Updates...

Ok so, school started and everything is good with Thomas' teacher so far. Thomas seems to like her and although she is a little on the quirky side, she doesn't seem to bad. I still worry what she will be like after having kids all day everyday for a few months but I guess we'll just take it as it comes. He is next in line to be moved to the other class but I don't think they will  move him after the first week of school unless there is a concrete problem. To tell you the truth I feel kind of bad for her. She knows she is the least preferred teacher. It can't be fun knowing that you are the one that nobody likes/wants. We went to Back to School Night last night  and she was explaining that she knows that when the other teachers walk by her classroom they think she is yelling at her class and that she isn't very nice but that she has nerve deafness in her ears which makes it hard to know how loud she is talking if there is a lot of other noise going on around her. She said that she has asked the kids to give her a certain signal if she starts shouting. I don't know what to think. Honestly, I figure if Thomas is happy, I am happy. We'll see how it goes...

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For those of you who are interested in the ongoing Maya saga, well, she's gone now. She left us this past Sunday and the family that came and picked her up was really great! They are the kind of people that we would totally be friends with if they lived closer. Since they drove away with her they have let me know that she is doing well and they love her already. I have to say, as much as I don't miss the barking or the other little annoyances that come with a dog, I do miss her very much. I miss her "hugging" my leg and letting we scratch behind her ears when I would come home. I miss seeing her cuddled up on my down comforter at night. I miss walking up the stairs and seeing her lying there with her head on her paws. I miss her cuddling up to me when I would go to bed before Matt, with her furry body stretched against my belly and her eyebrows under my nose. For those of you who really don't love animals this all probably sounds pretty silly and while even I will admit that she isn't on the same level as one of my children she was still one of my babies and I miss her...

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Well, I think that's it! Exciting, I know...

Maya...

To the inquiring minds who want to know:  Yes, we did find another home for Maya *sigh* (although she's not gone yet). Matt is done with having pets for awhile. Those who know Maya know that she has a healthy set of lungs (to put it mildly). I have to admit that it is really chaotic with her and a toddler and kids with friends all making noise at the same time. The barking does annoy me, but it drives Matt stark raving mad! He is also tired of cleaning up poop and having to pay to board her when we go on vacations and really just tired of everything that comes with having a dog. Honestly, I am the animal lover in our relationship. He likes them but doesn't want to live with them. He is to the point that I hear him say, " I hate that stupid dog!" at least once a day and I feel like it is his home too and I don't want anymore stress on him than he already has with providing for our family and day to day stresses. So...the dog goes. Yesterday I put her in the classifieds online and within hours a great family had called that have been looking for a Mini Schnauzer for the last year but wanted one that was already house broken...not easy to find. They have kids for her to play with and the mom grew up with Schnauzers so she gets the whole barking thing. They actually live next door to a dog trainer who is willing to help them with Maya...it's fate! Really it was an answer to my prayers that I could find a good family that I knew would love her as much as I do. Anyway, I have to admit that it will be nice to have a little more quiet around here, but when they called back and said they could take Maya for sure...I cried. So did the kids. That's the hardest part, feeling like I am giving away their pet. But really, they don't walk her or play with her much. She's part of our family though and we (me and the kids anyway) will miss her terribly....

Nevermind...

Well, we found her a GREAT home...I just wish I was happy about it.

Maya Needs a Home...

Does anybody want a cute Mini Schnauzer that barks too much but is really sweet? Do you know anyone who might want her? She's my other baby and I need to find the PERFECT home for her. Let me know...

Meet Maya...

This is our beloved family pet, Maya. She is a 3 year old Miniature Schnauzer and is really like a fourth child to me. Matt gave her to me almost 3 years ago as an anniversary/pity gift. He had just gotten a new job and had to head off to a two week training trip and it just happened to fall over Easter and our anniversary. To compound things, I HATE staying alone! I am a very paranoid person by nature and being by myself at night is one of my most anxiety inducing fears. I am much better than I used to be though. Back when we were first married I would either have panic attacks or go stay with my parents or sister if I had to be on my own over night. I have since then hitched up my big girl panties and learned to stay by myself without any anxiety attacks along the way...but I still don't like it! Anyhoo...So back when he left for training I mentioned that I wish we had a dog to "protect" me while he was gone and then jokingly told him that he could get me a dog to make up for leaving me alone for two weeks, not to mention for flying out on Easter and being gone for our anniversary. I am not usually like that. I mean let's be honest, I did kind of manipulate the situation and all. But to my surprise he said ok and I jumped on it before he could change his mind! That night we drove an hour away to pick up a little 10 week old puppy that was supposed to "protect" me while he was gone. Ok, maybe just keep me company! I couldn't find any of her puppy pics but she was darn cute!

We all love her as you can see in the pics above. Here's the problem: She barks. A lot. At people/birds/animals outside, when someone knocks on the door or rings the doorbell, when we walk her and  she sees someone or something, when she hears a noise or a bird flies into the window (the birds in our neighborhood seem to be a little, shall we say, special?). When she starts barking it is nearly impossible to get her to stop, and she is SO LOUD! It's always been annoying but since Em arrived almost 2 years ago the barking has reached a new stress level. I want to strangle the mutt when she wakes up The Pea from a much needed nap! We have to put her in her crate almost everyday when Em takes a nap and then again when the kids get home from school because she starts barking the minute they walk in the door and continues to bark through friends coming and going, knocking and ringing, inside and outside....you get the idea. At this point it is either find a way to control the barking or find her a different home. Let me stop here and say that I do not expect her to be silent. Dogs bark, I get that. But it sure would be nice if we could teach her to stop after a bark or two...or three or even four! I feel like between her barking and The Pea's incessant screeching all day, due to lack of communication skills, I am going to go stark raving mad!!! So, tomorrow we have an appointment with a trainer. Oh how I hope she can teach us how to put a kibosh on the noise issues around here (too bad she can't train the toddler too), otherwise we may find ourselves down by one furry family member. Wish us luck!