Onwards and upwards...

I've been gone so long! Seriously, after all the stuff going on in my family, I really needed to get my head back on straight. I'm feeling better now. I'll miss my Grandpa everyday, but he is in a better place now.

Anyway, just a few things to report on the homefront. First, the night of G-pa's wake, all the cousin's came back to my house for lots of wine. Unfortunately, we didn't get very far because my pup went through my cousin's purse and ate an entire pack of Orbit gum. Now I'm not sure if any of you know this, but the xylitol in Orbit is highly toxic to dogs. It causes extreme drops in glucose levels which can lead to seizures and other stuff. It can also cause liver failure! I had only found out about a week prior when i signed up to donate to the ASPCA. I called the emergency vet (it was 1030 at night) and they told me to get him there as soon as possible. You see, it only takes 1-2 pieces to affect a dog my pup's size and he had 12! Fortunately we were able to get him there fast. They were able to get him to vomit up 6 pieces. The rest were gone for good. They had to keep him over night, hooked up to an IV with a glucose solution so that he would not have any drops in his levels. They also had to monitor his liver functions. In the end, the vet couldn't even tell us if he would make it. I was a disaster! I literally had a breakdown in the parking lot. The Boy practically had to pick me up and put me in the car. Can you say, emotional overload? I sat through the funeral and burial half a mess because of losing my grandpa half because I was worried sick about my pup a doodle. After it was all said and done, The Pup was okay. Thanks God! But please keep all that sugar free stuff away from your pets.

Other then that, life has been quiet. I am very grateful for that. I finished and submitted my application to Grad School. I'm not sure how I'm going to pay for it after the first semester, but I really am trying not to think about it right now. Things at home have been wonderful. TB and I really have figured it out and gotten ourselves back on the right path. I would love to speak in more detail, but I'd rather not jinx anything. We've started to discuss our plans for after we are both finshed with school. I think I've mentioned it here before, but we both would like to find a place in this country where our dollar goes farther then it does now. We want to own a house with a yard in a nice neighborhood and be able to send our future kids to a good school and all of that. I just cannot imagine that life happening in New York. It's so strange, but it is true. Anyplace we'd actually want to live is so ridiculously expensive. New York and it's suburbs (excluding the boroughs) are completely off limits to middle class people like us. As a matter of fact I recently read an article that in order to be considered of "middle class" in New York City, you have to make at least $122,000 a year! Is that crazy or what!? I'm ready for a nice suburban life somewhere I can have a nice house and big green yard for my dog and children to play in.

So right now, Denver and Charlotte, NC are at the top of the list. I've never been to either, but plan to visit this year. Anyone have any opinions on either?