Puppies

For the second time in two weeks, we just got back from the Tyler mall. There is a store in the mall that sells puppies. The dogs are absolutely adorable and you want to take everyone home with you before you leave. We asked to see a couple of dogs (of course, at my kids' request). They take you into a room and let you play with the puppy before purchasing it. My problem is this: The average dog in the store costs $1600! Yes, that is right, $1600! Some dogs that have papers cost significantly more. While the "clearance puppies" without papers start at $999. This honestly makes me ill.

There are currently 144,987 dogs waiting to be adopted at petfinder.com. These dogs run about $200-$300 which includes all shots. All dogs are spayed or neutered and most are house trained. These dogs were either abandoned or rescued from shelters before their lives were terminated.

I was pretty vocal at the pet store and am surprised I was not asked to leave. It just break my heart that so many dogs are dying every day because no one wants them yet people are willing to pay big bucks to buy a dog from a pet store. So please, before you decide to get a pet, check out the local shelters. There are some pretty amazing dogs there that would love a good home. Thumper was one of those dogs and we could not have asked for a better addition to our family.

Week I Don't Know

I have been very bad about posting and going to the gym. Life has been crazy. I wonder how I got so much done when I was working. I went to school full time, worked over 50 hours a week, volunteered at church, took care of the kids, the house and the dog and still found time to read. Whew! When I asked the question to my kids, their quick reply was, "We never saw you." How sad.

I must admit that not working has been great. I LOVE spending time with my kids. They are amazing and always find a way to make my heart smile. I have been substitute teaching a few days a week and cannot seem to get anything else done, like to going to the gym. The good news - I am down 11 pounds. The bad news - I am only down 11 pounds.

I am making the commitment to do better at the gym and with getting things done.