Great Resource!

Just wanted to write a quick note about a message board that has been a wonderful help along this process of learning. It's called the Student Doctor Network, anyone interested in getting info about vet school (or dentist, med, or physical therapy) should check it out!

www.forums.StudentDoctor.net

We're up north!

I feel terrible for not updating this thing more, need to do that. Guess I'll start now. We're in Washington, visiting family on Christmas break. :)

 This is a photo of us with Shorty, our new home when we move! :D

Nothing good happens after 2am. . .

Just wanted to do a quick update on here: I will be meeting with my counselor Laurie on Monday afternoon to discuss whether I should stay at COD another year or still try to transfer early.

The biggest problem with transferring early at this point is coming up with the money for the college applications since my fee was not waived. It's about $150 for all three schools, which is a lot.

Probably the biggest factor behind us staying, though, is the fact that Sean wants to stay. He wants to be able to start and finish his fire academy all at the same place, and I don't blame him. My condition for him, though, if it he wants to stay an extra year, he will have to finish here with not only his academy, but also his AA in fire science. We're going to meet with a counselor for Sean asap.

If we do stay, I'm going to see if I can finish my business track that I was on originally and   graduate at a double major in biology and business. Just seems a little more substantial to me.

Here's a photo of me receiving an award for having a 4.0 GPA last semester (taking 16 semester units). From left to right is Laurie, my counselor, Cecilia from ACES, the VP of COD, and the president of COD with me in the center.

Oh yeah, and I'm now officially one of the starting middle blockers for the volleyball team, at least if you go off the last four games. :)

Eyes on the Prize

Taking 21 semester units at once (and playing a collegiate sport, which is very time consuming) might be considered stupid. I even think it's stupid sometimes.

Here's how I see it: if I can't handle almost double time at a community college, how can I handle full time at a real college? (Let alone vet school??)

When I get tired from back to back exams in heavy hitting classes, I just think about the reason I'm here. Not for me, but for the animals that I someday hope to help. 

This is why I want to become a veterinarian. I need to do what I can to prevent unwanted pets from being born, and to help educate future generations on pet ownership responsibilities. 

The cycle starts all over again, with one unspayed female.

They didn't ask to be brought into a world that didn't want them. Most of the animals did nothing wrong, except exist. It's not right. Someone needs to stop it. 

Bodies left where they died, trash bags tossed on top. Many shelters euthanize without using sedation, causing extreme pain before death). And yes, they euthanize puppies and kittens, too. Cute or ugly, young or old, if it's not wanted it will be killed. 

As horrible as these pictures are, looking at them (and remembering what is really going on out in the world, outside my cozy little bubble) restarts the drive that started this whole adventure. I have the ability and the opportunity to make a difference, so I will take advantage. Someday, I hope to be able to help. 

Or, I could be like Sean and take open book exams. Might make me a lot more relaxed. 

New Addition!

I almost forgot, the Miller clan has a new addition! Her name is Loki, she found us outside the grocery store in Cathedral City after Sean and I watched The Avengers at the dollar theater. 

We named her Loki after the dude from the movie. I realize she's a girl, but Loki means mischief maker in Norse so it fits her perfectly. Plus, I just loved the line in the movie ("He's my brother." "He killed eighty people in two days." "He was adopted.") so when Loki is bad, we can just say she was adopted. ;)

(These are quick photos from Sean's dad's iPad, I'll get some good ones up soon). 

So far, Loki does NOT like the dogs one bit. She scratched Cub on the nose pretty good, so Cub is not thrilled with the little fuzz butt. Gunther is terrified of her because she hisses and spits at him. Mrow Mrow doesn't like Loki, but I'm hoping they warm up to each other because the only reason I'm willing to keep Loki around is to be a friend for Mrow Mrow. (I know, right? It's so weird that Sean wants the furry more than I do!) 

Please ignore my ugliness, I was sick and in pain!! lol 

Living the gypsy life

On the road again?

My crazy husband Sean is excited. I can tell, because he’s doing research and talking to his parents about it. He wants to buy a trailer for us to live in for six years. I have lived in a trailer before, alone, with a cat and a hamster. It was a small trailer, and Sean was there pretty much every waking hour. We loved it. I don’t know how it would be now, with the two of us plus two dogs and Mrow Mrow. Gunther is, whether we remember it often or not, a very large dog. Sometimes he bangs into things in our apartment now, gets caught in tight corners and has trouble turning around. I don’t know what he would think about a trailer. Cub wouldn’t care; she is small and fits anywhere. I would worry a bit about Mrow Mrow. She has become accustomed to her secure yard here, able to go in and out as she pleases. We have become accustomed to not having a litter box indoors. Cub is a notorious cat feces eater so it just makes our world a better place not having one. Maybe we could rig something so she could have an outdoor area. . .

Sean found a trailer park a couple miles from OSU, and said the rates are only $475 a month including everything. That’s really not too bad. But first you have to count in the cost of actually buying the trailer. Sean figures we would invest money into buying a home, so isn’t that the same difference? I say, no, trailers are like cars, they lose value over time whereas property will only increase in value. Sean says trailers hold their value well, and that it doesn’t matter ‘cause we would keep it forever. None of this, mind you, considers the fact that we would have to buy a truck, too, to pull the trailer (Sean would really hate thaaat….) ;)

I love this guy, he’s a nut job but he’s my nut job. If he wants to live in a trailer, I’m all for it! Can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in the future! ;D 

As Promised

As promised, here's an updated photo of Sean. He's in his new outfit for College of the Desert. :)

Also, we have a friend staying with us until Monday. Her name is Tootsie, she was one of our last rescue dogs before we closed down Yimeyam Ranch Rescue back at Christmas 2011. Her mom and dad love her so much, she's a very spoiled little girl. She was a special one, for sure, so it's really great to have her back even if just for a few days.