:)

This picture just makes me smile! Mav actually has his arm around Tiggy, and both are resting their heads on a pillow! I caught them like this on the drive home last week. I love these little monsters...

OUR NEWEST ADDITION

Please welcome the newest addition to the Miller family! And no, it's not another dog! Haha Ryan's truck had just about had it and kept having issues, so he went to play at the dealership, and came back with this-a 2012 Ford F150. So far, we really like it! They made a lot of changes here recently, and I must say, they've all been for the better thus far. The EcoBoost engine is great, SYNC is awesome, and the new truck drives so much smoother than the 2005 did. Plus, my beepies (AKA reverse sensing system) are now standard! They must have read my mind!

!!!!!!!!!!

The subject of this post is like that because I seriously can't find the words to express what I'm feeling...I just finished my first year of PA school! OMG! I even tried to make up a word to express myself, and even that didn't work. I can barely believe it, but yes, I'm half-way there. I'm now finished with the didactic (AKA classroom stuff) year, and will begin a year of clinical rotations starting the last week of June. I get to go to a new clinic every 4 weeks-it's gonna be exciting! We also took a practice board exam, and I'm right where I'm supposed to be for the training I've had thus far :). I am relieved, happy, excited, somewhat intimidated, and I feel strong and ready to tackle the next step after some rest and visiting some of my favorite people in my favorite place on earth-HOME. It's times like this when I just sit back and it brings me to tears thinking about how blessed and how happy I am. God is so good! Thank you for your prayers and support. Get ready...the next adventure begins in t-minus 9 days. YAY!

COMPROMISES...

Ok, so remember that hot-spot I was talking about on Mav's underside? The reason for needing a collar and thus our fieldtrip? Well, I'm putting some meds on it daily and really don't want him licking the spot or the meds, so the e-collar was what was suggested in that scenario. I put it on him the correct way and the poor dog just freaked out. He wouldn't sit still, was running into everything, and was scared to pieces. But I knew if I took the collar off, he'd just lick! So this was our compromise...

Now, the next day, he wouldn't wear the collar like that again. Our compromise that day was to have him wear it the correct way, but he could lay up on the bed and watch tv. Normally, the dogs aren't allowed on the bed or couches...so I guess he saw this as a treat. Plus, he couldn't really run into anything up there.

I am interested to see what day 3 holds as far as compromises go...I can't believe I'm bargaining with my dog! Oh well, I guess you gotta pick your battles. And I'd much rather give a little and have him get better than be a stickler and he'd still have those spots.

THE LOOT

The pups and their loot from our fieldtrip to Petsmart...

MY FUZZY, 3-RING CIRCUS

I ventured out on a field trip to Petsmart today with 2 of my 3-ring circus entertainers. They whined the whole way there-I'm pretty sure they were upset about where we were going because last time we got in the car, we moved to Houston. I can't say I blame them. So we get to Petsmart and Mav jumps out of the car and poops right in front of the store. He obviously couldn't have done that at home when I gave them the opportunity to potty. To make it better, I went to get a bag out of the station, and there were no bags so I could pick up! Arg! So we go inside, and Mav is of course sniffing every single display, treat and toy. I turn around, and Goose has spied the birds and small pets...and has started stalking them. We investigate half of the store, then make it to the back of the store. I see the stuff I need for Mav (a collar so he won't lick a hot-spot he has) and head that way...he apparently thinks it's acid and acts like I'm murdering him when I try to try it on him. While he is having a spaz attack, Goose is running circles around me and wrapping me up in her leash, then she hits up the cardboard box with stuffed toys in it and decides that having one is a top priority. We re-organize to try to make it through the rest of the store and peruse the toy and treat aisles. Goose has already picked her prize out, and Mav picks up his...my 90-pound guard dog picked up a 4-inch squeaky, stuffed football. I swear, it was one of the smallest toys they had, and it was the last one they had left-he literally dug it out. Oh well, whatever makes that crazy guy happy. So we go check out, and the nice cashier lady offers both dogs a treat. Mav is scared to pieces, won't take the treat, and instead takes shelter behind me. Goose on the other hand (mind you, she is my sweet-natured, calm, quiet, ever-trustworthy little girl) GRABS the treat out of the lady's hand! I deal with her, then turn around to check on poor scared Mav who is still plastered to my backside. I turn back around to find that Goose has cornered this poor cashier into her station and is basically executing a hold-up for treats! I reprimand her, release the cashier from her being a hostage, and find that Mav has been scared even further into my backside by the innocent lady placing her items on the belt behind us. I nearly threw my credit card at the cashier and told her just to sign it for me so we could LEAVE! Then, she spouts of with "Aw, apparently he (meaning Mav) is the quiet, calm, and subdued one." OMG. Anyone who has ever even met my dogs knows how backwards that is. He may be sweet as can be, but to say he is the calm and subdued one and my sweet Goosey is the demanding, not-scared-to-be-social one...seriously, who traded out my dogs for these guys? These are not the dogs I know. Time to load up the circus and head back home...

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?!

We have been working really hard at school lately on some very practical stuff, so I've started to go a little looney again. As I started to tell you in the last post, we have been working a lot on our research project. We finally finished our proposal including some serious review and editing-HUGE thanks to our mentor Holly West on help getting that into working order. We should have our IRB forms completed and submitted by the end of next week, which is actually exciting for us research geeks! In addition to the stuff I mentioned in the previous post, I spent some quality time working on my suture skills. I now have my very own suture kit! That's right, next time I get into a fight with a sharp object, Ryan doesn't even have to take me to the ER! I could totally suture myself right up if it weren't for that "I pass out with needles" thing. I got to go to clinic last week, which is always nice. It always brings me back home to why I'm working so hard right now. So it's just been an assortment of stuff to do each day and a different schedule that changes literally by the minute, but I'm loving it all! You know I love a little chaos... We start finals next week and take a practice exam for our licensure certification! EEK! I have to admit, I'm a bit freaked out about that. Week after next is the rest of our finals and presenting our research proposals to the faculty. Presenting isn't the hard part; defending your study and fielding the questions will be the "fun" part... Time is just flying by! I emailed my preceptor today to get the necessary info for my first clinical rotation. I told you-I'm a big kid, now! I can't believe it's less than a month away. I'm looking forward to all the hands-on experience and getting exposed to the different areas of medicine I could practice in one day. Let the adventure continue...

Oh, on a random note...my study group got a little distracted one day and assigned each of us characters from FRIENDS. They gave me Phoebe. They said it was because I'm independent and always have something unexpected to say...I think that's code for I walk to the beat of my own, unique drum! Haha