Day 48 - Tired Feet and a Tired Dog

I have a thing for feet pictures, apparently.  :)  Actually - I know that to be true.

This was after a strenuous hike to  the Cow Camp Gap shelter on the AT in VA - Neema (the dog), myself, Matt, Paul and Bob backpacked to this shelter on May 14, 2005.

I just looked at my flickr note for this picture and it says: The best advice Paul (or Bob, can't remember which) ever gave me:  when backpacking - always bring along 'camp shoes.'  One of the joys of getting to camp is taking off the heavy hiking shoes and putting on roomy, breathable, light sandals - it really is like heaven for the feet. 

So true!

I had a hard time with this hike.  I'm not sure if it was dehydration, post-cycle anemia, or just plain ol fatigue - but I had to stop repeatedly due to getting light-headed and dizzy.  I could not keep up with the boys, that's for sure.  But I had my dog!  Oh wait, no, the little traitor always hiked behind Paul when she had that option.  He was most definitely her 'pack leader' when he was around.

The picture is of my feet on the left, Matt's are directly to my right, and I'm pretty sure those are Paul's on the far side.  But they could have been Bob's. 

We did not have the shelter to ourselves that night.  There were mice that kept Neema and I awake and there was another hiker - an older fella who went by the trail name 'Ambling Along.'  The guys were gentlemanly and put all 3 of their bodies between me and the stranger.  :)

We hiked all day and got to the shelter just in time for it to start raining.  One would think I would have slept great after a long day's hike and nice cool rainy weather in a warm toasty sleeping bag.  But nope.  I have yet to ever sleep on a backpacking trip.  But I do miss doing it.

My trail name is 'winky tink.'  It used to be tbass - a nickname of mine from college, but Paul overheard Dr. Bowman refer to me as 'winky tink' once and he declared that it was forever-more my trail name. 

I really look forward to the day I can put my pack back on again. 

Day 47 - Leaning Snow

This was during our blizzard winter in December 2009.  The top two pictures were taken from the loft window at our deck railing.  The snow just started to ...... lean.

It KEPT on leaning until I really was astounded at how FAR it had leaned without falling off!  I mean, look at that last picture - HOW did it not just fall apart?  It's SNOW!!!

It finally did fall.  But it gave me much entertainment in the process. 

Day 46 - Valley Favorite

Commonwealth Veterinary Clinic is where I have worked for the past 8 1/2 years - ever since I graduated from vet school in TN.

I so wish we had more of the staff in this picture - but they don't all work at the same time.  :(  This picture has all 4 of us doctors, all four of our licensed technicians, our hospital administrator, and 2 receptionists. 

Our local newspaper takes votes for the 'Valley Favorites' of different categories of businesses.  We've been the Valley Fave vet clinic for 5 or 6 years running now, I believe.  But this year they gave us a sign!  So cool! 

I did take this picture.  I have a little remote hidden in my hands.  :)

It's such a great crew - I feel so blessed to be able to work alongside these folks.  And I'm glad that our clients like us enough to vote for us year after year. 

Day 45 - Twinkle, Twinkle in the Snow

Nothing too exciting here - just a tree outside our vet clinic on Wednesday night as we were getting 9 inches of snow.  My staff got a little stuck trying to get out of the parking lot.  Fortunately, they all got rides - including one gal being taken home by me.  Fun times.

Thankfully all got home safe.  Our power stayed on.  And it was SO pretty sticking to all the trees. 

I'm ready for Spring.  :)

Day 44 - Tea Time

I traveled to Dhaka, Bangladesh in February 2005 (hard to believe it's been that long!) for a month.  I was sent via Christian Veterinary Missions with a senior vet student at the time, Holly.

Like a LOT of countries, Bangladesh has some British influence.  One thing that seems to stick from our friends across the pond is a love of tea.  And tea time. 

We were out working this day - on our way to another farm in fact - when Lawrence (the livestock officer in charge of us) said it was time for tea!  I remember thinking "aren't we supposed to be working?  Aren't people waiting for us?"  I figured out they could just wait.  :) 

This was basically a roadside vendor who made us a wonderfully rich, sweet, hot cup of milk, sugar, and tea. 

It was SO good!  You can't tell from the picture, but he was heating it up in a small condensed milk can. 

And this is one of my favorite pictures from the entire trip. 

Day 43 - Copperhead!!!

I learned to rock climb when I was in college.  Matt learned to rock climb before I met him.  I remember it was one of the things I was attracted to on his eharmony profile.  :)

He took me rock climbing in MD one glorious spring day a few years ago.  He set up a top rope tied to a tree and a rock and we each climbed up twice then packed up to go.  While Matt was carefully packing the ropes, I walked to the end of the rock.  When I looked to my right at the rock next to the one we were standing on, I saw this. 

EGAD!!!!

I quickly ran back to Matt screaming 'snake! SNAKE! COPPERHEAD!!!!!' while jumping around with my hands above my head.  Then I said 'go take it's picture!'

So, again, I can't claim ownership of this picture - Matt took it.

I'm just glad this HUGE copperhead was on the NEXT rock and not on ours. 

*shudder*

Day 42 - Cloud Reflections

Matt and I went fishing one day.  While he was wading in the river where snakes and such live, I was taking pretty pictures.  :)  I'm a little scared of snakes.  *shudder*

This was an afternoon sky that was just so pretty.  The water here was so still I actually had to throw a little pebble out there to create a ripple so it would actually look like water.

I like this one.  A lot.  :)

Day 41 - Pretty House!

This is apparently one of the most photographed Victorian houses in the USA - and this is my picture of it.  Check out that sky!!!  Gorgeous!!!  This is the Carson Mansion in Eureka, CA. 

I took a trip to CA in 2007 to visit with my friend, Carolyn who was getting married.  I took advantage of the time I was there to travel and visit the mighty redwood forests.  I had originally planned on taking the trip solo - but actually went with the guy I was dating at the time, Jonathan.  Matt and I were broken up for nearly a year before we got back together and got married and this trip was during that period.  Jonathan was a friend of a friend and we had an absolute blast on this trip. 

Day 40 - Best Photobomb Ever!

I just had this photo printed in a 5x7 that is going to hang in our living room.  I LOVE it.  It makes me chortle every time I look at it.  :)

That is my husband, Matt in the front with the "I'm really tired of you taking my picture" face and my dear, sweet friend, Spencer bombing the photo with the "I'm a terradactyl coming to eat you" face behind him.

I love both of these men so much.  My husband is a sweet, sincere, funny friend who adores me more than I thought anyone could.  

Spencer is a brother who encourages, challenges, and elevates me.  He is more passionate about Jesus than anyone I know.  And I love him for it.

When you get them together - laughter is guaranteed to be a part of the equation.  And laughing is good for your liver. 
:)

Dat 39 - Twin Trees

These are two trees by the side of the road on my way to and from home.  My good buddy, Paul always liked these trees.  He likes trees in general - but he said that these two looked like 'they grew up together' and that made them his favorite in the area. 

So, from time to time, when the weather is particularly nice, I stop and take their picture.  I don't think I ever sent any of them to him, though that was always my intention.  :) 

Paul was one of the first friends I had here in VA - a fellow Tennessean, UT grad, hiker, and lover of bluegrass music - we were fast friends and spent a lot of time together.  And we had a lot of really good times. 

This picture is for you, Paul.  Your trees miss you - you should come and visit them.  :)

Day 38 - Inside-Out Calf *WARNING - Graphic Content*

Sorry if you are squeamish.  This one is kind of gross.  And sad.  Don't read if you are easily affected....

What you are looking at is known as a 'schistosomus reflexus' calf.  It's a pretty rare birth defect that obviously is fatal.

Most large animal vets only encounter one in their entire career.  This is mine.

I was called out by one of our more experienced beef farmers for help with a calving.  It's the first time I know of that he's called us - so he's pretty good with getting stuck calves out on his own. (That means it's going to be difficult on my end.)  When I arrived, he told me there were twins and he couldn't sort out which legs were which.

The cow was actually a very uncooperative heifer - it was her first calving and she had no idea what was going on.  I gave her an epidural to relax her a bit and she calmed down.  When I reached in, I knew pretty quickly that this was NOT twins but a deformed calf.  I wasn't sure what the defect was until I felt the winged-out rib cage and could feel the intestines just behind it - then I knew, pretty certainly, that it was a schistosomus.  I explained to the farmer what was going on.  He had never heard of it before and was skeptical that this little tiny female vet knew what she was talking about. 

I told him that he had two options - 1) C-section or 2) put her down.  She was a very hard-to-handle heifer with a nonviable offspring.  He is a full-time farmer and he had to consider the expense and the benefit/risk of a c-section.  They have to give antibiotics post-op and he had such a hard time getting her caught THIS time that his biggest worry is that he wouldn't be able to care for her properly after the surgery and she would die.  Her dying after a c-section is a risk even if able to do all post-op care well.  It happens.

So, due to a multitude of factors, he opted to put her down.  I explained that I would really like to examine the calf after she was deceased if he was ok with that.  He was - because he still was convinced there was a twin.

Because of his insistence that there was a twin, lethal injection was not an option.  IF there was another calf, the euthanasia solution would kill it, as well.  So, the farmer shot her.  Now, for those of you who think that is terrible, let me just say this:  a proper shot is an instantaneous death.   Even a lethal injection is not painless and is often more stressful for a heifer like this than shooting her would be. He delivered an excellent shot and she dropped instantly.  We quickly pulled her from the chute with a truck and I did a c-section post-mortum to deliver the calf.

There was just the one calf - and this is it.  It had 3 front legs and one back leg - all pointing forward (hence why he thought there were twins.)  In this particular birth defect, the spine folds in half so that the ribs 'flare out' and the intestines are on the outside.  Schistosomus are known as 'inside out' calves. 

It's amazing to me that the farmer reported that this calf was alive and moving when he first reached in to try and help deliver it.  It had died prior to my arrival.

I hope that this is the only one of these I ever see in my career.  But I am thankful for the learning experience of it and that the farmer was quick to know that the heifer was in distress and she did not have to suffer. 

And it's rare things like these that make me grateful for all of the healthy animals running around.  It really is a miracle, when considering all the things that CAN go wrong in development, that the majority of baby animals come out completely normal and healthy.  Tomorrow will be a happier blog.  :)

Day 37.5 - Angry Whopper

I'm a tad late with this one - came home from work about 6, ate a bowl of cereal, and then passed out for the night.  Rare. 

So, I normally post in the evenings - and it's morning - so it still counts.  :) 

This was on a sign at our local Burger King February of 2009.  I found it hilarious. 

Day 36 - Overexposed Snow Shot

Oops.  I almost deleted this one - but then thought it was kind of artsy.  :)

Day 35 - The 'S' in DISC

Thought I would go ahead and finish out the series.  :)

Day 34 - The 'D' in DISC

Self-explanatory.  :)

Day 33 - The 'I" in DISC

There is no way this is as funny to you as it is to me, but I'm ok with that. :)

You see, there were 4 groups - with 4 paper easels.  The other 3 papers looked much like the previous 'C' chart did.  They were charts.  With categories.  And columns.

This is the 'I' chart.  The guy teaching this section of our DISC training burst into laughter when he saw ours.  I mean, it says so much all by itself.

The 'I's' theme song is "Don't Worry, Be Happy."  :)  We need a little help with organization and time management.  But we are bubbly, happy, team players who do not like whiners or poopy faces.  Haaaa haaa ahaa haa!  (BTW, this is not my hand-writing nor were all of these my suggestions.)  If I had been the designated writer, my 'C'ness would have made categories and columns like any good 'C.'  But this was completed by what is called a 'turbo I' - someone who doesn't really have a strong secondary personality.  She was all 'I,' all the time.  And she talked with her hands just like me.  :)

I loved learning the DISC stuff - and I find that the training I received in it really helped me to identify pretty quickly what others personalities are.  This helps me in relationships across the board for several reasons.

The first is simply understanding that we each are made different.  Personalities are hard-wired in.  Sure, behavior modification can be done and life-experiences and parenting and other influences can have an effect.  But God gave each of us our own unique personality at birth.  And not everyone has a personality like mine.  That means that not everyone thinks like I do.

That's huge when you really understand it.

Since learning about the DISC, I step back every once in a while (I should do it more) and try to approach a situation tailored to the person I'm engaging.  Since this was all taught to me at a leadership conference, this was something they really tried to get us to embrace and gave us tools to do just that.

And let me just say, for those of you who want to talk to me about an issue, I'm not a fan of whining.  Or poopy-faces.  :)  That part really is true. 

Day 32 - The 'C' in DISC

 

A few years ago I was given the opportunity to attend a 3 part veterinary leadership training course in Colorado.  During two of those courses, we focused on the DISC personality assessment profile.  (Like the Meyers Briggs, only easier to understand, I think.)  Most people have a dominant personality and then a secondary.  As I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, I am a dominant 'I' and a secondary 'C.'  We did a lot of different exercises and one of them involved us breaking into our primary personality groups.  We were then asked to put on our paper the following things:  Our DISC letter that we were representing, a theme song to represent said personality, our strengths and weaknesses, things we both appreciate and are annoyed by in others, and what we appreciate and struggle with when working in a group setting. 

This is team 'C' and their chart.  Note the extreme organization of the chart and the neatness of it.  I was not involved in this chart as 'C' is my secondary persona.

I'm a 'C' when it comes to tasks. (And when I'm under stress.)  Bank on it.  Tomorrow I'll post the 'I' chart - it's hysterical.  And you will then understand a little more why my personality is such a conundrum to most folks.

Day 31 - Bananagrams!

This is one of the most EPIC Bananagrams ever.

Bananagrams is the most clever game.  It is 144 tile letters, much like scrabble, that you arrange to make your own scrabble board.  There are different ways of playing it - and it's an absolute blast.  It also comes in this zippered felt banana - which is very easy to transport.  :)

Matt and I took it on the plane when we flew to FL for a wedding in October and played on our tray tables.  The flight attendant was fascinated.

We played on the cruise nearly every night.  The two other couples on the cruise with us are also now proud owners of the game - we got them hooked.

But THIS game was between a friend named Spencer and myself.  I am not sure why I challenged him to a duel, seeing as how he is infinitely more brilliant than I, but I did.  And he kicked my tail.  

If anyone who has played the game sees this - they will instantly understand.  This is brilliance.  Mind-boggling brilliance.  (It's not mine - this is all Spencer!)

Day 30 - "V" Indisposed

I could not choose a single photo of this series to post - so I did a little bit of playing with Photoshop to make my very first collage - yay! 

This is "V" and one day, when she is older, she is going to hate me for posting these pictures of her.  :)  But I find them both adorable and hilarious! 

"V" is little Faith's big sister (see post "Baby Bits of Faith") and they are two girls that Matt and I love to pieces.  We sometimes get to baby-sit them and give their parents a much-needed night out. 

This series of pictures was taken at a park in town one July evening in 2009.  Our small group from church had a picnic there - eating and playing frisbee and volleyball.  I spent the evening bound and determined to get a good picture of "V" - as she was in a phase that did NOT enjoy being photographed.

I did my best and had taken a lot of shots and had put the camera away.  "V" was in the midst of potty-training and before driving home, her mom gave her some time to empty her bladder.  :)  It was she who came and got me and suggested I take some pictures.  So, "V", when you are reading this years from now - you remember that this was your mom's idea!!!

I love these pictures.  Each one of them!!!  I hope they make you smile, as well.  :)

Day 29 - Tyler's Story

Every once in a while an animal will cross my path that teaches me the joy of compassion and hope.

This is Tyler's story. :)

This is Tyler. He is very brave and very loved. He is also very, very lucky. :) He was injured by a child who was mean to him. He suffered a broken leg and a torn muscle in his belly (a hernia.) He almost died.

I actually recommended to his owner that we just put him down. He was so small and his injuries so severe, that it was going to cost a lot of money to fix him - and I wasn't sure we even could. But they insisted we try. And I'm so glad we did. :)

He absolutely worked his way into my heart and I fell head over heels in love with him. He is just one of the greatest kittens I have ever met.

After a weekend of very intensive care at our clinic, he was strong enough to go into surgery to repair his injuries.

Despite everything that happened to him - he kept his friendly personality. He would purr every time I would talk to him and would lick my fingers and 'mark' me with his head.

He was in pretty severe pain - but it just didn't stop him.

Tyler helped to teach me the lesson that 'no matter what happens to you, you have the ability to choose: you can bite the people who are trying to help you when you are hurt and really feel like biting or you can purr through the pain and lick the hands of those that obviously care about you.' He's quite a smart cat.

 This story was reposted from my Facebook account - sorry for the duplicate, but it's a story worth retelling. 

Day 28 - In Daddy's Hands

Is there a better place to be? 

This is baby Joseph Honor - son of my good friends Brian and Lisa.  They were told they would not be able to have children - and Joseph is their second.  :) 

Day 27 - Sunrise Snow Fog

Sometimes you find yourself at the right place at the right time.  I feel this way about this picture which was taken in February of 2009. 

It was early morning and I was on my way to work.  Obviously, there had been a recent snow - and the road was actually pretty slick with ice and snow.  This pond is near my house and in the dip of a curve that bends to the left. 

I saw the early morning light shining on the trees and the fog in the pasture and was spellbound.  I HAD to take a picture! 

There was no one else on the road - so I stopped (yes, I stopped in the middle of the icy road in a curve) and rolled down my window and took some pictures.  I was very thankful that no one came down the road in either direction and that my car was able to regain traction. 

SO worth it.  :)  (Please click on the picture to make it bigger!)

Day 26 - Candi and her dad

Well, first I have to admit that *I* did not take this picture - my husband, Matt did.  :)

This is my bestest friend in the world - Candi.  And this is a picture of she and her dad during her wedding rehearsal.  They were making use of the time wisely before he had to practice walking her down the aisle.

Can you see why I love her so?

She and I's story is one that is long and fraught with all kinds of drama.  For today, we will simply cover chapter 1: the first year.

I am from Greeneville, TN and went to East Tennessee State University for college.  My college roommate, Kristie and I went to high school together so we were already friends.  Just before classes started at ETSU they held an orientation weekend for freshman called 'Preview.'  I met a guy during that weekend named Aldon - and you'll hear more about him at a later time - he was the glue that sealed 10 of us as friends together. 

Candi's family is from Church Hill, TN, and though she was living just outside of Washington D.C. at the time, she was still considered a TN resident and attended ETSU, as well.   Her dad was Air Force and they lived in several places during her growing up years.  She started at ETSU at the same time I did - in 1995.

The second day of classes I was in the Atruim (which is a food court kind of place in the student center) and was planning on eating alone.  Then I saw her.  She was also alone.  I asked her if she would like to eat lunch with me.  She agreed and the rest, as they say, is history.  :)

We covered a lot in that first conversation - not only the big three college new person questions (Hi, what's your name?  Where are you from? What's your major?) - but a lot more.  And we found out that we had a lot in common.  We also found out that we lived in the same dorm ON THE SAME FLOOR!  :)  We walked back to our dorm after our lunch and showed each other our rooms, in fact.

It was an easy friendship to form.  Our personalities clicked.  But I really think the thing that sealed the deal was when we both showed up (without prior discussion) at our dorm's freshman Bible study later that week.  That was a 'Green Eggs and Ham' Bible study led by Campus Crusade for Christ staffer, Bec.  Bec is awesome and is one of my favorite people on the planet.  Period.  :)

Throughout our first year at ETSU, Candi and I's relationship only grew stronger.  Her actual roommate was a bit of a source of struggle for her, in fact - so she spent most nights in our room.  We had a blue egg-crate mattress that we rolled up and stored in my closet for her to sleep on. We rolled it out every night and rolled it up every morning.   It was a slumber party every night.  :)

I have no doubt that our lunch date that day was by Divine appointment.  I honestly and truly believe that she was sent into my life to be one of God's tools for shaping me into who He designed me to be. 

I had two 'close' friends in high school - that's it.  And with Candi's friendship, I was given something that I had never known.  REAL friendship.  The kind that allows you to be who you are - but makes you better.  The kind that draws out the true nature of self that has long been hidden.  Freedom.  Laughter.  Unconditional love.  She challenged me (and still does!)  She taught me how to have real conversations.  How to have adult conflict in a healthy way.  And she and I both learned how to be women who followed after God together.  We tasted salt together.  We cried together.  Prayed together.  And we worshiped together.

We worked out together - pushing ourselves physically.  We made it our goal to be 'sore' everyday.  :)  Crazies, we were.

We held each other accountable to our academic goals.  Though our majors were very different and our classes never crossed paths, we both studied and worked hard.  (She was an accounting major.)

And we seriously had a lot of FUN together.  I think she was the first person I ever truly laughed until my stomach hurt with. 

She is a wonderful woman.  Bright, kind, with a keen wit and an awesome laugh.  She is honest.  And she is real.  She can get dirty in a cave, ride bareback on a horse, and wear a formal gown and 4 inch heels and make it all seem effortless.  She taught me how to play the piano in our dorm's lobby.  She gave me the confidence and freedom to sing with her - just she and I - loudly and without fear.  She taught me the joy of shoes and I taught her how to wear make-up.  (Which is so funny to me now.....)  She embraces challenges well and she is thoughtful of others.

A few years ago I was at a conference where I was taught the DISC personality assessment.  I was given my own assessment which was right on the money.  I am an "IC", which apparently only 6% of the world population is.  It's an odd mix of personalities, actually - mixing introverted and extroverted tendencies, mixing rational with emotional decision making, and going back-and-forth with being warm and caring and cold and judgemental.  Most people don't get 'us' - because we seem a bit 'bi-polar', depending on the circumstance we are in. 

I found out after completing that weekend training that Candi's place of employment had had all of their employees DISC profiled.  Candi is also an "IC."

We get each other in a world that doesn't get us.   :)

I love this picture of her.  Most brides and their dad's are so somber at this moment.  Stress from the wedding planning and just contemplating all that it means seem to overwhelm and take the joy from so many.  But not these two.   Here they are exuberant.   Embracing the day to come with silliness and dancing.

And I think that is just as it should be.  :)

Day 25 - Baby Bits of Faith

This is a picture of a collage I put together of my friend's little girl, Faith.

This is not the first one of these I've done, and the idea was not my own.  I stole the idea of 'baby bits' from the collages on the wall of the home of Dr. Nice.  He and his wife have a friend who is a professional photographer and has done this for their children.

I did not replicate the collage precisely - I did add my own uniqueness to it.  But I love the idea and have loved the results of each one.  I'll likely post all the collages on the blog before the year is through.  The picture of the collages do not look near as good as the collages do in person, but, hey, that's expected.

But Faith is one cute baby, no?  :)

The challenge of these shoots is always getting a still frame of each body part - the hands are usually the hardest.  I have had to actually go back and re-take shots for 2 of the 4 collages I have done.  :)  I had to do that for Faith, in fact.  Ever the perfectionist, I want to be able to give their parents a really high quality keepsake of their babies.

I am thankful that they allow me to do so - it's a really fun hobby for me.  :)