100th Post

Exactly one year ago I wrote out my first blog post, rather nervously. I had no expectations about what my blog was going to become. Several of my friends had blogs and I wanted to join their adventure. I'm glad I did.

Cause now we get to celebrate! Ice cream for everyone!! With raspberries sprinkled on top. Delish.



In honor of this post, the giveaway is closing and Jonnah and I were *going* to announce the winner. But due to the contrary weather which canceled our meeting...we were not able to draw the winner so we will postpone announcing it until "further" notice. How much further that will be...only time will tell. Not longer than two weeks, I can guarantee. We will definitely be seeing each other in two Fridays.

One year has changed me so much. I look back over my archives and I see the things I wrote. I see the way my writing has changed. I see the things that happened to me. I see how much I have learned. It shocks me. And makes me smile. {My first blog post makes me laugh so hard.}

God is so good. The last year has been painful in many number of ways. I have a habit of not telling people my troubles. I guess it is because I don't want to burden them. I hate it when people always complain of their rotten lives. So I don't.

Especially since this year has also been the best year I have ever lived. God taught me so much. So many of these posts are filled with life and love and opportunity! Pieces of my heart. And I can look back on it and see the journey that I have traveled. It is amazing.

Now I am going to tell you all about my Saturday, because it was a huge landmark in my life. It was filled with dogs, dogs, and more dogs... ~_* {I am still in love with this winking guy.}

For those of you who have been hanging out here long, you know that I own a business of raising show dogs. English Cream Golden Retrievers, to be exact. Well, the day came. They are finally old enough. I went to my first show!

And it was fantastic! Long, exhausting, brutal, but fantastic. Both Tizona and Silver won their championships! And Silver won top dog of her class in two of three shows {the silver plates}.

The basic outline goes like this. There are three different shows and three different judges. You pace your dog up and down a long mat so they can see their gait and then you stack them {see pics} for the judge to see their conformation. Then the judge will check their teeth and feel their joints and send you on your way. All three judges rate you on your 1. ring presence 2. head 3. body 4. front and rear quarters. In each category you can get  up to 50 points. A perfect 200 is almost unheard of, but VERY desirable. Based upon the rating of each judge, you get your ribbons. For the first set of three shows you have to get above a 177 to get your ribbons. There is a white ribbon, a red ribbon, and then the blue champion ribbon if you win the other two! You have to get above 177 in each show to earn all three. AND BOTH OF THEM DID! In fact, Silver got 199 in TWO of her shows! {I know this is all confusing. ;)}

Then, for each set of three shows you get higher ratings. Next show they will have to get above 187 to get their championships. And the one after that 197 to earn their prominent championship. Which is what you want to get.

So I have two more sets of three shows to go.... Scary. And exciting. Here are pics of Tizona and Silver stacked with their ribbons {and me too, ;)}!!

{Tizona}

{Silver}

 

 

{before the judge ~ sorry it's so blurry}

 

And then, after the show, I headed  to the airport to pick up our new pup. She does not yet have a name, so I am fondly calling her Pickle for the time being. ~_* She is a little doll.

 

 

Yes, I was exhausted in this pic. I woke up at 6:00 am to get ready for the show. And I very stupidly went to bed at 1:00 am...Yeah, slap me. Then this girl's flight was delayed so she didn't come in until 6:20 that evening. I ate VERY little until we got home so I was pretty tired. But happy. On more than one account.

 

And that was my Saturday. A lovely day. I will look back on it lovingly for a very long time.

 

Last night we got...more snow. :P I think Spring has forgotten what it is supposed to be like and decided to be winter. This SHOULD be the last snow of the season...but, knowing Missouri, you never can say.

 

Now I am off to finish pages of my book before the end of this month pounces out at me and yells at me for not finishing.... :P See more details of this at Stories in the Mind {link above}.

 

 

G'night, my dears!

 

 

Yes, it was planned. My 100th post on my one year anniversary. :D It may be silly, but it makes me happy. :D