The latest regarding the couch

Some days they are good. 

Actually, a lot of days they are good.

But some days, they are a bit too curious and are not so good.

Manaja puppies!

But then they look at me

and I realize, the couch is worth nothing

compared to the joy Emma and Baker have brought us.

So, they get to stay.

The couch, on the other hand, may not make it much longer.

Picking up the pieces

Well, Friday is the day.
I've been studying a lot this week.
And I know, oh, maybe half of the stuff I need to know.
Like, I get 50-60% on every practice test I take.

I know I said I wasn't stressed
- and I've done pretty well -
but I am getting a bit overwhelmed
when I realize how much I need to know
to pass this test
and to be a great nurse.

I trust that God will give me wisdom in my work
and will protect my future patients
from any mistakes I may make.
At least, this is my prayer.

But when I think about the fact that my ability to take care of people
rests on a single "computer adaptive exam"
and my ability to differentiate between
"the NCLEX world" and "the real world,"
(literally they say this!)
I start to get a little overwhelmed.

It didn't help when I left Em and Bakes alone for a couple hours today
to find my bedspread ripped
and my room looking like it had snowed from all the stuffing
that was supposed to be so neatly tucked away inside
but was instead floating around my room.

That's kinda how my brain feels.
Tired, confused, and fragmented.
The stuff that should be so neatly compartmentalized
in its protective covering, or, head
is instead splattered all over the place
in no apparent order.

But God showed me His grace and His faithfulness
tonight in my elderly neighbor
whom I took a walk with
and who told me she would try to remember to pray for me on Friday.

and last night in two encouraging scriptures from my sister:

one from the book of Isaiah -
"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." 
Isaiah 41:10

and the other from the mouth of Jesus -
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." 
John 14:27

And in an email from my mom to tell me she's proud of me
before I even pass the darn thing.
Because, it's not really about passing.
But it would be nice if that was a result :)

And so, time continues to move forward
and I pray God will help me make sense of the stuffing scattered about
to answer each question wisely and accurately.

Regardless of the outcome on Friday,
I will trust in the Lord.
For He is worthy to be praised.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." 
2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Oh terriers...

Baker and Emma have been at it again.
Last week, in particular.

Baker leads the charge. Emma politely follows.
And then sits on the couch with her ears back when I walk through the door.
       She's smart.
Baker proudly shows his "work" with a smile and a happily wagging tail.
       He's smart, in other ways.

We didn't need those books anyway.
Thanks for helping us pair down, pups, and remind us what really matters.

Our little terrors

Baker and Emma have been very busy the last few days.

Baker taught Emma. We know because she was an angel back when she was alone.  

For the most part. 

Turns out they put their little brains together to create double the destruction. 

In very creative ways...

Wednesday: the lamp

In a zillion little pieces. Not recognizable.

They had a few drinks in the midst of their shade-tearing. 

The evidence was in their whiskers.

And in their water bowl.

 

"Baker made me do it, Mom."

 

Friday: the trash. 

 No food remnants left.

Amazingly, no sickies either.

Saturday: the books. Actually, J's books.

From tight in our bookshelf.

7 of them.

One in particular has no more index or front or back. Those are in many pieces.

Sorry about that hun.

You had the book memorized, right?

Sunday: we set up (we being J) a webcam that broadcast their actions to J's iphone.

Of course they were perfectly cute and still the whole time.

Monday: the couch. and trash. and potty.

Complete with coffee grounds and bird seed from the trash. 

Regarding the couch, the couch cushion, to be exact. 

Just the stuffing inside though, no biggie.

You can still sit on it.

Good thing I place more value on my animals than on my physical property. 

Good thing we didn't really need the lamp, or the trash to stay in its trash bag, or some books, or the couch or carpet. 

And good thing they're cute.

We really gotta get Luigi an emergency cell phone.

Hidden costs of dog ownership

It started with Emma's kitchen days.
She climbed over the counter and greeted us at the front door when we got home.
Our dishwasher only works half the time.
And our cabinets need some desperate resurfacing.
But it was ok because she was cute. She just wanted to get out of there.
Needless to say, that was her last day in the kitchen.
She won.

And most recently, Baker continued the tradition. In our bedroom.

Day 1:

Day 2:

Yep. We made a Home Depot trip that night for more blinds.
And Baker got to be in the living room with Emma.
He only ate a couple blinds in there.
Which required another trip to get a second set of blinds.
But it's ok because he's cute and just wanted to get out of the room.
He won.

The adoption people don't tell you that part.

But we knew. And we adopted them anyway. And we love them in spite of it all.

Our hope is that they will expend their energy playing with each other from now on. :)