Well, 2010 is here. Sounds kind of funny if you say it "twenty ten." I think I'm sticking to "two thousand ten" myself. A new decade, a fresh start, and lots to look forward to!
We didn't have a
White Christmas, but we sure did have a
White New Year! The neighbor has saved my husband a few times from the never-ending snow shoveling that we've started the year off with. As he's not so anxious to get out there and start movin' the white stuff ... the kids are more than willing to help out!
2010 also means that
LaTonya Marie Photography is going to kickoff Monthly Giveaways!
I've spent the last few days thinking about what January could feature. There's several ideas that I'm working on for later months ... but what can I do in January? And then, as I was sorting through some pictures this afternoon, it became perfectly clear. Pets. I know, right, pets? Yes ... four legged, furry creatures that make us crazy mad sometimes, and crazy in love the next.
We have pets, three of them to be exact ... and these three can drive me insane at times ... chasing, chewing, barking, clawing, and all of the other joys that being a pet owner entails! Cleaning up after them - from both ends! Making sure the yard is 'picked up' before a cookout or when the kids go out to play ... 'yard fudge', that's what my dad calls it ... i know, gross, right?!? But if you're lucky enough to own one of these special creatures of God - you know exactly what I mean! Having a pet is like having a child ... it takes just as much work and training ... and can cost just as much too. (you know what i mean)
As the holidays brought joy and cheer ... it also brought some tears this past year as well. On Christmas Eve I had to rush our two year old dog, Nina, to the vet, after she had a strange reaction to some medication she was taking. I wasn't able to bring her home until the Monday after Christmas. My baby had to stay hooked up to IV's for four days, while the doctor tried to figure out what was going on. We did discover through bloodwork and xrays that her liver is a third of the size it should be. Could this be the cause of all the problems we've been having since Thanksgiving? The only way to really know is to do extensive tests and biopsies - something we can't afford to do. So, we wait. She's home and doing fine ... eating, drinking, pooing ... everything seems back to normal. Her liver could just be small and she was just some funny kind of sick ... or her liver could be small because it's failing, and there's nothing we can do about it. Without spending thousands on tests, time will tell. If she resorts back to the same symptoms, we will know why. And that's something I hope we don't have to face. She's our pet - my baby, Isaac's buddy, Alexia's love, grandma's baby girl ... a big lover who jumps up on ya, dirties my carpets, digs in my yard, sheds EVERYWHERE ... and protects us and loves us unconditionally.
Then there's Jetta ... our gay cat. We originally thought HE was a SHE - a jet black kitten who showed up under my mom's shed in October, that somehow found his way into our home ... and our hearts.
He eats out of pink dishes and sleeps in a pink bed ... but the kids can't adjust to calling him Jet, so Jetta he stays ... and he is the sweetest little loving guy you could meet ... definitely a mama's boy. The cutest thing of it all is the bond that Nina and Jetta have ... these two are each other's shadow - that cat snuggles up with the dog every night ... and Nina is happy as a peach because Tinker, our other cat, isn't too fond of either of them. You see, this was her palace, she ruled the house here for three years... and now she has to share. Miss Tinks is a sweetheart herself - both of my cats have such unique personalities ... I'm not quite sure they know they're cats. And Tinker tolerates the other two, and even plays - when she wants to. Tinker loves to get up early in the mornings and 'talk' to her 'master' as he gets ready for work ... they have bonding time, and what makes it even more funny- my husband is allergic to cats! He does have a special place in his heart for Tinker though, and I love him for that!
So, as I didn't mean to make such a long post, this one kind of required it. Now you know about my zoo, and as crazy mad as these three can make me, they somehow make me love them like crazy. Life without them? Cleaner, quieter, calmer - yes. But something would be missing. They say that pet owners live longer lives ... and even say that you may look like your pet - well ... i guess when my hair was highlighted, Nina and I did share some resemblance ... lol.
If you don't own any pets, then I'm sorry for boring you ... but if you do ... and your pet is a member of your family - you know the special kind of love I'm talking about ... and truth of the matter is ... if you have this blessing in your home, love them back, because that's all they want.
All three of ours were 'rescued', and I encourage you to consider giving one of those sweet things a second chance. And, as Bob Barker would tell you, please get them spayed or neutered ... let's help control the pet population.
So ... back to the giveaway! For all of my pet owners out there ... if you are kind enough to donate a bag of food (that we will collect and take to the local animal shelter) ... I will photograph your pet(s), provide you with a disk of all the edited images and a 5x7 print. All you have to do is contact me on facebook, or send me an email: hullphotography@att.net If you'd like to make a monetary donation, that would be accepted as well ... everything collected will be taken to the shelter and greatly, GREATLY appreciated. My daughter opted to collect donations for the Humane Society a couple years ago for her birthday instead of presents... and when we delivered all the goods, they were more than appreciative to receive it, and Alexia was quite proud to help out. Every little bit helps ... who's ready? This offer will continue through the end of the month. I will also be volunteering to photograph the animals at the shelter, so that the staff can use those to post on their website, create flyers, etc.
I thank you in advance for supporting this cause.
"THE BEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS IN THE WORLD CANNOT BE SEEN OR EVEN TOUCHED. THEY MUST BE FELT WITH THE HEART."
