Hops

This summer, we took Charlie on a hike and discovered he is an amazing jumper! We already thought he might be since he was never in his kennel when we would go let him out at Jon's place, but we hadn't seen him in action. I just came across this video and thought I'd share!

Black and White Wednesday

Wednesdays are no longer simply Wedding Wednesdays, I will be doing two posts now on Wednesdays, and the other will Black and White Wednesday!

I talked about my little buddy Charlie last week, so I figured I should introduce the little man and tell you his story!

We have had Charlie (a.k.a Chuck, Chucky, Chuckster, Chucky Brown, Charlie Brown, Charles, Sir Charles the Great, Sir Charles Poops a Lot, Charlizard, Baby, Stinker, Mutt Dog) for seven months now. We got him a couple weeks before Thanksgiving last year at the local Humane Society. Jon and I had not been looking to buy a dog, but we visited the Humane Society often just because of our love of dogs. However, we both lived in apartments that did not allow us to have a dog, so we had never actually thought of getting one before. We'd take puppies on walks, sit and play with them, and would forget about them after they were gone. Charlie, however, was a different story. One afternoon, Jon had been looking at the Humane Society's website, and said, "You have to see this dog." He brought up the website and showed him to me. I didn't fall in love with his picture (like his mama, he's not very photogenic) but we went that day to take a look at him anyway. Once we got there, we were just speechless. We got him out of the kennel, sat down and played with him outside, and just knew! Jon immediately called his parents and informed them that he was pretty sure we would be getting Charlie. The only problem was, he would have no place to live (and I am sure the little stray would not have liked to go back to the streets)! We made a plan to find Jon a new apartment as fast as we could in hopes that Charlie would not be adopted by the time we found a home for him! It was almost closing time though, so there was nothing we could have done that evening. The next day was a blur, looking online and driving around town in hopes to find Jon a new place to live that would accept dogs. Well guess what. We did! We hardly checked it out inside because we were just too excited and didn't really care at that point! The price was good, so he said yes. We went to the Humane Society and picked up that little dog as fast as we could and hugged him tight! He has been the best bone burying, hole digging, cuddly dog anybody could ever ask for. Before Jon and Charlie moved back to Oregon and when Jon had to work, Charlie and I spent our days going on walks together, studying together, napping together, baking together, and going to the dog park together. I can't wait till Jon and I can get a house with a yard for him!

A day at the park.

My handsome little man.

Charlie's first meal, the day we picked him up.

Charlie's first bath at home.

I learned he was not a fan of baths that day.

Our Happy Little Family.

Bittersweet Reality

It's official. I miss my boys. I've never been good at math, but I definitely know this:

 long distance round two = no fun

 Long distance round one was pretty hard. Well, at first anyway. Mostly because the relationship was so new. We had only been together for a summer, and being 4 hours and one state away kind of complicated things. It definitely strengthened our communication skills, and I think we enjoyed our time together that much more when we did get to see each other, but the weeks were long.

This time, we've been together for 1 year and 11 months. Things are different now. Better of course, but hard in different ways. For example:

• Since he had moved to be where I was during the school year, I had gotten used to him being here. We had our own routine. Places we ate, had fun at, and visited often, sadly, do not feel the same anymore.
• I know the job he got is great. It's a blessing, really. This way, he'll be all settled and prepared by the time I finish school and move back home.  But, now that we are engaged, I feel like this is the time we should be together, of all times. I mean, it's not like we won't be together, I'll see him most weekends, but it's kind of hard to prepare for a wedding and enjoy being engaged when the main stars of the show are not together. 
• I don't know how many times I have been told, "Wait to get a dog until after you are married." I think they were telling me that because it would be a lot of hard work, etc., but looking back on it now, I think they were right for a different reason. Charlie went with Jon during the move. I miss my dog. Like you wouldn't believe! And just that alone, missing my little baby, is hard enough as it is.
• Round two will be over the summer mostly. Our summers are normally spent going to the beach, hiking, eating at new places, camping, doing crafty things together, fishing, spending time with family and friends, playing tennis, swimming, etc. This one will be spent indoors...he at his job and me at mine. Get up, go to work, come home, eat diner, work out, talk to each other on the phone before bed, go to bed, and then do it all over again. 

I am starting to realize that it's not just this long distance thing I am dreading, it's starting my adult life. OK, dreading isn't the right word. It's just that, I have never been one for change, and that is definitely what the next nine months will bring. In the next nine months, I will have completed long distance round two, I will have graduated college, and I will be married. I am so excited to get married, graduate school and get a job, [ok, mostly just to get married :)] but it will be bittersweet saying goodbye to my carefree days and saying, "Hello Real World." That is all for now.