Eldad has the magic touch...

http://www.godvine.com/The-Very-Touching-Rescue-of-a-Pit-Bull-Living-in-a-Ditch-1060.html

Please don't forget that Pit Bulls get a bad wrap due to the people who mistreat them.  And it's not just Pit Bulls, ALL BREEDS and MUTTS are abused at the hands of terrible people.  Just give them a chance.  Just because the dog is a Pit Bull, don't hold it against them.

Local Shelters in Reading, PA

The two main shelters in our area are the Berks County Humane Society and the Animal Rescue League of Berks County.

Please note the dogs and cats you see photos of on these websites are just a small portion of the animals that are up for adoption. Please try to go to the shelters or their events to see all of the babies up for adoption.

My Calling

I've always known in the depths of my soul that I am supposed to be helping animals or working with animals in some way, shape or form.  To do this every day would be a dream for me.  But since I can't quit my current job, I can at least start small.  I'll be posting about dogs who need foster homes, FURever homes and everything inbetween.  The animals you will see will all be local to my area in Reading, PA.  I will, however, post other rescue stories, such as the one below, so it will sink in just how important it is to adopt.  And as you will see with the video, sometimes all a dog needs is a hug as you will see from Eldad Hagar of Hope for Paws 

http://www.orvisnews.com/Dogs/Video-All-It-Takes-Is-A-Hug.aspx

By the way, Orvis is a wonderful company who promotes the adoption of shelter dogs.  I just love them.

The hubs and I are soon leaving for a trip of a lifetime.  We're heading to Kenya for what they call a 'safari express' tour then off to Istanbul for 3-4 days of exploring.  We're going with a group from Friendly Planet so there are pre-set tours and others that we can pay for while we are there.  Upon researching our trip, I began looking into the places where we are going once we are in Nairobi.  When I googled the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust since it's a stop on our journey, I fell in love.  This place is doing amazing work in Kenya rescuing orphaned elephants and rhinos whose parents fell victim to poaching.  The following is from their facebook page:

'We exist to protect wildlife in Kenya. We are best known for the hand-rearing of orphaned elephants, so that they can return to the wild when grown. Together we can give these orphans new life http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/fostering.asp'   And you should see and read the stories of their orphans.  We wanted to do something here and now.  The Hubs asked me to select a rhino (there are two) and elephant and he would give money to help 'foster' them.  While we both knew hundreds of people were helping to foster them, we felt that every little penny counts.  Introducing our foster babies, Rombo, the elephnat and Maxwell the rhino.   Rombo - you will have to scroll down and find his name amongst the others.   Maxwell - you will have to scroll down and select Rhino Orphans. We are thrilled to learn that when we visit the orphanage we will be able to see and even maybe meet our foster kids.  I have a feeling it's going to be quite difficult to leave once we are there.  Most of the orphans have quite tragic and dramatic stories.  Elephants are very emotional creatures, so when the calves witness their parents being killed for ivory, they become quite distraught.  It's all very sad to be truthful.  All in the name of ivory.  I could go on and on but I won't because I want you to read the stories for yourself.  And if you're moved, remember, every dollar counts so make a gift! 

I've been a bad blogger.  Bad Blogger!  Bad! 

I take months off at a time and let life take it's course.  And while this is happening I always envision myself blogging away with the best of them.  It never happens though.  I sit in front of a computer for work, all day, 5 days a week, so the last thing I yearn to do when I have down time in the evening is sit in front of my laptop blogging away.  You understand, right? 

So here I am, back with a new blogging attitude.  Hope you like it.  Hope you read it.  Hope you follow it!

Drum Roll Please!

I was sick last week for 5 days.  Not fun.  And because of this, I was not able to make it to my WW meeting and was not able to be weighed-in.  This made me very nervous.  Did I lose?  Did I gain?  Or, did I stay the same?  I was dying to know.

Finally, the week had passed and my Thursday was upon me.  This only meant one thing to me...WEIGH-IN!

I stood nervously in line, almost slightly dreading to step on the scale because I didn't want to fail myself.  I stepped on and to my astonishment and joy, I found out that within the past two weeks I lost 3.2 lbs!  A grand total since beginning this program and way of life of 5.2 lbs lost!

You know what that means, right? 



The Weight Watchers 5lb Star!

I was thrilled.

Now that today is Friday, you want to know what feels sooooo good?  I'm wearing the pants that 4-5 weeks ago were the reason I decided to join Weight Watchers.  They fit again.  Just as they should.

Lavina - A Dress by Any Other Name...just wouldn't have been the same!

My dress hung in the big window of my parent's hotel suite with the sunshine illuminating it from behind.  Unfortunately, the photos that I envisioned of that very moment just did not turn out so well but I will post them. 

My dad left to go downstairs to the lobby while I got dressed.  My mom and bridesmaids assisted me into my dress and then it was time to lace the inner corset, zip her up, and button the myriad of buttons down the back.  Lisa and Cheryl worked hard but it was worth it.  Everything felt good.  Nice and secure and within moments I went from a girl wearing a veil and a robe to a bride.  My earrings and 'something borrowed' bracelet were on. The final touch?  My favorite thing of all of my purchases for the wedding.  MY orange shoes!  Yes, that's right.  I said orange shoes. 

Cheryl helped me into those and once I finally stood up, I realized to myself that I've never felt more beautiful.




   We got a few more photos with my girls, then they had to go downstairs to catch the shuttle bus.  It was this moment where the photographer took some photos while I waited with my mom. We got some great photos.

The anticipation was building and it was finally time to go down to the lobby to wait for my brother to pull the car around and for the shuttle bus (with my groom in it) to pull away. 

We waved goodbye to our photographer and loaded ourselves into my Dad's van.  Once we were in and started to drive to Valley Forge National Park for our pre-ceremony photos, we all realized that it was just the four of us (and my darling 1 yr old niece).  My brother, my Mom, my Dad and me.  Just as it had been for the first 15-16 years of my life, it was at that very moment in my life.  The moment stuck a chord within all of us.  It's a memory that I'll never forget.