House Sitting/Dog Sitting

A couple of weeks ago, a good friend of mine asked me to house sit/dog sit while she and her parents went to Colorado Springs! I had never house sat before but I wasn't working so why not?!

I knew she had a dog named Zero who is Deaf. Her roommate, also a good friend of mine, also has a dog named Beast. Don't let the name fool you, he is anything but! Both dogs were pretty easy to take care of. Zero HAD SO MUCH ENERGY! He reminded me of Buddy -- a bigger version of Buddy since Zero is probably four times the size.

All I really had to do was make sure the dogs were fed and let out a few times. Honestly, I watched TV and worked on my freelance stuff most of the time. I FINALLY go to watch the Incredibles 2! I will have to say the storyline was well done. Typically, I don't like sequels. PERIOD. This one is not bad and it's funny. No unnecessary content. Thank you, Pixar.

When I had first arrived at the house, Zero could not calm down. Again, exactly like Buddy was when meeting new people. Beast for some odd reason likes to sniff at people's butts. SMH Both dogs were pretty well behaved. They did muck up the kitchen due to it being a little muddy in the backyard but didn't have to pay much attention to them. Being Deaf myself, there were a couple times when I had let them out and didn't hear them wanting to be let in. Once, I raced into the kitchen and heard them barking. Oops. I have no idea how long they were doing that. Good thing it wasn't cold out otherwise I would have felt terrible.

The only thing that scared me was the fact that Beast refused to eat. At first, I thought I had followed my friend's instructions wrong. Nope. He just eats breakfast SUPER late. I think it was around 1pm when I noticed his dish was empty. Zero, on the other hand, ate his soon after I put the bowl down. Like most dogs, he was super interested in my food.

Overall, it was a great time with some super cute/chill dogs. FYI, Zero is the attention seeker. He was always wanting to be pet. I could hardly get anything done let alone get a good night's sleep.

Be forewarned.

My First Adult Wedding

It saddens me to say that last week was the first wedding I've been invited to since I became an adult. I don't even remember the wedding I went to when I was 10. To me, that doesn't even count because our whole family was invited.

Last week's wedding was beautiful. I was and still am so happy for the couple -- my former roommate, Katie, and her now-husband, Dylan. Both of them are great people and I hope to see them again when they get back from their honeymoon to Paris! Katie has been through a lot and I'm just glad she found someone who treats her with the grace she deserves.

The wedding took place downtown in the Clock Tower. I had never been there before but the view from the top is gorgeous!! I could see the mountains and most of downtown. Space was small -- about 25 to 30 people were there and now I understand why she needed a firm headcount. I did feel a little odd because I was literally the only African American AND I knew no one aside from the bride and groom. Two people talked to me afterward and I did get to meet her parents, briefly. Not sure if they knew who I was though.

The only hitch was that the wedding started an hour late! I have no idea what happened. When Katie and Dylan made it up to the front, the wedding officiant (maybe he was a pastor....I'm not sure) started off with...think of the wedding scene in Princess Bride. I'll wait.

I was laughing so hard, I only caught the end of it on video.

I had asked Dylan afterward if this was planned. He said, the three of them had joked about it but it wasn't really planned. He was glad that it happened because it took the nerves away. I had talked to him beforehand and he told me he was really nervous. So, I am super happy that this happened. Maybe I'll make sure this is done at my wedding....haha

I'm glad I was able to be there to support one of my favorite roommates! To the happy couple!

Winter Makes A Wonderful Playground

Honestly, the only thing I like about snow is the beauty of it the day after. I don't like being caught in it. I don't like shoveling it. Thankfully, apartment living allows me the freedom to enjoy it without the work involved. Not having a car is actually nice during the winter too -- I can make someone else drive in this instead of me.

Every time we get some snow -- anywhere from an inch to a couple of feet -- I enjoy walking around my neighborhood and taking some pictures.

Sometimes I wonder if God knew how much we humans would enjoy the snow. It's not just for nature's sake but for humans as well.

March for Life

Today, I felt empowered by being a part of my first March for Life! The days leading up to it I wasn't even sure I should go, because, one, the weather -- it was sleeting all day Friday. The roads were awful and it was bitterly cold outside when I came home from line dancing. Second, when I read about the march on Facebook, it seemed more like a Catholic event, not a Pro-Life event. I'm not Catholic and so I felt it would be weird for me to go. As the day came closer, I realized this is something that pains me -- abortion. Why in the world many people want to believe that what grows in a woman's womb is nothing? No -- that's LIFE! Our lives don't start once the doctor hands us to our mothers. No, it starts nine months before that. It's not just a belief, it's the reality. I can't let innocent babies continue to be killed without doing something about it.

So, that morning I made the decision to go to my first March for Life! I was nervous but excited. I've never protested before or really been a part of something this moving (at least in my perspective).

A march is nothing like a parade -- I noticed that first off. Growing up in Girl Scouts, we were always in parades. So I was used to having people crowd both sides of the sidewalk waving and clapping. There were a few who did that -- some honked at us and waved. But it wasn't the same feeling. At the same time, it was amazing to not feel alone. There are so many other people who see the truth and have the heart to stop the violence against unborn babies. It was also a great reminder that Christ went against the grain His entire life. He didn't follow the crowd -- He led them. He didn't give in to what the majority says is right. We shouldn't either.

The March for Life in Dever was an amazing experience! I look forward to continuing to be a part of the Pro-Life generation!