Week 10

Sorry for the late posting yet again, I've been sick all week and didn't feel like getting out of bed to post. Anyways... Since I was feeling bad, I didn't get to talk to Patrick very much this week. He's good, busy as usual. Nothing too much to report other then he's been working on something that keeps getting delayed. Frustrating I'm sure. But, I am glad we're into double digits now!

Here are some pictures from home this week...

Winston helped Mimi paint (and got it on his head, ears and tail)

Just a cute picture of my Jack

Winnie and the toy he won for doing the most push-ups at class!

(he actually tied with Scout, so they both got one!)

Well, 10 weeks down, only 42 to go. I can't wait for it to all be over!

Week 9

I'm posting a day late, because I was a little tied up yesterday. I have started working at Buddy's again, since I've found it next to impossible to find employment elsewhere. And I was a double yesterday, so I was on for about 12 hours, and I came home and crashed. So here I am, posting on Monday.

Things are going pretty well. Patrick and I have both signed up for Skype and have been able to video chat on our webcams! It was so great to be able to see him while we were talking. Way better then just a regular phone call! It is a little tough, because he usually calls or gets online in the afternoon here, when he's just getting off of work. But it's late over there and when he gets back, his roommates are sleeping, so he can't actually talk on the webcam. The times we can talk to each other, or "video chat" is when he is getting up for work, or has a break from work, and his roommates are gone. That is somewhere in the early morning hours over here. The other day he woke me up at 4 am to talk. But I'm not complaining. I'd do it everyday just to get to see him! Since he's been working so much and so hard, they've let him take some half days, which has made it easier for us to talk, and he is able to catch up on sleep he misses working long days and staying up late to talk to me. He got to see the boys on the webcam too. Jack laid in my lap and stared at the computer screen while we were talking. They miss their dad so much!

Here at home, as I said I started picking up shifts at Buddy's, and that is definitely keeping me busy! Winston had his second "good manners" class, and he was the star if I do say so myself! He was used as an example doggie TWICE! The first new command he demonstrated was "wait". The instructor asked if she could use him as an example, and I said "Well, you can try!" I usually make Winston sit and wait for his food, but he tends to release himself when the bowl hits the floor, and he dives right in. Needless to say I was shocked when he was completely successful on the first try! The next lesson wasn't the same. She then wanted to use Winston to demonstrate how to reward big dogs for good leash behavior. She borrowed Winnie, and started walking him around the room, and he had a minor freak out because she took him away from me. He got very scared and shut down. Then he practically climbed into my lap when she brought him back to me. Is he a mama's boy or what?! We also learned targeting, where you get the dog to touch a certain point with his nose (we used our pointer and middle finger together). Winston is doing so well with this after only a day, he was jumping to reach his nose to my fingers held high over his head! Can't wait to see what we learn next week!

That's all for now. Keep Pat in your prayers. 9 weeks down, 43 to go...

birthday presents

So... I got Patrick a webcam for his birthday! He didn't get the package on his birthday but he got it this afternoon. Since it was his birthday yesterday they let him take a little time off from work and go home and drop off boxes and such. While he was there he tried to get in touch with me to tell me to get online (he can now email my phone so I get it like a text!) but it was 4:30 in the morning here, and I was definitely sleeping. So, he took some pictures for me and sent them to me. Here they are:

I know they are just pictures, and they're nothing terribly special, but oh my goodness it is so good to see him!!! I'm working on getting my webcam set up now (ps... babe, did I tell you I got one for me too?!) so we can try and figure out Skype together or something! Hopefully I'll be as tech-savvy as him and get it up and running right away.

Happy Birthday!

It's Patrick's birthday! He is 25 years old today! I have to remind him from time to time... he always forgets how old he is/is going to be. He made it to the quarter century mark! Of course, we're all sad that he is so far away and celebrating without us. Celebrating might be the wrong word... considering that celebrating right now probably means getting through the day at work with no problems, and climbing into bed early to get enough sleep for tomorrow! Doesn't sound like a terribly fun birthday, but don't worry babe... we'll celebrate when you're home! I sent a package of birthday presents out a week ago, so hopefully they'll get there today, that would make the day a little better I'm sure. Plus he has presents to open from his mom and mine, and a few cards. So it might feel a little like a birthday after all :)

We all love you and we miss you! Stay safe and come home soon! Happy Birthday!

Week 8

8 weeks down! Hooray! Not too much to report from the desert... Patrick has been working very hard, he's always very busy. Very busy and important (haha wolfe st. tha was for you). Since he's been working so hard, he was given a half day yesterday. Unfortunately, something came up and they needed him to stay, so he didn't get to leave early. Hopefully he'll be rewarded again. He said the dust storms have been bad, so that's keeping them especially busy. We talk a lot these days. He is able to get on the internet in his can more because he bought his own adapter for the outlet and doesn't have to share with his roommates. So I'm pleased with that, it's always good to hear from him.

Here at home, Winston went to his very first good manners class yesterday. My mom was supposed to be taking Lily as well, but she was not cooperative, so she took Scout instead. Turns our Scout is terrified of other dogs. He kind of shut down and wouldn't move and was shaking uncontrollably. He eventually settled down and got into the groove of doing what he was told by the hand signals. Winston was quickly dubbed the class bully by another woman who was coming into the building at the same time we were. Winston was easily four times the size of this dog, and he was anxious to meet him, and lunged toward him to sniff. The woman who owned the dog got scared and went inside and told the instructor that Winston was mean. In the class, there were two other big dogs, an Akita and a Bulldog. Winston tends to get very defensive around dogs that are closer to his size, or bigger. So when he made eye contact with these other dogs he growled. He is so bad on his leash that he had to be tethered to the wall. All the other owners were able to drop their leashes and work with their dogs. Not me and Winnie! But when he had to listen he did VERY well. I think he was the best one in the class. The instructor was very impressed that he listened to every hand signal, even though he was obviosuly distracted and sometimes had the leash wrapped all around his legs! So we'll see how training this week goes... we get to play hide and seek!

Only 44 weeks left! And counting....

winston's tricks

This first video is of Winston being stubborn and not listening very well... it's entertaining though!

This next video is of Winston doing his tricks VERY well!

Week 7

Well this week was pretty exciting on the home front... Patrick's sister Kendall had her baby! Litlle Mackenzie Margaret was born Friday night down in South Carolina. She is SO cute and I can't wait to get down to visit her! I was the lucky one to get to tell Patrick that he was going to be an uncle on Friday. He called me and I told him that Kendall had been in the hospital all morning, and so he called his mom for more info. He got to talk to Kendall on Saturday, which was exciting I'm sure. Patrick is sad that he wasn't here to be with everyone, and he said he wished it was closer to his birthday (the 19th!) but he's so happy to have an adorable little niece!

Patrick is doing well this week too. Things still seem pretty busy from what he tells me, busy but good. He said that the weather has been bad. It's been raining (I know, I'm surprised too) and sand storms. But other then that not too many complaints.

More news from home... Winston started doggie training Saturday! I was a little skeptical at first, but he is doing SO well! I'm shocked, I thought it was going to take forever to train him. We've been working on sit, lie down, and what the trainer calls a push-up (which is where he sits, lies down and pops back up to a sit). We're not allowed to use verbal cues this first week, so he's doing it all based on hand signals! The hardest part was the push-up but today's only the third day, and he's got it now. I'm very impressed. I'll work on getting a video of it. So next Saturday we'll go back and see what else we can learn! Hopefully at the end of the 8 weeks he'll be a perfect little (well not so little) dog!

45 weeks and counting....

Mega Storm '09

It's Day 2 in the hotel, looks like we'll be in Richmond another night! We just had breakfast downstairs with the other stranded travellers (there's a lot since we're at the airport) and we all shared stories. Here are some pictures I took this morning with my phone of the snow outside our window...

Week 6

Well, I'm writing tonight from Richmond. My mom and I left for South Carolina on Thursday, to celebrate my nephew Whitaker's 1st birthday! On our way home tonight, we hit "mega storm '09" (as the news is referring to it here). After witnessing several accidents in a matter of minutes, we decided it would be best to pull off the road. So here we are, stuck in a hotel at the Richmond airport until who knows when. The weather here in VA is calling for 10 inches of snow tonight, and up home in MD it's supposed to be around a foot. So we may be here a while! Good thing it's comfy!

Anyways... Here's a slideshow of Whit's birthday celebration. He got good and messy, and was almost Kelly's only boy not to cry, but as fate would have it, at the end he told us he had had enough. Enjoy!

As far as Patrick's 6th week away, nothing terribly exciting. I actually didn't get to talk to him very much. He's been extra busy, and I had to go 4 whole days without talking to him. Needless to say, I was a wreck. But he called yesterday, and today, and everything is ok. He said he's been doing very well at his job, and his fit rep looks good, and he's being recomended for all kinds of things! I can't say I'm surprised, I knew he'd do a great job, no matter what he was doing. But I am glad he's being recognized. I am able to start planning our vaca a little more and more as the weeks go on. It looks like we'll be taking the train to NYC and staying in a swank hotel. I can't wait!

That's all I have to report for now... Only 46 weeks to go!