Saturday, May 29, 2010

It's SNOWING!

Ben and Matt are gone to Edmonton for YC.  Ben says his ears are still ringing from the Thousand Foot Krutch concert last night!  Matt had a good time though.  It's cold and raining there and they are expecting all 50 kids from the youth group back at the trailer for breakfast!!  Ben has all the muffins and yogurt out on the table outside ... I reminded him that I did NOT want 50 teenagers in our trailer!!!

It's snowing snowing snowing here.  It's wet and heavy and my poor little plants (the ones I put in the ground) will be toast!  The ones in my big containers will be crushed by the snow covered tarps on them.  Milkyway ran out it in this morning and got quite a charge out of chasing snowflakes (they're that big)!  Once he got cold and came back in he gave me look that said, "What the **** is THAT!"  He may just choose not to pee again until it's gone. 

All I have to say is "Baahhh Humbug"!

Friday, May 28, 2010

A Story Like Ours

Kim Amend is a mother of a little boy with Dravet's Syndrome.  Their story is very like our own and I wanted to share it with you.  Thank you Kim for sharing your family story with the rest of the world!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiZt6PgjMwA

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Milkyway Does Children's Church

Milkyway went to Children's Church with Dawsyn today! Ben and Matt had gone fishing for the day and controlling Dawsyn in a crowd is sketchy at best so I decided to put the working dog to work! We tethered up before getting out of the van and walked into church as a three-some. Smooth as Skippy Peanut Butter!!

We got up the stairs to the classroom where I truly had no intention of leaving that poor dog! I was concerned that having him in class would make more work for the teachers than Dawsyn alone. However, being the "Wonder Couple" that they are, they insisted that Milkyway stay. Michelle spoke to the children and reminded them that this morning, Milkyway was working and that they needed to ignore him.

I put him in a "down", unhitched the harness and let Dawsyn go about her churchly business.

By all reports, Milkyway stayed in his down the ENTIRE class!! Dawsyn did her very best to drag him around the room but he held his ground. I think he saw all those young children and decided to make himself as invisible as possible! One little girl decided that she was above the rules and continually tried to disrupt him and feed him treats but that situation was also put to rest.

So, the verdict is in, Milkyway is a STAR at Children's Church ... Dawsyn is, well, she's just Dawsyn! In my book, Teachers Michelle and Kevin, you are the very very BEST!!

Normal is Just a Setting on Your Washing Machine

In one short week I've returned to my bad habit of NOT blogging! You've got to admit, I did pretty well for two weeks but the hum drum of home seems to eat up the hours in the day. Truth be told, the first few days at home, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck and had trouble getting anything done!

Sunday was busy with taking Milkyway to church and getting him baptized. KIDDING! But the poor fellow did have to make the rounds and meet everybody who has been so supportive in getting him here. A quick trip to the grocery store in the afternoon and company for supper rounded out the day.

On Monday morning it was up early, get the kids ready for school and say goodbye to my Mom and Dad who had so graciously stayed with Matt during our absence. On the way down the stairs to head out the door, I noticed something. Something nasty and vile! You see, when we first walked into the house upon our return, it was SPOTLESS. The windows sparkled, the floors shone, the surfaces were free of dust. And NOW, just a short 36 hours later, there were doggy footprints EVERYWHERE, there was doggy nose prints on my windows and the HAIR! Oh the hair! It has invaded every nook and cranny!! The corners of every step are full, the sofas are covered, even my bedding has dog hair on it! I frantically ran to the dog to see if he'd mysteriously gone bald overnight. There was no other way to account for THAT MUCH HAIR!

I must have been exhausted because I just broke down and bawled. My Mom felt badly that, after trying so hard to leave me with a spic and span house, she had to leave me in not only a mess but also in an emotional mess!

Despite the meltdown, my parents got away and headed back to their own busy life and I got the kids to school. By this time, however, there was no way I was going to put myself or Milkyway (who still had plenty of hair by the way) through the stress of having to "perform" for Dawsyn's class. I knew that the children were very anxious to meet him, however, so I did take him in to introduce him. I also took him to Matt's class to say hello.

Then, did I rush home to deal with the furballs in the corners, nose prints on the windows and footprints on the floors? NO, I went to bed and slept for three hours! I got up in time to take Milkyway for a good walk and waste an hour before heading back out to the school to pick up the kids. Tuesday was a repeat of Monday minus the doggy visits to the classroom.

By Wednesday, things were looking up. I replaced the going back to bed with an extra walk. Lucky Milkyway got two good walks that day! I got to enjoy the company of a different friend on each. I also got out for my first round of golf for the season on Wednesday evening. Any day that includes a golf game is a good day!

It took me until Thursday to get back to normal ... normal being that I DON'T CARE that my house is a mess and I haven't had time to cook so just make Kraft Dinner and hotdogs for supper! I really miss the part of the trip where someone else makes the meal and we just sit down and eat and the part where I leave in the morning and when I come back the beds are made and the vacuuming's been done!! On the other hand, Dawsyn is very happy to be back in school and back to her day to day routine and Matt is happy to have his family home.


Friday was a wonderful day. I picked up my bedding plants and got my planters all loaded up with wave petunias, pansies and ivy. I love a day spent in the sunshine and digging the the dirt ... well, dirt that comes in a bag and doesn't have the nasty surprise of the occasional earthworm!

So normal it is! I continue to look at my dirty house with disdain but do little to correct the problem. Instead, I take regular walks with the dog which should help my ongoing commitment to lose weight. The weekdays are full of activity, work for Ben, baseball for Matt, riding for Dawsyn, golf for me. Then the weekends are a flurry of activity. Ben golfs and does odd jobs that we don't have time for during the week. I chase kids, visit with neighbours and drink coffee ... a LOT of coffee!

Saturday morning sun bathing, in her nightie of course!

Dawsyn feeding Milkyway his breakfast ... piece by piece!

Today is Sunday and Ben and Matt have decided to worship their Creator in His creation! This act of worship includes a friend and his two sons, a quad, a boat and some fishing poles. Dawsyn had quite a late night last night because neither of her parents felt like going to bed when the evening was so beautiful! She and I will go to church and then spend another beautiful day in the sunshine. This evening we've planned to have a potluck with some of our nearest and dearest friends to round out a lovely spring weekend!


Saturday, May 8, 2010

Home At Last

We are home safe and sound! Milkyway did great on the airplane. In fact, he flew better than Dawsyn! She had to be entertained the whole time and he curled up in a ball and slept the whole trip.

There was a fabulous party to meet us at the airport. How fun to walk through the door and see so many friends and family to greet us!!

There will be four of us in our bed tonight. I planned to put Dawsyn and Milkyway directly into her bed but then I'd have to sleep there too and I REALLY want to sleep in my own bed!

Goodnight!

Friday, May 7, 2010

We came to Ohio to train with and bring home Dawsyn's new service dog. What we couldn't know ahead of time was that we would also meet some really wonderful people while we were here. We knew this dog was going to be an unbelievable blessing to our lives. What never ceases to amaze me is how God plans "surprise" blessings for us along the way! These are some of the people we have been blessed with knowing and have been so grateful for these past two weeks. You will have seen them all in recent blog posts.

Sean, Bethany, Bella, Willow and Pepsi

These girls wiggled their way into my heart immediately! Bella and Dawsyn have totally different "issues" but are so very alike. I could have easily taken them both home with me!

John, Pam, Logan, Dawson, Ella & Hawkeye
I got great hugs from Logan every day and I'm gonna be missing them by this time tomorrow!


Joel, Lisa, Hudson and Lorelai


A beautiful family that I sensed from the start I would want to know better than these short weeks would allow.

Ben and I look forward to growing these friendships despite the many miles between us.

Graduation Day!

Phew! Mom passed the test so we got to graduate!


This is our graduation picture.


This is our team of trainers Kayla, Jessa, Jeremy, Jennifer and Krista with Radar, Pepsi, Milkyway and Hawkeye


Kayla and me. We were good buddies these past two weeks.

Tomorrow we are going to visit the US Airforce Museum. The Wright Brothers who invented the airplane were from Ohio and their plane, the Kittyhawk, is here in the museum. We will see it and all kinds of cool airplanes. Then at 4 o'clock, we will get on an airplane and fly home! Yippee!!

See you soon,
Dawsyn & Milkyway

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Yellow Springs, Ohio

Welcome to Yellow Springs Ohio! Where you are far from the monotony of chain stores and restaurants. Experience something special when you Find Yourself Here.

Yellow Springs named one of 10 Coolest Small Towns in Budget Travel


We heard about a great artsy fartsy little town nearby and wanted to check it out. We drove there on Monday only to discover that most of the shops were closed that day. We had a nice supper with our friends and managed to buy a couple of really cute hats ... one for Dawsyn and one for ME!

Beautiful hat models Bella and Willow!

This girl likes hats as much as I do!!

The creamery we went to today also happened to be just out of Yellow Springs so we went back into town. I didn't get to shop in any more of those cute little shops but Ben did get me some good pictures.

I do believe this is the Granola Capital of Ohio!! For those of you too young to remember, "granolas" are those your grandparents labelled "long-haired hippees"! Think tie-dye and birkenstocks. I heard this week that Yellow Springs actually still has an operating commune that's been there since the 60's. Ben was afraid to go searching for it for fear that I'd stay!





Yellow Springs is the home of Antioch College, a private, independent liberal arts college. The College campus and buildings are very beautiful. I'm afraid our photos don't do it justice.




More information and better pictures can be found at http://antiochcollege.org/

The "artsy fartsy" always seems to come with a heavy dose of new age. This is evidenced by the signs for tarot card readings on every corner and crystals in shop windows. It seems to be a very liberal accepting little town which is home to many faith groups as diverse as buddism to baha'i to both liberal and evangelical christian churches.


I look forward to visiting again ... but who knows when!

This is from the town's website and describes this delightful little place better than I can:

Yellow Springs, Ohio is an eclectic village of 3,800 known for recreational attractions, unique shops, gourmet restaurants, lively arts and healthful living. The community is culturally diverse, values self-expression and prides itself on being open, friendly and creative. Recently Yellow Springs was named one of the Best Hometowns by Ohio Magazine and one of Budget Travel’s “Coolest Small Towns”.
The area - and more specifically, the Yellow Spring - was discovered around 1800 and quickly became a major attraction for those seeking its "curative" waters. For more than 100 years the town was a popular attraction with hotels, spas, boarding houses and a tavern to serve travelers on the nearby stagecoach road. With the completion of the Little Miami Railroad in 1846, Yellow Springs became the center of trade and recreation for the region.

The spring, which gives our town its name, still exists but the railroad has been converted into miles of biking trails. The Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail runs through the heart of Yellow Springs. The natural beauty of the 1,000-acre Glen Helen Nature Preserve features 25-miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, a Raptor Center, a museum and a nature shop. Additional hiking and camping opportunities are nearby at John Bryan State Park and Clifton Gorge.

Today visitors flock to Yellow Springs for shopping, dining, recreation and to enjoy a variety of events. The downtown offers a rich and rare assortment of shops and restaurants as well as live music and theater, a chamber music series, interesting galleries and a first-run art-film movie theater. Rich visual and performing arts abound in this vibrant community of artists.

In Yellow Springs, you are far from the crowds and retail chains of the malls. The vibrant streets and window-boxed storefronts invite you to explore. Here you will find health foods, herbs, hand-crafted jewelry, pottery, stained glass, toys, art of all kinds, books, bicycles, imported clothing and delight in a variety of dining choices.

Yellow Springs is an authentic small town with activities to fill a variety of interests.

Last Day of Training!

FINALLY, we are all done training. Well at least we are all done the training in Ohio. Mom and Dad are still going to have to practice every day once we get home and I will still have to play at least one game of Hide and Seek a day for a long long time. I will just be happy to be in my own home and be able to come back to school to see all of you!


Mom & Milkyway getting ready to go find me.


Playing " Catch Me If You Can" after they found me!

After training today we went to a real dairy farm where you can see the cows and feet some goats and play on some tractors. They have an icecream store. We had lots of fun there.


Tomorrow morning my Mom has to do a test in the Mall. Dad thinks its a test to see if she can walk through the mall without buying anything but really it's a test to show that she can handle Milkyway in public and make him be obedient. I hope Milkyway does better at being obedient in the mall than I do! After that, we go back to the 4 Paws Training Center for our Graduation!

See you soon!
Dawsyn & Milkyway

Pictures just for fun!


Thought I'd check out Milkyway's Crate. Mom and Dad thought it might be a good place for me to go for a time out!




There's that soft fluffy pillow I like!



This is how my silly dog sleeps! Sometimes when he's dreaming, his feet move like he's running in the air!!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

It's Still Time to Go Home

Okay, I have shopped ALL the stores within reasonable distance and still have not found a pair of shoes to bring home so I done! Time to leave and buy shoes in Canada, at full price!! I was so excited to get to TJ Maxx but did not find myself one thing there ... oops, I have a pair of shorts laying here and can't remember where I got them, maybe it was there. The stores, like the days, are all starting to run together. I did find quite a lot of stuff for Ben and Matt. Tonight I went back to the Mall and stopped in some of the shops I'd been eyeing up while working with the dog. I ended up finding a few good sales at JC Penney.

I must be tired if I don't even feel like shopping anymore. I may need an intervention when I get home. Sherrie, I think this is your department! Line me up some sales!!


Day 10 - It's Time to Go Home

I am really tired of doing the same thing every day! I know Mom and Dad need to practice with Milkyway but I'm ready for them to practice at home!! Today we went to the mall and we went first for a change. The trainer said that my Mom does a good job handling the dog in public. Milkyway found me really fast during our track so we didn't stick around. Dad and I came back to the hotel where I had a nap ... Mom shopped. My parents did more practicing during the afternoon, we came back to the hotel and had supper. This evening I played with Milkyway. I hide under a big fluffy blanket and he finds a way in! It's like hide and seek on a small scale.

Dad took almost 300 pictures yesterday but today he didn't take any so we don't have anything new to show you.

I will be back in school with you on Monday and I can't wait!

Love,
Dawsyn & Milkyway

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

May 4 Miscellaneous Pictures

Ben took almost 300 pictures today! Normally I would be thrilled about that but today, not so much! It takes a long time to go through 300 pictures and I really like to share some of my favorites with you. However, this far into training, I am starting to whither and these blog updates have been keeping me up well past my bedtime. Anyway, this will just be a very small smattering and sadly, will have to go up without extra commentary from me. I may revise the post later to add names and comments.


County Courthouse


Beautiful old house on 15 acres. $397,000 ... we're moving!









Day 9 - Carnival

Mom and Dad are really starting to wear out so I drove to training today!


This is just me checking my GPS to make sure I can find our way back!




We did two good tracks today and then I crashed! I guess I'm wearing out too. At least I wasn't still driving!!

I have the very best, soft pillow ... he's even furry!

I watched a movie with my friend Bella this afternoon while the parents listened the 4 Paws veterinarian talk about dog health. When they starting talking about giving a dog mouth-to-mouth respiration, I decided Dora would be more fun.


After doggy school we went to a carnival along with Bella's family. We really had a fun time! We went on lots of rides. Bella had a seizure on the elephant ride and had to go rest in her truck with her Mom for awhile but her sister Willow stayed with us and went on some more rides.




Driving the fire engine was my very favorite ride. I went on it three times!


We're all getting really tired and are ready to come home again to see you all.

Love,
Dawsyn & Milkyway