November Noteworthies

November, November, November.  It frightens me how quickly you've come and gone.  This month, there was a lot of celebrating!  From baby showers to birthdays, wonderful things are happening all around.

A photo posted by Truly Blessed 👩🏻🐶 (@trulyblessedssl) on Nov 27, 2016 at 5:37pm PST

My little nephew (left) turned 1!  We celebrated with family at my sister's home and it was just such a blessing to see just how loved the little guy is.  The cutie on the right turned 4, and I just love him to pieces!  He's the boy of a close friend of mine and I am so happy to have been able to just watch him grow into his own so far.

A photo posted by Truly Blessed 👩🏻🐶 (@trulyblessedssl) on Nov 24, 2016 at 8:48am PST

I also ran in an annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.  I only did the 5K this year and came in slower than I usually do, but faster than I anticipated.  

A video posted by Truly Blessed 👩🏻🐶 (@trulyblessedssl) on Nov 13, 2016 at 1:18pm PST

Echo has been making great progress on his agility classes!  I love watching him happily running through a course.  Oh how it warms my little heart!

As far as my book review is concerned, I shamefully admit that I have not finished this month's book yet!  But, I WILL double up in December and achieve my goal of one book per month for 2016.  Stay tuned!

April Noteworthies

Why is it that as the year progresses, time seems to fly by more quickly?  I can't believe we are already in May!  Aside from running the half marathon , April was pretty uneventful.

Echo has continued his agility classes and I have continued to fund it, le sigh.  I just don't have the heart to quit because he has his happiest moments there!  In fact, he has improved tremendously!

A video posted by @trulyblessedssl on Apr 23, 2016 at 12:27pm PDT

 
I have also taken the train more because I save on gas and parking.  I also get to squeeze in a little bit of reading along the way.  Double win!  This month, I finally finished The Story.  It essentially is the Bible, but rewritten in a way where it reads more like a fictional book.  I learned a lot more than I knew before, but truth be told, it was still rather confusing and a little difficult to get through.  I think I have been working on this book for over a year - eek!

Hopefully I will have a better update in May when there will be more happening!

March Noteworthies

Gosh, where did the time go?  The 1st quarter of 2016 has flown by and the only resolution I have been able to stick to is to read one book per month, which brings me to Redeeming Love.

This is a book I strongly recommend.  It is story about a young girl who was born out of wedlock, unwanted by both parents, sold into prostitution, grows up with self hatred, lack of hope, and mistrust toward everyone, but then meets a man who feels called by God to make her his wife.  Through his obedience to God, love, patience, and faithfulness, her journey to rehabilitation, to gain hope and trust in the world again unfolds.  Quick and easy read - definitely pick it up.  

I have also been training for my half marathon scheduled on April 9th, so every weekend has been consumed with long runs.  Luckily, I have friends who join me in this endeavor to make the time pass by a little quicker.  We've discovered that the long runs are much more enjoyable when you have a reward at the end.  I recently starting utilizing the metro by parking my car at a station, running to a cute street with a lot of bakeries and coffee shops where we pick up a coffee after a run and then riding the train back to my car.  It makes for the perfect Saturday morning.

I also coordinated another wedding at the Westin Pasadena and had the best team working with me that day!  Believe it or not, everything was on time and everyone had a blast!  I'll post a separate entry with more photos of their big day.  Congratulations to the newlyweds!

A photo posted by Cameron Leung (@cameronleungphoto) on Mar 26, 2016 at 11:47pm PDT

 

Finally, I have been continuing Echo's agility classes because he just loves it so much.  He can hardly contain himself when we pull up to the building and will whine the entire time waiting for his turn.  I think agility classes really help build a dog's confidence, especially when they are able to conquer their fears.  

He was so nervous getting on the bridge because it wiggles.  
I know one day he will confidently walk through it.

Here he is in slow motion jumping over a hurdle! 

And this is my favorite video of all time.  This was the first time Echo had ever tried climbing the bridge.  I thought he would be really scared, but step by step, he quickly grew accustomed to it and I couldn't get him to stop!  Every time I would release him to start climbing, he would let out a loud yelp out of excitement.  It made my heart so happy to see him so happy!

Happy Third Gotcha Day, Echo!

Time, where have you gone?  We are already halfway through 2015 and today marks the 3rd year since my dear Echo came into our lives.  He is no longer a teenager and has become a feisty little guy.  We have been working with a behaviorist in hopes of building his confidence and reducing his anxiety when it comes to his surroundings, more specifically in unfamiliar settings.  We have also learned that he is a very independent doggie who doesn't really enjoy being coddled.  This realization is taking a little time to get used to because it is hard not to pet and hug him when he looks like this!

Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is, as the one who gives and the one who receives.  Every day is a blessing with you in our lives.  I love you very much, Echo!

 This has been his favorite toy this year.  I highly recommend this dragon because it is the only toy that he has not been able to destroy.  He's spent countless hours chewing on the tail and it's still intact!  Stinks like crazy, but intact!

Family Photos - At Last!

When we took our engagement photos, we were not able to bring Echo due to bad planning and location of our shoot.  And though he was a part of our wedding, we were so busy and overwhelmed that we did not take any pictures with him!  Since then, I have felt a little piece of my heart missing in all of our photos because Echo is such an important part of our lives!!  So this weekend, we all went out to a park nearby and my brother took some photos for us.  We will be using some of these for our holiday cards, but here's a sneak peek!

 

Echo's 2nd Gotcha Day

Spoiled Rotten

This past weekend, Pepper came to visit while her Mommy and Daddy celebrated her Daddy's birthday and busily prepared for her new sister who will be arriving soon.  Here they are together enjoying a beautiful Sunday morning.

Echo has three beds (in his crate, in the family room, outdoors).  He also has a pillow I put in his crate because I thought he enjoyed laying his head on an elevated surface.  Well, he barely uses his pillow and outdoor bed so that was sort of a waste.  But, he wasted no time making himself at home in Pepper's bed.

Poor guy didn't even fit, yet he insisted on laying in there.  Well, after seeing how comfortable he was, I couldn't help but feel bad that all of his beds were as flat as can be since they were all duvets stuffed with old pillows and sheets.  So then what did I do?

Yes, I went out and bought him a new bed, pretty much immediately.  I know, shame on me for caving in and spoiling him!  But, can you blame me?

Salt and Pepper

This past weekend, I was blessed to take care of a sweet Morkie named Pepper for a few days while her parents were vacationing in Hawaii.  Dogsitting this little gal was a piece of cake!  She and Echo got along so well that when she left, I found Echo staring at the door for a while.  Sad.  Truth be told, I didn't want her to leave either!  I loved waking up and coming home to these two sweet little faces, tails wagging and all!  Echo (and I) can't wait until they are reunited again in a couple weeks!

Echo's 1st Gotcha Day

Since we don't know when Echo's actual birthday is, a friend of mine suggested the idea of celebrating his gotcha day instead - the day that we brought him into our lives.  To celebrate, I got him some gourmet treats and a brand new toy which, in true Echo style, managed to destroy within the first half hour.

Enough with the poses, lemme open my treat box already!

My Mommy loves me very much

Heeey, that's my cupcake!

It has been such a quick year and it has truly been a blessing to watch Echo grow into his own.  It seems like only yesterday when I had him on my lap on the drive home with his little head on me while looking up at me with those big brown eyes completely unaware of his new life with us.  Stopping by a pet store picking out his first leash and collar and some toys.  He now knows 20+ tricks, is fully potty trained (unless at someone else's house), is independent, and is just the sweetest dog.  I wish that I could freeze time so that he could stay this age forever - he is growing up too quickly!  Echo has taught me patience, forgiveness, and what it means to love unconditionally.  I will continue to cherish every precious moment with my little guy!

Doggie Roomies

We had a little visitor for 5 days this past week.  While his Mommy and Daddy were up north getting hitched, this little Yorkie spent quality time with his new buddy, Echo.

 

Sharing the only sunny spot together in the house

First night away from Mom and Pops

  

"So, what do you think?  Nice view, huh?"

On their way to doggie daycare

Moron of the Year

Yesterday, in the midst of Grey's Anatomy killing some time before heading to my parents house for dinner, then to the airport for my upcoming business trip, I sewed a button back on a pair of shorts.  An hour later, I saw Echo trying to pick something up off the ground with his mouth.  I went closer, and saw that it was half a needle!  If you are a regular follower, you'd remember that Echo had swallowed 1.5 sewing needles last October.  I immediately said "sh*t!" and thought, not again!!  I immediately searched for the other half, but couldn't find it.  Then, I took out the set of needles and counted. There were 8 slots, so 2 in each slot - 16 total.  I counted only 15.

I looked at J...asking him what we should do.  "You're sure there should be 16 needles", he said.  "Yes, that would make sense.  There are 8 slots, 2 for each which equals 16."  We had to make a decision.  We could continue to search for the needle, but risk the other half traveling further down his throat if he did swallow it, or we could take him to the ER immediately for a peace of mind.  We decided to drive the 33 miles to the ER.

When we got there, Echo was shaking furiously, barking at anyone who walked through the doors and hiding under the bench where we sat in the exam room.  I guess he remembered his previous visit which wasn't very pleasant.  The whole process took 2.5 hours mostly spent waiting while playing Candy Crush.  We had to wait for someone to come in to get our information, then to take his vitals, then to get estimates on how much it would cost, then to take x-rays, then finally to give us the diagnosis.  I eventually pushed my flight out to the next morning because I wasn't going to make it.

They took 5 x-rays - no needle.  Though relieved, we thought, "Now we have to turn the place upside down to find the other half for a peace of mind."

We paid the $411 bill and left - ouch.  When we got home, J pulled out the flashlights and we began our search retracing Echo's steps.  After about 20 mins, the only thing we found was how much dust collects in areas where I don't sweep as much and earthworms and bugs crawling in the mud.  Disgusting.

Deflated, I looked at the half needle that I found again and wondered...could this be the SAME half needle that I kept from the last time and it had fallen out of the sewing box when I pulled it out of the drawer?  I pulled out the set of needles again and dumped them all out carefully on a piece of tissue.  1, 2, 3, 4.....15.  One is STILL missing...OR, was there supposed to only be 15 needles?  I immediately jumped online and searched for the packet that I had purchased.  Singer 15 Count Self Threading Hand Needles.

Fifteen.  FIFTEEN!  I had one of those surreal moments where everything that has just happened flashes quickly through your mind.  The initial panic, driving to the vet, Echo nervous, waiting and waiting, paying for the exam, searching with flashlights...Why didn't I confirm that there were 15 needles vs. assuming?  Well, 8 slots for 2 needles in each slot - doesn't that make sense?!  A huge amount of guilt swept over me as I relived what I put my precious baby through over the past 2.5 hours.  Another level of guilt consumed me further as I realized how much time and money I had wasted.

Just look at his face.  I am a horrible doggie Mommy.

Big Brother

I recently put in a surveillance camera to spy on the little rascal while I am at work.  Now that he is about 1 year old, I wanted to stop crating him so that he has a little bit more freedom to roam around the house, but I also wanted that comfort level of knowing that he is doing okay.  So far, I have found that he spends his time chewing on his toys, barking, and sleeping...OH, and he just so happens to find his way on the couch a lot too, which he is supposed to stay off of!  Here are some screen caps to share.

 Darn, they totally barricaded MY couch.  How am I going to get on?!

 

 How about over here?  Nope, too narrow!

 How about from this side?  I can get a running start!

Ahh, finally made it!  Yaaawwwnnn.  Life is good.

Ojai Valley Inn

Back in August, we spent a weeked at the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai.  My weekend getaways have usually entailed getting on a plane, but this time, I wanted to explore a local gem.  We absolutely loved this resort and all of its amenities especially the adult pool and the spa!  But best of all, this resort is pet friendly so we were able to bring Echo with us!  Echo had a welcoming treat of his own (bone cookies) and a bed for comfort.  This was the first time we had let him run around without one of us holding on to his leash and boy, did he have a great time!  I had forgotten we had taken all these pictures and just came across them last night so I wanted to share a few of my favorites!  Needless to say, we hope to make it a tradition to visit the Ojai Valley Inn each year!



Go fetch!



I got it! Here I come!

 

Wait, where are you going? I guess he hasn't mastered the art of bringing it back yet!

All this running around is making me tired!



High five for a good time!



Ahh, this is the life!  Let's do this again soon!

Pins and Needles

Echo gave me quite a scare on Friday.  Two sewing needles that were left in the middle of the coffee table were suddenly missing.  All that was left was half of a needle on the rug.  After frantically looking everywhere, the needles were nowhere to be found, so my only conclusion was that Echo had swallowed the needles, but the only way to confirm was to take him to the vet for an x-ray.

Here he is on my lap while I was working from home.  Is he trying to tell me that his tummy doesn't feel good?

After two x-rays, it was confirmed that he indeed swallowed the needles.  You can see one of the needles at the bottom right.  Luckily, the needles criss-crossed so they didn't move into the small intestines

 

The doctor referred us to a specialist who would perform an endoscopy to retrieve the needles.  Echo is reluctantly anticipating the procedure.  Little guy had to be knocked out for about half an hour.



Success!  This is everything that was retrieved. 

My Buddy & Me

I am hideous in this picture but I thought it was too hilarious not to share.  Don't judge, you know you sleep with your mouth open too.  ;) 

Update On Echo

It turns out that Echo fell on his growth plate and shifted it slightly, so his healing process is taking a while longer.  The veterinarian put a bandage on his leg for additional support for 2 weeks which he was able to remove this week.  For whatever reason, the bandage was glued onto his leg and when they removed it, they removed a layer of his skin with it.  Echo was so brave throughout the whole process, even when he had to wear the cone of shame to prevent him from licking his wounds.

I also noticed that he had been sneezing and sniffling a whole lot and his nose was super wet.  I was holding him one night and he started to reverse sneeze.  If you have never seen a dog reverse sneeze before, it really is a very scary experience, but is fairly harmless.  Sure enough, the vet diagnosed him with a cold.  His lymphnodes and tonsils were swollen.  Now, he is on anti-inflammatory medication, pain relievers, and antibiotics.  Poor little guy. 

Being a pet owner takes a lot of patience and heart.  I have been getting into work late and leaving early just so I can take him out for his potty break and have been working from home whenever I can to spend more time with him outside of his crate.  Ideally, if I get into work late, I can leave a little later, or if I get in earlier, I leave earlier, but that isn't doable in my storybook.  I think that those who have deeply experienced the love and joy a dog brings into their lives share my sentiments on how special and deserving these little furballs really are.  Dogs are never "just dogs".



He looked so sad meandering around the house with this on his head and would stare at me pawing at his cone as though he was trying to say "Free me!" that I quickly gave in and removed it the next day.



I love my little guy, so so much!  He is such a good dog.  Not a day goes by do I ever take this little blessing for granted. 



Puppy Parent Woes

I typically like to keep it light and simple in my entries, but for this particular subject matter, there isn't really a channel I can comfortably speak my mind in, so I turn to the one thing that always seems to help - writing.  This entry is more therapeutical than it is an update.

On Tuesday morning, I heard Echo squeal from upstairs and ran down to see what had happened.  When I called him over, he limped over with his hindleg lifted.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing and in that moment, I completely broke down.  I sat down in front of him, held him, and just sobbed uncontrollably.  Would he sense my sadness and see it as weakness?  Am I overreacting?  I didn't care.  He is my baby and my heart was broken.  A million thoughts rushed through my mind: he is too young to not be able to run around and enjoy his puppyhood, how long is this going to take to heal, and worse of all, it is my job to protect him and provide him with the best life possible, and I failed...miserably.

The veterinarian examined him, but Echo was so tense and fearful that he could not tell whether his leg was badly bruised or if he had torn his ligament.  So, he prescribed medication to help with the swelling and pain.  I had to step out of the room because Echo was yelping so much that I couldn't bear to listen.  Is this what it is like to see your child in pain?  I would imagine so, except with a child it'd be 100x worse. 

How Echo was injured is moot, so I am not going to explain.  But, aside from the constant worrying and hopefulness that it is not a torn ligament, the most challenging thing for me has been coping.  I try not to fall into the blame game, to try and stay optimistic, but every single time I see the little guy limp, my heart drops.  I am so angry - angry that this happened, angry that this could probably have been avoided, angry that he is in pain, angry over the additional costs this injury has/may incur - just angry!  I don't feel like I can release any of this anger in a healthy way without impacting someone else, so I continue to hold it in and pretend that I am okay with it.  Sooner or later though, I will erupt, and erupt I did.  This morning, just like there are small earthquakes before a volcano erupts, I lashed out, a magnitude of 3.0 I would say.  Though a small relief, I caught myself and stopped because I didn't want to intentionally worsen the situation.  But when I got into my car, everything came out.  Yelling, crying - you name it.  Deep sigh...

I held my little guy's head this morning and said a little prayer for him before I left for work.  Hopefully he will show signs of healing soon and return to the little rambunctious rascal I have grown to love so much.

This was taken on Sunday.  He loves to get himself twisted up like a pretzel.

Camping @ Pt. Mugu

This weekend, we drove up PCH to Pt. Mugu in Malibu for a quick getaway camping trip.  I had no idea this little gem was right in our backyard and so easily accessible!  We had so much fun taking Echo to the beach for the first time, playing Taboo and bonding around the campfire with good friends, and sleeping in the wilderness. 

Echo is excited to go on his first camping trip!

Echo's first time at the beach

My dirty little rascal

First time in sand and digging his way to China!

Echo was shivering because it was so cold!

We topped off the weekend with some pool time at my parents' place.  Echo's going to love the water - he just doesn't know it yet!