IHF - Pets and The Paper Mama - Furry Friend Challenge

I couldn't pass up the challege this week from i heart faces or The Paper Mama! The photo category on i heart faces this week is "Pets" and The Paper Mama is "Furry Friend" and we have a lot of those. And I work with a lot of those. I work at Kansas City's largest No-Kill Shelter. I love my work.

Meet Ellie aka Ellie Bean! She is our 92 pound, purebred Newfoundland who was rescued from a puppy mill with 1200 other dogs. That is what happens when you live smack dab in the middle of the US. Sadly, Kansas and Missouri are the leaders in the puppy mill industry! Thanks to some heartless people, we are the puppy mill capital of the US. Not really something I'd like us to be known for. Thankfully Missouri passed a Puppy Mill Cruelty Act, but sadly some of the original bill has been changed. For the most part, it will still help the thousands of dogs suffering across Missouri. It's a start. I'll climb down from my soap box now.

Ellie is about the sweetest dog you'll meet. At 3 years old, she sometimes walks with a limp due to her bad environment before she was rescued and no doubt, bad breeding. Even though Newfoundlands were originally bred for water rescue and typically love the water, our Newfie won't go near the pool for a swim. We love her anyway! :) She has the softest fur and a giant neck to wrap your arms around.

My Top 5 Photos from January - March

I found this blog recently, which I love, and through that one, I found this one, and this one. And I found this cool contest. Here is the actual blog post to add your link to. And I'm always up for winning stuff, and what a fun way to show off my adorable kids, right? Right! :)

One of the first nicer spring days. It doesn't look particularly nice out, but we were out in short sleeves. A much needed warm day after lots of snow. I love Hana's expression while she swings!


This wasn't much of a snowball fight since the snow wouldn't pack. And it was too deep for good sledding. Jonah made the best of it by throwing snow at me!


I love this one of Hana and Jonah. They are best friends when they aren't trying to kill eachother. Anybody else know the feeling?


I love, love, love this one of my hubby snuggling Lucas! He looks completely content while he hugs our little guy!


This is Lucas. We call him The Evil Genius. Doesn't he just look ornery and completely adorable?


I'm linking up to post my quarterly top 5 photos. It was hard to narrow it down to five because I have had lots to choose from lately and a love a bunch. I thought this was a fun way to show off my photography, it is most definitely a work in progress, and to help me improve. Join me!

What am I doing with my life?

I've asked myself this question a million times. Almost everyday, I think! I'm raising three wonderful, beautiful kids, and I'm so blessed with them. And I'm married to an amazing man. I mean, AMAZING! If I could have hand picked the qualities I wanted in a husband and a father for my kids, I would have created Jarot! He literally gives me goose bumps when I watch him with our kids. He is incredible!

But sometimes I wonder what is in store for me. What am I supposed to be doing? I feel like I'm good at lots of little things, but I'm not great at anything. Hmmm...I'm not sure what I want to do with my life. It is bad when you are 28, and you haven't figured out what you want to be when you grow up! :) I don't feel like a grown up yet. That seems weird because I have three kids. I always assume people I know through work and stuff are older than me. But more and more, I realize I'm older! Bleh! They have direction in life. I don't have direction. I love playing all day. Playing with my kids. Reading books. Reading books to them.

I've decided that I'm going back to school. I've wanted to for a long time. We are doing it now. We are selling our house. We are moving where the in-laws live. They said they'd watch the kids while Jarot goes to school and I work. Topeka isn't my first choices of places to live, but family is there. We haven't had any lookers at our house. No interest at all! Bit of a bummer. I'm not worrying about it yet, but it is a little disappointing. We've put a lot of work into this house. It is cute, and it is all done for somebody who wants to move in without having to put any work into it! And I'm going to school once it sells, well, once it sells, we move, and Jarot finishes school. So it will be a few years, but we will be moving forward. I'd like to major in social work, but sometimes I worry. I want to work in the adoption field. I don't think I could do another line of social work. I couldn't be one of those social workers who investigate abuse or neglect. I think it would be too much for me; I think I'd bring that home with me. Sometimes I think I'll major in graphic design or photography. I have interest in all of those things. Sometimes I think I'll do that and just adopt.

Adoption...hmmm! That's really been on my mind lately. Like, really, really! I've been driving Jarot mad I think! I'm obsessed with the idea. I'm not sure how or when it all started, but it did. I've always known that I wanted to adopt. Once we move and get settled, Jarot said we can sit down and have a serious talk about it. I think people think we are crazy, but there are something like 167 million orphans in this world. That is INSANITY! It blows my mind. Don't tell Jarot, but I can picture us as one of those nutty, loud, crazy families with 7 or 8 children. But don't tell him I said that!

This blog post is all over the place, but that is how I've kinda been lately. How I always am I guess! :) That is just what has been on my mind. If you read this far, thanks for sticking with me. Night!