February 2008

I don't think I'll be on the computer tomorrow to post my February calendar, so here it is one day early.

I remember the many Valentine's Days I spent without someone to share that day with. It is hard to believe this is my 7th Valentine's Day with M. We were just talking last night about our first V day together. I borrowed my best friend's china, table cloth, silverware, and glassware. I cooked chicken breasts stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese and served it with steamed asparagus. I think I also made dessert, but I can't remember what it was. I sent M a fancy invitation in the mail inviting him over for V day. It was a fun night! I am so thankful for memories like these.

Hiding Place

by Steven Curtis Chapman

In the distance I can see the storm clouds coming my way,
And I need to find a shelter
Before it starts to rain,
So I turn and run to you Lord;
You're the only place to go,
Where unfailing love surrounds me
When I need it most.

CHORUS
You're my hiding place;
Safe in your embrace,
I'm protected from the storm that rages
When the waters rise,
And I run to hide;
Lord, in You I find my hiding place.

I'm not asking You to take away
My troubles, Lord,
'Cause it's through the stormy weather
I learn to trust You more.
And I thank You for Your promise;
I have come to know
Your unfailing love surrounds me
When I need it most.

(chorus)

So let Your people seek You
While You may be found,
'Cause You're our only refuge
When the rain comes pouring down.

(chorus)

Steven Curtis Chapman is one of my favorite artists of all time. I like his music, but the words to his songs often blow me away...not because the words are so great but because they say want I want to say.

I am often amazed that people can come up with new songs, new music, new books, new movies, etc. I am amazed that people still have new ideas. M thinks this is very strange of me. "Of course people still have original ideas" he says. I am not one of those people. My mind does not work like his, so I am amazed when someone writes a new song that says exactly what I want to say (but didn't even know that was what I wanted to say).

I really like this song. It is a beautiful reminder to me that God is my hiding place and shelters me from life when I am overwhelmed.

Melancholy

I have been feeling very melancholy the last couple of days. I think it is due in part to the book I just finished by Nicholas Sparks, Dear John. I enjoy reading his books, but they are so sad. I have had a hard time getting my mind off the book I finished last night. It is like the story happened to me rather than the characters. It has been strange. I hope I get away from this feeling soon.

He's ba-ack!

The Max I love has returned (not that I didn't love him while he was behaving strangely - he just didn't seem like my puppy then). He is still a mess at times, but he has been himself since M got home yesterday. Maybe he just didn't know what was going on since only the two of us were home together. I have taken him on two walks each of the last two days. That is a good idea going forward. We'll just have to see how it works out. It is dark so much of the day here...at least after work. Today we took him to a field near our house to throw the ball and get him to run around some. M threw the tennis ball, and Max would chase it. At one point, a small tumbleweed was blowing in the same direction the ball was thrown. Rather than chase the ball, Max chased the tumbleweed and brought it back to M. I thought that was really funny!

January 2008

I made a calendar to sit on my desk at work for 2008. I thought at the beginning of each month I would post my calendar for that month. I am really late for January, but I hope to post it at the beginning of the month for the rest of the year.

Naughty or Nice?

I thought we had picked out the perfect puppy, possibly the best puppy there has ever been...until this week. If I didn't know M's aunt and uncle as well as I do, I might think I picked up a different dog from their house on Monday. Max has been a bit of a terror this week. Well, terror is an exaggeration, but he has been more than I've wanted to deal with for sure.

• He chewed up one of M's sandals.
• He keeps pulling paper off the toilet paper roll.
• He broke the lid to our trash can - it used to have springs that made it open, now it doesn't open the same.
• When I sit down, he no longer tries to sit on my lap or put his paws on my lap. He doesn't seem very excited to see me, either. He still follows me around everywhere, but I think that's because he wants treats.
• When I got home this evening, he had pulled half the stuffing out of his bed.

I have taken him for a walk every evening. In my book they have been long walks, around an hour. These used to wear him out and he would just be out for the rest of the afternoon or evening. He hasn't even been phased by these walks. I am not sure what is going on with him.

I am SO glad M is coming home tomorrow. I would be glad no matter what, but I am not sure I could handle Max one more day by myself...especially a day I was home all day. I feel like I need a break. I shouldn't feel that way about a dog, should I?

5 months today!

Max is 5 months old today! I would post a picture of him, but I left the camera with M in St Louis this weekend.