Bringing home Mika

While my two travel companions are both snoring, I suppose I'll take the time to map out our EVENTFUL roadtrip to Elberton, GA!

Stephen and I decided we were both ready to take care of a dog and I have been wanting a doberman for a long time. Last month, I was looking on the Pets Inc website and found 3 adorable doberman pups (one in particular!) and had stephen call IMMEDIATELY to see if they were still available for adoption. Unfortunately, the man said they were all adopted and my heart sunk. I haven't looked much since then until this past weekend when I was thinking about the 3 pups again, envisioning the one who looked so cute sitting on an old quilt. I was thinking, "if only i'd acted sooner" or "if only i went to the actual shelter more, then I would've been one of the first to see the dogs." Feeling a little sad about missing out on these great dogs, I started my online search for a puppy again last weekend. And lo and behold...i found the same exact picture of the particularly cute puppy on the quilt! I thought it had to be a sign! What are the odds?!

My heart started pounding and i dialed the number without a second thought. A woman answered and I asked if she was still available....holding my breath, i waited for the worst answer. But she said YES!! I told her to send me an application at once. I had the application filled out and emailed (and faxed....just to be on the safe side) the next day. Turns out, her original owner lives in Lexington where brokendobe rescue shelter is located. They are an organization that places dogs with foster parents until a permanent home can be found. "Lacy" was sent to a little farm in Elberton, GA.

So today, my cousin Morgan and I drove to Elberton to pick her up.


When we parked the car, my heart sank. The following are just thought blurbs because the scene was that traumatizing:
-12 horses out in the pasture....10 more in the stables
-3 dogs running around outside with no clean water
-mangy cats lounging around the porch....one had no right eye and was missing a portion of her right skull
-smell of feces
-owner has lack of hygiene
-6 dobermans in the pens outside...2 or 3 more inside
-2 cockatiels in the house...can't see the bottom of the cage. covered in feathers and poop
-filthy house...pee puddles everywhere
-trash. everywhere.
-empty boxes of horse heart worm medicine on the ground...she has been giving the dobermans horse medicine


The one thing that lit up my face: my dog. I was walking towards the pen of dobermans and they all started barking and running back and forth. Not my dog. She was locking eyes with me. Jumping straight up and down and keeping eye contact with me...like...I KNOW you're coming for me.




Her old life will be left in the past along with her old name "Lacy." She did not respond to it anyways..never any one-on-one time with the owner, she had never been given a bath either...turns out, she loves them. Mika is her name now. And she is ours.

#7. Read 40 books (2/40)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson


I started reading this book during a 2 hour flight delay last month and spent my day off yesterday finishing it. Overall impression? WTF. I knew it would be a helter skelter type book if you've seen the movie, and although it did not make much sense, I still found it very entertaining. I love reading books (or watching movies) about people who have overcome drug addiction or who were/still are abusing drugs and alcohol. I find it so interesting and am incredibly passionate about the subject. I'm fortunate enough to be able to study these subjects at school and I'm actually excited to start classes again in 3 weeks.

On an ironic note, I wasn't able to go 10 days without drinking alcohol. My 30 day count is, once again, postponed. I'm not an alcoholic, so in my head, staying sober is not a "need to" matter, but a "want to." And when I look at it in that light, of course I won't push myself to avoid drinking. I'm beginning to wonder if I will ever be able to take this goal seriously.

#49. Go to a concert

Shannon, Carla, Jessica, her sister, and I went to see Dave Matthews and Amos Lee last night in Charlotte! It was alot of fun except for the fact I threw up after the concert and am STILL nauseous 24 hours later... and Shannon doesn't remember a thing- I wasn't even drinking! Great success or epic fail? Either way, it gives us one great memory :)

#7. Read 40 books (1/40)

South of Broad- Pat Conroy

GREAT book! I'm slightly embarrassed to only have read 1 book by now! I've never taken so long to read a book (I believe I started in December), and before I made this 99 list, I read at least a book each month, but then I started school in the spring and had absolutely no free time to do any pleasure reading. Now that drops the "books in process" count to just 3! I'm still trying to finish Club Dead, A million little pieces, and Fear and loathing in Las Vegas. Fear and Loathing is a short book, so I'll try to finish that one first, and now that I'm on the current season of True Blood, Club Dead is right about where the show is lining up so it'll be interesting to see what the show has changed.




I'm working on crossing off a more difficult goal- to resist alcohol for 30 days. I am one week sober today and I really didn't think it would be this difficult. I have already tried to postpone my 30 day stretch because I'm going to the Dave Matthews concert in 2 days, and would love to be able to drink at that BUT if I start making excuses now, I will allow myself to make excuses every month...like I have since January. I may learn something about myself in the next 23 days, hope I like the outcome...

#15. Go white water rafting

Sorry for the delay! After vacation in MD/CO, I've been up to my eyes in work and random things I have been putting off. One new thing I've added on here is a Flickr page and a photo stream on the right side (below my beer/wine list). I'll continue to add to the flickr page, and add pictures of rafting as soon as I get a chance so stay tuned!



I've never been white water rafting before, and CO was a CHILLY introduction. Water in the mid-30's will definitely wake you up! We only went through class 3 rapids, but the water was so shockingly cold, I don't know how well I would have functioned in a class any higher! It went by way too fast, but it was alot of fun and I would love to go again...maybe next time in warmer waters though ;)