The Thunder Rolls*

*for some reason, I have two post titles in a row that reference country songs...I don't know what's gotten into me but I promise to cut it out immediately!

There are many firsts when we get a new foster dog. The first time the vet tech brings him out, and I get to see just what we're getting ourselves into for the next few months. Timid? Rambunctious? Skinny? Hairy? Then there's the first night we have him home, and we get to find out what kind of sleep we're going to be getting for the next few months. Will he whine all night in his crate or sleep quietly beside us in the dog bed? And then, there's my very least favorite foster dog first: the first clap of thunder. Lots of our fosters have thunderstorm anxiety, and Brax is unfortunately no exception.

The first clap of thunder was a couple of weeks ago. It was followed immediately by all 86 pounds of Brax jumping into the bed and directly on top of my head. Brax KNOWS he is not allowed in the bed, but the poor guy was panting and shaking uncontrollably. I got out of bed and tried to show him some "safe spots" around the house (we've had fosters that liked to get in the closet, under the bed, or in the shower). He was not interested. It seemed the only way we were going to get any sleep is if Brax was in the bed with us. (A note to moms who let their babies sleep in bed with them because they say it's the only way that they and their baby will get any sleep: I get it now!)

There are, of course, other options, none of which I can bring myself to do: I could put him in a bathroom and close the door. Not a good choice, since he would probably try to claw his way out. I could put him in his crate in another room. We had a beagle who had thunderstorm anxiety, and we tried this with her...until she actually cut her gums trying to chew her way out of the metal crate. We could put him outside...yeah, NOT an option.

So that first night of storms, Brax made himself comfortable, panting uncontrollably in between my pillow and Brian's pillow...head towards Brian, rear end towards me. All was well until Brian sat up and yelled, "Gross! He peed in the bed!" Further inspection proved that Brax had not peed, but had drooled SO much that it resulted in a large puddle by Brian's head (that Brian had rolled onto). I thought it was rather funny; Brian, not so much.

Brax tried out the bathtub as a possible "safe spot." He soon decided the tub wasn't as safe as drooling on our heads, so he went back to doing that.

Since that night, it has been a rainy couple of weeks. I swear if one more person tells me how wonderful this rain is and how they just LOVE to sleep in the thunderstorms, they are going to get a swift kick in the pants. But Braxy and I are hanging in there and have a new thunderstorm routine. I give him a doggie sedative to relax him a bit (and fight the urge to take one myself!), then we head out to sleep on the couch together. Either Brian or I has to sleep with him, and I figure it should be me because Brian is both a) the one of us who DOES have a job, and b) the one of us who DOESN'T have grand ideas like, "Let's foster golden retrievers! It will be super fun!".

Possibly the world's cutest case of thunderstorm anxiety is Mr. Bear in the dryer. My dad went looking for him one stormy morning and couldn't find him anywhere...until he walked past the laundry room and found him asleep on top of some clean laundry in the dryer.

They Call Him the Fireman...

A little over a year ago, my brother Todd decided to go through the application process to become a firefighter for the city of Dallas...and I was proud. After going through several rounds of the intense selection process, he was chosen from a group of over a thousand as one of 50 who got to attend the fire academy...and again, I was proud. He attended the fire academy and worked so hard, physically and mentally, to do his best...once again, I was so proud.

Then, a couple of months before our trip to Europe, Todd was telling us about his upcoming graduation from the Dallas Fire Academy, an event the firefighters call "Burn Night." He was so excited because this is a special event for the new firefighters, an opportunity for them to show their friends and family all the cool stuff they have worked so hard to learn over the past months. I asked him the date of Burn Night, and my heart sank when he grabbed the calendar and pointed to a Saturday when we would be halfway around the world in Greece.

So, while we were in Santorini, Todd graduated from the Dallas Fire Academy. We missed his Burn Night. I absolutely hate that I was not there, and I think it's one of those things that I'm always going to regret. Here are a few pictures from that night:

My dad (ex-firefighter for the city of Buffalo), and Todd

One of those specks rappelling down the wall is Todd.

Look, the back of his jacket says 'Morlock.' Isn't it cute?

Friends that came to support Todd at Burn Night.

These days, Todd is a rookie at a fire station in south Dallas. He even helped fight a five-alarm apartment fire a couple of weeks ago. He also made the mistake of showing me (and my mom, which was an even bigger mistake!) this website, which lists all the active fire-rescue incidents in Dallas and which stations are responding. That means I can keep track of where he is when he's at work...is he currently at the station or out responding to a fire? If so, how big a fire and where? It's a neurotic older sister's dream come true!

When we were younger, Todd and I didn't get along so well. And although there is still no one else in the world who can get under my skin like he can, he is now one of my best friends. I can't think of anyone better suited to the job of fighting fires and saving lives...and as his older sister, I could not be more proud.

Over the Hill

So if my friends are starting to turn 30, what does that make me? Their much-younger friend, of course! I recently helped celebrate the 30th birthdays of two very special friends, Chris and Nick.

Chris and I have been friends since my freshman year in high school. His first date with his wife, Cristi (also a good friend), took place at my parents' house, where they watched a movie while sitting on opposite ends of the sofa...who'd have thought they'd be married today?! Anyways, I was really happy to be there to celebrate Chris' 30th birthday a couple of weeks ago, the same way he was there with me to celebrate when I turned 16 back in 1996!

Chris and me on my 16th birthday in 1996, about to take the Civic for a test drive.


Chris and me at his 30th birthday party, after taking a few tequila shots for a test drive.

Next to turn 30 was Nick, my high school boyfriend. We've been through a lot together and I'm so fortunate to have him in my life. Hey, we're living proof that the often-used breakup phrase, "We'll always be friends" is not always total b.s.!

Nick and me in 1997 at Don Pablo's (may it rest in peace).


And at a wedding in June 2009.

So happy birthday, guys! As my lovely friend Robin was shocked to realize the other day, I'm almost 29--so I will be over the hill soon also! But for now, I'm still these two guys' much-younger friend.

Puppy Smoothie

Bailey likes to run errands with us. The bank and the dry cleaners are usually her favorite destinations--she knows that when we pull up to one of those places, a treat is in her near future (and the drooling begins). But I think it's safe to say Bailey has a new favorite place: Starbucks. The guy at the Mansfield Starbucks drive-thru has come to know me and my car full of dogs (he jokes that I am transporting prisoners, and on the rare occasion that I don't have at least one dog in the car, he asks where my prisoners are). I've decided that when the guy at Starbucks notices when there are no dogs in your car, it means that either a) you go to Starbucks way too often, b) you have entirely too many dogs in your car, or c) both of the above. Anyways, this very nice Starbucks employee has started giving me "Puppy Smoothies," aka a small cup full of whipped cream. Bailey LOVES whipped cream, and has ever since she was a puppy, when my dad would squirt it directly from the can into her mouth (I only wish I were kidding). Here's a pic of Bay enjoying her smoothie.

Note the intense concentration in her eyes as she makes sure she gets every last drop!