What's new Dorigos?

1. Took Polly back to the vet for a check up on Saturday morning (and Arch/Cat watched the kids - thanks!). She is doing great! Her swelling is nearly gone in the paw and she is looking like she is healing really really well. (Thank God!) Her next appointment is the 22 to get the stitches out. Then many more weeks of a short leash and confined spaces to help her heal.

2. We went to the Genessee Day's fireworks on Saturday night. The were "awesome" according to Dominic. Both Alli and Dom had their ears covered the entire time, but Dom seemed to truly enjoy them. (Alli's face was smashed against my shoulder so I am pretty sure she didn't see many of them.) We think these fireworks are the best in the area (even taking the fireworks at the 4th into consideration). We have gone every year since 2006 when we took the Gomez girls w/us. This year one of Sean's friends came with us since his family was out of town....it was great to see him!

3. Thanks to Shannon, one of my co-workers, Sean and I had Papa Murphy's pizza yesterday for dinner. Sean did some work for her last fall and she thanked us with gift certificates to Papa Murphy's. It couldn't have come on a better day since I seem to be getting sicker and sicker as the minutes pass by so cooking isn't high on my list of priorities the last few days. Thanks again Shannon...you sure know when to give back! :D

4. Sean, my work-a-holic husband worked at 23 hour day last Wed-Thurs. He is such a trooper. Though he was tired, I am quite proud of him and his work ethic. He does what needs to be done and doesn't really complain too loudly and even sacrifices himself for the greater good of his company. Kudos to Sean. (I love you)

Polly Pre- and Post- Surgery

1. Pre Surgery - This x-ray shows how her toes separated from her foot. (Ewww!)

2. Pre-Plate in Foot. This shows the plate they are going to insert in her foot.

3. Plate in foot...arthrodesis.

4. Plate in foot.

5. Polly's at home after 6 nights at the vet. Cast on her leg for 8-12 weeks. On leash or in kennel only. Short walks to potty. Lots of meds and under heavy sedation for at least 2 weeks.

6. Her front shoulder is shaved because that is where the drew the bone marrow to paste between her toe joint and her foot. The middle of her front leg is shaved because of the IV she had. The bag over her leg is to try and keep it dry and clean when she goes outside to potty. The splint/cast will have to stay on (being removed bi-weekly to clean bandages) for 8-12 weeks.

7. They had to shave her back for the epidural she had during surgery. It looks so pathetic now!

How much do we love thee?

Polly hurt her paw yesterday. She got it caught in the fence when she was climbing out while Sean and I were at work. She pulled all the tendons that hold her toes onto her foot. She has to have surgery on it on Monday morning. They are going to fuse her toes to her foot with bone marrow from her hip and use a metal plate and screws to hold it together. This is going to cost us an arm and a leg, but we are certain it is worth it. How do we know it's worth it? When we got home and Polly was not with us, Dom asked, "Where's Polly...I miss her! I really miss her." That is when I knew we were making the right decision for our family. I may love the dog, Sean may love the dog, but when it comes to my kids loving the dog I am even more willing to keep her in our lives as long as possible...

Up

Those of you who know me well know that I am the biggest sap on this earth. Yeah, I admit it! I cry at even the slightest cheesy sappy part of a movie...I am a big old cry baby!

Well, I took Dom to see the new Disney/Pixar movie 'UP' yesterday afternoon. It was good, but heart wrenching! I tried not to cry. I even tried to think of happy thoughts, but couldn't keep myself from shedding a few tears in the theatre. I am glad it was dark in there, but dreaded the walk in the afternoon sun from the theatre to my car with mascara all over my face! We made it to the car and I called my mom to explain the movie to her...and of course, I sobbed. I tried to convince myself it was just a movie...and a children's movie at that, but there was no stopping the tears from flowing from my eye faucets! Even now when I think of it...my dang eyes fill with that awful liquid! So, take this as my warning...if you are even the least bit as sappy as me...don't go see this movie...wait until you can watch it in the comfort (and privacy) of your own living room.

I knew we should've gone to the Night At The Museum 2 instead!

USPS

I take back anything nice I have said about our Postal Service lately...

The last TWO packages I mailed to my sister-in-law have taken a VERY long time to get there. The first: I sent it a few weeks before Christmas, with food in it...and guaranteed it to be there in 5-7 days...well, it got there sometime the last week of JANUARY!!! Like 5-7 weeks later!

The second package: I mailed my nephew's birthday present early. His birthday is May 17. I mailed the package on April 30. It was also guaranteed to be there in 5-7 days...he got it YESTERDAY...20 days later. But, the kicker...it was opened and re-sealed...AND part of the package was missing!!!! There was no note on it or in it that said that it had been opened either! WHAT THE HECK!?!

This mailing stuff and it taking forever is REALLY ANNOYING!!! It shouldn't take THREE weeks for something to get from Idaho to Hawaii!!!!

And so we meet again...

On my way back through Missoula on Saturday/Sunday with my mom and kids, we decided to call an old high school friend and his girlfriend to possibly visit with them for a while. I left a message, but they didn't return my call before we headed out of town...

We stopped about 3 hours later in Thompson Falls (the typical spot to stop when driving from Missoula to Troy) for a quick bathroom break and a snack. While we were there, the friend and his girlfriend pull up in their truck! What a coincidence! Though it wasn't exactly how we planned on meeting up with them, it ended up the perfect amount of time and it was great to see them!

When did I get so old?

Once upon a time, I used to sleep until 11am on a regular basis on my days off from work and school. The other people who lived near Sean and I in family housing used to laugh when my alarm would go off to wake me up at around the time they were getting ready to feed their kids lunch! These are the same people who would get angry when Sean and I had parties into the late hours of the night/morning. Well, I never really understood them...until last night. I was laying in bed and it was raining really hard and I was having trouble falling asleep...and, all I could think about was I had to get to sleep because the kids would wake up early and I needed to have a good night's sleep before that... And then, I got the giggles...I finally understood...I was finally OLD!