Where, Oh Where, Has My Gratitude Gone...

Hello.  My name is Kara and I have misplaced my gratitude for over a month now.  Sure, I've seen it peeking at me from around corners and smiling at me from under tables, but I have failed to catch it and spend some quality time with it.
Just today, I have managed to stealthily snatch it up and turn it upside down, shaking bits and pieces of remembered thankfulness from it's gleeful grip.

This is what we got:

puppy love of the cutest variety!

Sunshine and Moonshine forever friends

Can you believe this man is all mine?  Pinch me!

A basket for her bike.

knock-knock jokes between present opening at Christmas in July

summer hikes with the fam

the love of a good woman measured out

having the fastest go-kart

two favorite, simply beautiful people in my life:

sister and mother in love

some good, wet fun!

before:

during:

after:

family dinners

goofy girls

sister love

cousins, my how they grow!

there's a baar in thaar!

Appalachian countryside

the joy of visiting friends

sidewalk lunching downtown

two favorite creatures.... and the sun!

smelling the roses

really tall trees (and really short girls!) ;>

cool, shady, curvy paths

naughtiness that's kinda cute

friendship

fun in the surf

I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating.  Look at where I live!  Look at who I love!  

I'm a blessed woman indeed!

The Making of a Good Dog

Dogs.  It's hard to take anything too seriously when talking dogs.  This is why dog training has become one of my favorite new metaphors for life.  It is hard work, to train a dog.  There can be success, but you can seriously mess it up by becoming way too... well,  serious about it.

Life is like that.  There is a fine line between squandering it away and hyper-focusing on it to death.  I tend towards the hyper-focusing.  In fact, I think it's the more socially acceptable way to err.  I mean how many people throw tomatoes at someone for working too hard, right?  Truth is, hyper-focus is just as detrimental and destructive (and if we are talking sin, sinful) as squandering.   Public perception aside, they both lead to decay and eventual death.
OK.  Enough of the heavy.  Let's get back to dogs.  How do you get a good dog?

1.  Don't write him off as damaged goods.

2.  Give medical care when necessary.

3.  Make sure he has everything he needs for his living conditions.

4.  A warm, comfy bed is a must.

5.  Cleanliness is next to godliness.

6.  Don't be stingy with your furniture.

7.  Introduce him to friends.

8.  Avoid friends that look like dainty morsels.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

9.  Expose him to lots of good books.

10.  And don't forget good music.

10.  Exercise, exercise, exercise!

11.  Teach him hand signals.... it looks cool.

12.  PLAY is a key ingredient.

13.  Make sure he feels like part of the family.

14.  Love him.... and show it!

Eventually, if you do these things, you should end up with a good dog.  Of course there are no guarantees but, like most things, you get what you put into it.  

Oh, I forgot the most important tip:

15.  Relax, don't worry, be happy,  he's not complicated, he's a dog!