Swants

I was browsing one of my addicting websites.

I should have been taking an exam, but that's when I find the most interesting things. 

Honestly.

Anyways, I stumbled upon these sexy duds. 

Swants, as I've found them to be called.

Hope everyone is looking forward to their pair for the holidays...

Dino Puppy

Happy Halloween from our dinosaur.

And us, too!

Eyeballs

Walt has cherry eyes. Poor guy.

I'd never heard of this. Guess nursing school doesn't teach you everything. Yet nursing students think they know everything. Side rant. 

For those curious, cherry eye is the prolapse of a tear-producing gland. Surgery is usually required to either remove or tack them in to place.

I spent the first month that these babies appeared applying daily drops (which was a dramatic ordeal) and massaging them back in to place every night before bed. Just to be disappointed when they reappeared the next morning. 

For now, we live with the cherries.

At least until he gets neutered in a few short weeks. 

Which I'm dreading. He probably would be as well, but we haven't told him yet.

Sssshhhhh....

Mummy Pumpkins

Craft projects in a nutshell:

Been there. Done that. Nailed it.

Won't ever do it again. 

Ohio, Dressers, and Fences. Oh my.

Last month we headed to Ohio for the wedding of one of Ryan's cousins. 

It was a whirlwind three day trip, but the wedding was beautiful and we were able to catch another cousin's movie while we were in town. 

I enjoy the time we get to spend at the lake with his family, but it was nice to do new things with everyone. 

Besides school and work, I've been keeping myself busy with some projects as usual. 

Our bedroom is in dire need for a remodel, but we have been dragging our feet because it is going to be a major bathroom gutting. Which is scary. To us, anyhow. 

I pretty much have all the of the furniture purchased for when we do decide to swing the hammer. 

I got this dresser for a steal-of-a-deal at a thrift shop downtown. The guy wanted $50 for this gem. I talked him down to $30, but then he bit his own foot and told me he would give it to me for $25 if he could keep the hideous lion head pulls.

SOLD!

I didn't have the heart to tell him I would have just thrown them away.  

I spent many hours in my dad's basement and now it looks something like this. 

And it still sits there. Because I lost interest now that it's done. Which is weird. 

Walter has been keeping us on our toes as usual. I never thought a puppy would be so much work. He is c-o-n-s-t-a-n-t, but as soon as you think you are going to scream, he does something adorable. I've been told kids are similar... 

Like it's a good thing...

The current ranch project is a fence rebuild. We had a chain link that was looking a tad rough. Plus, I just like the look of a wood fence. Soooo out it went. I won't spoil the final product with progress picture just yet.

We owe our family big time for all of their help.

This guy thought it would be a good idea to "even out the weight" of the cement bags in my car. Then he had to ride home like this.

Walter

This seven pound puppy now rules our life.

And this flower pot.

Family Love

As most of my ten blog readers probably already know, my grandpa had a major stroke last September. Since becoming a so-called adult, this is my first real family emergency.

The only way I can think to describe the experience is devastating. Sitting in an emergency room with my grandma, parents, brother, and husband - listening to a physician tell us that my grandpa will probably never speak or walk again. I've never felt so desperate.

Desperate to talk to him, hear him say my name, swing on the porch, experience one more family vacation...

It rocked my family to the core.

We were at the hospital constantly. Someone always sitting in his bedside chair. Being a nurse myself, I know we were all a nightmare. Concerned about every bump, sneeze, alarm, and lab value. But we weren't giving up.

He was either all I wanted to talk about, or all I wanted to be distracted from.

It's been the most emotional ride of my life thus far. From the purest low to the high of seeing him move limbs that he wasn't supposed to move, feed himself, and finally learn again how to walk.

His speech is still his biggest obstacle, but we've moved him and my grandma into an independent living apartment. As he and my grandma walked me to their front door today after a visit, this feeling of normalcy overwhelmed me. Grandpa making fun of my bright sandals and sneaking a cookie behind grandma's back. Life for them is starting to again become normal.

A different normal. New normal.

And that's okay. We'll take what we can get. Embrace it and cherish every moment.