trip to visit family in Tennessee. I love this one!

Find #3: SO CUTE. Baby hats! One is a croqueted bonnet and the other is a little hat that reminds me of the one Strawberry Shortcake wears...also Little Miss Muffet.

Find #4: Antique baby clothes! The little boy outfit is very old, and I thought they were both so cute I just had to get them in hopes I can use them on a photo shoot, along with the hats and buggy! I also got another little dress and some croqueted booties, but forgot to prepare a blog photo of those!

Here are 2 handmade Chinese "good luck" charms that I got at the restaurant, along with our "fortunes." I don't really believe in good luck charms, or in fortunes for that matter, but little things that make me think of "good luck," or "advice," remind me of God and guardian angels and blessing from Heaven, so hey, I'll take all I can get! I'm also fascinated by things of other cultures, although I will probably gift these away, since Kevin has a strong annoyance to useless "trinket" type things laying around...not that I blame him.

And lastly, here are some sample images of the mixed martial arts fights tonight. Congrats to Scott who won the title!





Wishing everyone many exciting and wonderful days...and a BLESSED Easter weekend!

Dead Birds

So today I had planned on writing about a completely different topic...but then an interesting series of events happened...which got me thinking...

This morning, no different than any other morning, I let the puppies out to potty. And since lately they have found themselves in different sorts of trouble...playing in the mud, caught crossing the farm road to play in the field, soiled by dirty cat droppings...(not sure, and don't want to know!) I have been a little more cautious as to how long I leave them outside on their own. So I wait a substantial amount of time for them to do their business, and then call them in. Percy immediately comes to the door (which is rare) so I suspect they have been up to something. I call a couple more times for Petey (also rare, as he is usually the first one whimpering at the door to get back inside) and he happily comes prancing around the side of the house...carrying a large dead bird in his mouth. He comes up the step and as I realize what it is and that he is planning on bringing it inside with him...I immediately over-react. I shut the door and start yelling at him "No, Petey! No no! Drop that!" I'm freaked out and grossed out and eventually he gently lays the bird down on the step. He comes back inside, but first, after laying down the bird, looks up at me with a very confused expression, almost as to say, "what? it's just a bird." His eyes were confused and a little sad.

I left the bird on the step (hoping that Kevin would move it for me when he got home at lunch...which is another slightly funny incident that I will mention later) and went about my merry way.

(Petey then crawled up onto his spot on the back of the couch and was going to take a snooze, but I sense a slight amount of pouting?)

Anyway, the rest of the morning I began to think about that incident. It seems that lately I have had quite a few moments of complete disgust and confusion probably followed by over-reacting to a certain extent with different people/situations/things that have gone on. It made me start thinking a little harder about the things that come up, the way that people act, and the lack of understanding that goes on.

Sometimes we are so quick to judge someone else for something we heard they said, we saw them do, or disagree with the way something was handled. It is SO HARD for me sometimes to understand other people's point of view with it comes to specific situations. Sometimes I feel like it is SO black and white, and there is no other way around it! Other times I feel like I can completely relate, am the first one to give someone the benefit of the doubt, and dont want to form an opinion based on anything but fact. But how do I determine when to react one way or another? Do we pick and choose when we judge and when we understand?

Small towns can create a lot of pent up frustration that leads to too much "bottling up." We supress, we "keep our mouth shut," we stay out of it, we turn the other cheek, etc. etc. Sometimes I wonder how much  of one emotion we carry along as baggage to the other things that come up in our lives. It can be so hard to keep things in perpective and see life as the big picture that it is...seeing the things that really matter popping out boldly on the page, and the other things faded into the background. If only it were that easy.

I can think back to so many situations that at the time, I absolutely thought it was the "end of the world!" Whether I was sad, panic stricken, hurt, disgusted, supressing, infuriated, on and on etc., at the time I just couldn't get over it. It would eat at me and bother me. I still often lose sleep over things that I or Kevin, or whoever I'm worrying about at the time probabaly have no control of. Of course, always when you look back it's not that big of a deal when you think big picture. I think that the secret to having more peace about these things is learning to balance emotion and logic. To use the rational and sensible parts of us to help control the emotional and sensitive sides. Learning to respond with our brain rather than react with our feelings. (Or in my case many times...over-react.) So many things in this life are completely out of our control...but one thing we ALWAYS have control of is our own actions and responses to the things around us. And although it's impossible to do this all the time, with everything, as we are human... the important thing is being aware of the goal and the effort put into it.

My favorite prayer of ALL time is the serenity prayer, which is not only beautiful, but a NECESSITY when it comes to a personality like mine...a worrier, a "dweller," not being able to let things go...and also fitting to the topic!

When you look at any situation, things are usually not what they seem. After all, like Petey would say, "it's just a bird!"

When Kevin got home from lunch today he was really struggling with some things going on with him as of late. (another reason for this topic, and for the things that have been on my mind.) But despite his own battles and inner demons, and being the wonderful husband that he is, he agreed to dispose of the dead bird who was still peacefully laying right out my front door. He took a snow shovel and launched it into the trees by our house...and it FLEW through the air...almost looking like it came back to life...then landed in the top of the tree perched completely upright! Poor birdie! Just as spring is "springing," he won't enjoy it this year. But hey, if I was a bird, I would probably much rather be "laid to rest" in the top of a tree where I belonged! You know what they say, all good things must come to an end! But that doesn't mean it can't be a good end. :-)

After his funeral "launching."

Wishing everyone a wonderful day!



I'm back.

Hello blog world. Long time no see...

When I was in college, I spent a lot of time writing...blogs, diaries, poetry...for a couple of years I even had a column in my college newspaper called, "Miss Camille's Guide to Life" which was a collection of my thoughts and opinions on whatever topic I happened to come up with that week or month. I enjoyed writing...it helped clear my head, inspire me, motivate me...gain perspective.

I've recently come across moments where I miss that writing, hence my intro back into the blogging world! I'm hoping to gain back pieces of those feelings of comfort and a sense of feeling "refreshed" when I used to spill out my thoughts, fears, hopes, and dreams out onto the paper and into the computer.

My life right now sometimes feels like it's at a giant crossroad. Married for almost 3 years, a wonderful business built from the ground up, 2 amazing dogs (and 1 tempermental cat), a husband who I can truly say is my partner...I am blessed. We have, together, come upon a time where we are both ready for "next steps." Whether those next steps are business expasions, family expansions, changes in lifestyle, or just riding the ride and seeing where it takes us, I am intrigued as to where life will lead us moving forward. So, in realizing that there may be changes coming my way created a yearning for an avenue in which to get everything out of my head and rest upon the "pages" of something else. So, here is my first go at a real blog! Wish me luck!

Here is a photo of my hubby and pups. Kevin, Percy, and Petey. :-)