Completely random update...

I say "random" because that's my posting style these days.  I know this, and I apologize.  I have not had much to say in recent months.  I'm partially blaming my absence on my addiction to Facebook.  The status updates have done me in.  They are just so much quicker and snarkier than blog posts, ya know?  The other half of the blame goes to my ever-failing thyroid.  Yes, THYROID.  As in gland in your neck that regulates your metabolism and can have profound effects on your mood if it is out of whack.  Mine is really screwed up these days.  I have all the textbook symptoms of hypothyroidism (weight gain, hair loss, depression, flaky skin, etc. etc.), and I'm on meds to boot.  It is usually around this time of year when the meds start to wane and I find I need to make my annual trip to the doc for bloodwork to see what is up.  So, in case you were wondering why I am so non-verbose these days, it's because my mood is, well, BLAH.  I have my bloodwork scheduled next week and within a short time thereafter, my meds will likely be tweaked and I will be back to my chipper, blathering-on-as-per-usual self in no time.

As I mentioned previously, I began second shooting/assisting for a locally-reknowned wedding photography establishment this wedding season.  I had the good fortune of spending most of the last 7-8 weeks shooting for them on Saturdays.  While the work was hard, I had a lot of fun and learned so much from their very, very talented main photographers.  It's been busy, but I've been enjoying it.  The hardest part of it all was losing my Saturdays away from the kiddos, especially when my time with Katie is scarce as it is.  She didn't take to kindly to my absences in the beginning few weeks, but then she adjusted.  I only have two more dates with them this calendar year, and am hopeful I'll be able to join them again next year.  It's been a lot of fun...and it doesn't seem like much work when you're doing something that you love.  But I will admit it's hard on the old bod...my recovery cocktail consists of a flexeril and three advil.  Works like a charm after a long day of being on your feet!

Molly, our new puppers, is doing so well.  I really, honestly, could not be more thrilled with her.  She is such a great dog!  I really have to pinch myself when I think of all the luck involved that fateful day when I just so happened to click the Pets section on Craigslist, and there she was.  She's stolen all our hearts.  We really don't have any signficant behavioral issues to contend with, which is always a concern when you take on an animal.  She has her normal "puppyisms", like chewing and mouthing, which is to be expected for a pup her age. 

She absolutely adores the kids and has taken them on as her little charges.  If they are out in the yard, she MUST be out there with them.  If they leave the yard to ride their bikes up and down the sidewalk, she plants herself in the corner of the yard closest to where they are, so she can keep watch.  She was mortally afraid of the car when we first got her, but now she jumps at the chance to go for a ride, even though her carsickness issue persists.  I take her every day to pick up Katie from school.  The other day, Jonathan was running around in the front of the school yard and he wandered too far from me and Molly, who was on her leash.  She started lunging towards him, nearly pulling my arm off, just so she could try to move me closer to him or try to get closer to him so she could somehow "corral" him.  She's definitely got a herding instinct, except instead of lambs, she herds the kids.  It's very comical to watch.

Thanksgiving is coming up and it's going to be a special one for us.  My Dad is making the trip up here by car to spend the holiday with us, and we're all beyond excited waiting for his arrival.  Every day Katie asks "how many more days until Grandpa comes?"  She loves her Grandpa, that girl, and I know she's the apple of his eye, too.  We're all looking forward to it.  I haven't had a Thanksgiving with my Dad since 1980.  Having Christmas to spend with him last year was rockin', and I'm so looking forward to having T-Giving with him this year.  Good times, fo sho!