Weekend in Missouri

I'm really behind on posts but I wanted to post about my weekend at home.

I flew out of Pensacola on Thursdays afternoon (this airport is so lifeless!  There is NO one there.  I wasn't able to get my people-watch on.  I was literally the ONLY person in security...other than the creepy Chester looking TSA guy who was gawking at me.)

Anyway, when I landed, I have never been more happy to see my mother.  I felt like it had been years since I hugged her!  When I got home, I was greeted first by my little fluff ball, Sierra.  She remembered me!!!  (I was fearing she wouldn't).  If you know her, she's not really a lap dog (despite being a toy breed, a Pomeranian.) but she wanted nothing more than to sit in my lap =)  Then I got to hug my Daddy and sister.

I cannot express how happy I was to be "home".  The house I'm familiar with, the couches, the bathroom, the love.  It was so surreal.  I had feared I would feel like a guest in my parents house since it was no longer "my" house.  But I didn't.  I fell right into my old "groove" and all my old feelings.  (Except I had a new room. My sister took over my old room the DAY I left....little punk.  Although, it's much bigger than her room so I don't blame her.)
(AND....another bad thing about home now, since I'm gone there are no real snacks in the house *tear*  I was always the junk food one).

The next morning, Friday, my mom and I headed down to Wash U for my scan.  After a lot of issues with my insurance, I finally got my scan (separate post coming tomorrow about that).  After too many hours there, we headed to lunch.  I had been craving St. Louis Bread Co.  [...or "Panera" to all you non-St. Louisans.]  Leah met us for lunch and we all caught up.  I love family time =)

[Side Note...and a gross one:  In the middle of lunch, my sandwich got stuck.  So I headed to the bathroom for my usual dislodging routine.  They have ONE bathroom...yep, one.  For the entire establishment.  And it was occupied.  I waited.  And waited.  The person was obviously taking a fat dump.  And my food had decided it would dislodge itself.  But of course not in my favor...it was coming back UP.  I didn't know what to do.  Can't use a toilet, I guess outside is the next best thing.  I briskly walk past my mother and sister and out the door into the parking lot.  As I'm crossing the parking lot to the mulched area, it came fire-hosing out of me!  Just shooting out, mid-walk, in the middle of the parking lot.  I'm sure everyone loved seeing that.  It didn't all come up so I continued to make my way to the mulch and puke.  With all the passersby watching, pointing, and giving me dirty looks.  If only you really knew people.  No, I'm not bulimic.  Just keep your judgmental eyes and comments to yourself and keep walking.  I walk back inside and my sister tells me that she saw it.  Their conversation went something like this
Mom: "What is she doing?!" as I walk past their table and outside. 
Leah: "Uhh...throwing up.  In the middle of the parking lot." 
....and apparently the table next to us watched me in disgust too.
To the people in Panera trying to enjoy lunch and good conversations, my sincere apologies.]

And onward.  I finish lunch.  Mom goes home and Leah & I continue on to do some shopping.  [My dear sweet sister bought my pups Mizzou jerseys for the tailgate tomorrow =) ]
Then we head home, packed up our stuff and the cars and we {my mother, sister, and her boyfriend Kyle} hit the road for Columbia, MO!

The car ride was entertaining.  Kyle drove half the way...we sang, we danced, I "shot" people out of the way, and I applied fake nails.  Successful mini-road trip?  I'd say yes!

We arrived at my brother's place, mingled a bit, and then headed to Trops.  For those non-Mizzou peeps (which automatically means you lose cool points), Trops, also known as Tropical Liquors, is an alcoholic slushie type place.  They have the consistency of an Icee from 7/11 or like a strawberry daiquiri.  They have MANY flavors which you can sample before you make your decision AND you can mix.  And those bad boys are strong.  A medium is about 20 oz and contains about 5 shots of liquor.  Of course I got my fav, half Cherry Bomb (cherry vodka mixture) and half Silver Bullet (Everclear mixture).   Check out all their flavors HERE. 
All my favs were there....Jessie and Jen (my besties), Teeny (lovable cousin), Amber-Head and her fiance Derek, Meagan, Nick and his awesome fiancee Daniella (they are using our photographer AND DJ from our wedding), Totes, and course my amazing family (Mom, Ben, Leah, Randy, and Kyle).  We all had a great time. {To the rest of you family members, we missed you all....and YOU missed a great time.}

best friends, Jen & Jessie

Friends: Derek, Amber, Daniella, Meagan

my sister, Leah and her boyfriend, Kyle

The night didn't end there.  We all went back to my brothers and hung out.  Jessie and Jen were crashing on an air mattress in Ben's kitchen {hotel fell through last minute}.  Shortly after we arrived back at Ben's, my wonderful husband and adorable puppies arrived!!!  Nick left that afternoon right after his last IFS exam and drove straight through with the pups...what a trooper!
Then we called it a night.

Saturday was Game Day!!!!  It was Mizzou's 100th Homecoming....they began the tradition of "Homecoming" back in 1911 so this was our centennial.  I LOVE my Alma mater and there was NO way I was missing this.  I coincided my scan and doctor appointments with Mizzou Homecoming =)

Anyway....game day....Jen, Jessie, and I got up early and headed to the Yager tailgate (Jessie's family).  It was so great to see her family. I really do love them. They're like a second family.
Then we walked to my family's tailgate (which was only a 2 minute walk...score!).  We drank, ate, laughed, socialized...it was great!  Vino and Yadi were there in their Mizzou jerseys.

They were SO well behaved.  They just sat or laid there.  Didn't bother people while they ate.  Didn't bark or jump on passersby.  My aunt and uncle were throwing this tailgate with about 40 of their friends.  We had SO many of them compliment our dogs...not just on how beautiful they are, but on how well behaved they were.  They were so ridiculously amazed that they were puppies and acting so well....that most adult dogs don't even behave this well, let alone puppies.  Made me proud (but in all honesty, I knew they'd behave.  We wouldn't have wanted to bring them to the tailgate if they were going to act like assholes and cause us to fuss and stress over them.  Plus, we've trained them well (and they are crazy intelligent.)  I love my dogs so much!

After a few hours of tailgating, we headed inside to watch the game (we being Jessie, Jen, Nick, Mom, and I).  Leah, Ben, and Kyle took the dogs back to his place and headed to a bar to watch the game.
The game was not exciting at all.

Nick and Jessie at the game

We were completing crushing the Iowa Cyclones.  So we left shortly after halftime and headed back to the tailgate.  We weren't the only ones with this idea.  I'd say more than half of the tailgate was back before the game was over.  We continued to grill out, drink, and socialize until about 7pm.

my brother, Ben, and my cousin, Christine

My two favorite men: my brother and my husband

my brothers: Ben and Josh

<3 Hubs

I decided not to go out that night with my girls.  I hadn't had quality time with my brother since I got here and I don't know when I will (another post for another time).  We just sat around, hanging out, and being our laughable, obnoxious family.  This was the best part of my weekend and I'm glad I decided to stay in =)

My mother and sister cuddling with my two fur babies

Sunday, we got up and hung out some more.  We said goodbye and made our trek back to St. Louis.  We stopped at Nick's aunt and uncles house to hang out for a bit.  We got to congratulate Mike and his new fiancee in person and see her gorgeous ring =)  And they got to meet our little fur babies.  Then we stopped off at my other best friend, Julie's house.  Then it was off to my Grandparents house where the rest of my aunts, uncles, and cousin (and new boy toy) were there.  I was so happy to see them all, update them on my life, and let them meet my little babies!!!

Our time with each family was so short and FLEW by.  But when you have ONE day to see everyone, you can't stay in one place long.  Hopefully we have more time over Christmas =/

We left the G-rents and stopped at Imo's for dinner.  Imo's is a St. Louis specialty...amazing pizza!  We miss it so freaking much now that we're gone (well, Nick has been missing it since he enlisted...poor guy).  Then it was home for my Dad to meet his grandpups and for them to meet their stepsister, Sierra (and Zoey).  Dad loved the dogs as I knew he would....although he was more partial to Vino but that's because she's just one big cuddle bug.  Sierra wasn't a fan but then again, she's not a fan of any dog in her domain. But thankfully Zoey and Yadi got along well and played together great.

It was so great to spend this last night hanging out with my family, watching the Cardinals game, eating Imo's and having it be like old times.  I didn't want to go to bed.  I didn't want my family to go to bed.  I wanted this trip to last much longer.

But we had to go to bed because we had an early doctor appointment =(

So the next morning we went to the doctor for my results (CLEAR!!!....but more on that later).  We then headed home, packed up the car and started the 12 hour drive "home."  Saying goodbye wasn't as hard this time.  Mainly because I was just so happy and grateful to have been home and get that precious time with my family.  I was happy to have my family meet my new little "family".  I was happy to hug my parents and my siblings.  Happy to hug my Sierra.  Happy and thankful.  Thankful for this short but sweet trip home.  I wish I had much longer at home...to spend with more family and friends and old co-workers.  MUCH MORE time to spend with my brothers and sister and parents.

But the holidays are around the corner, right?  At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

So there you have it...my "abbreviated" trip back home to Missouri.  Short but sweet. 

CT Scan #18

EIGHTEEN!!!  That's insane.  I've had 18 CT scans since January 2006.  Absurd.  Did you know ONE CT scan is the most radiation the human body is supposed to receive in a year???  And I received three, sometimes four a year.  (Four in my earlier years.)
My CT scans (of chest, abdomen, and pelvis with contrast) are a radiation dosage of 30 mSv and a x-ray of the same area (chest, abdomen, and pelvis) is only 6 mSv.
This amount of radiation puts me at a moderate risk of developing cancer.

So you're checking for cancer with something that can give me cancer?? Ironic?  It was something we questioned in the beginning.  So, if the radiation from ONE scan put me at this "moderate risk"...and I get 3-4 a year?  So....you're checking for cancer recurrence with a procedure that greatly increases my risks of cancer?  Sounds intelligent, right?

Well, like I said, we questioned this.  But with my type of cancer and the places of relapse, a CT scan would best show it.  An x-ray wouldn't give us good enough results.  So in the grand scheme of things, this is a risk we have to take to make sure if I would relapse, we'd actually be able to see it and treat it in time.

But that all has a dark cloud over it.  Most of you reading this know me, so you know my story.  You know a little bit about the cancer. 
"we'd be able to see it and treat it"
That's blowing smoke up my ass.  Doctors, medical journals, studies...they all say the same thing.  FAT CHANCE!..but in more professional terms.  There's no success with relapse.  You can't "treat it" again.  It's a one shot deal.  As my not so nice radiation oncologist (picture an older, grayer Kevin Bacon but with Dr. House's 'tude) said "If it comes back, it will take your life."  Comforting, right???

These are the thoughts inside my head the few days leading up to a scan and in those waiting period days.  It makes the waiting game the cruelest game on the planet.

People always ask why I let the scan get to me.  Why I worry.  That's why.  It's easy to tell me or anyone else to be positive.  "All the last ones have been clear so why think this one won't."  Simple.  Yeah, for you telling me to do it.  But not for the person in the situation...not for the person living that life.  I obviously don't have good luck...I mean, I got this little bitch of a disease....this bastard cancer that only affects four in one million people.  It's success rate isn't high at all.
It's MUCH easier for the one not getting the scan, the one who didn't have cancer, to sit back and not understand.  Saying it and believing it are two entirely different things.  You say to tell myself "Well, I'd just keep telling myself it's clear and it'd be fine." Well, when you're in this situation, you try that and get back to me with how that worked out. 

We're human.  It's natural to play the "what if" game.  I do every 4-6 months when it's scan time.

I will admit this scan wasn't nearly as bad as any of the last.  Usually, the weeks before a scan, something in my body doesn't feel right.  I start to worry.  "Uh oh.  The cancer is back and that's why I feel all wonky."  But this scan, no weird feelings!  I felt 100% healthy.
But the week before, I started reading this book about a woman who had cancer. {Dumb idea, I know}  She felt 100% fine and then BOOM!  The big C-Word.
"Oh gosh.  All those times I felt like crap and thought maybe.  And didn't.  Now, I feel good so what if it's the opposite."  Insert internal freakout mode and sleepless nights.

So anyway, the day of the scan...

Mom and I head to Wash U (I promise you, from working at the CDC there and living there in 2006 plus all the crap in the years afterwards, I could drive there in my sleep.)

We walk in and I check-in.  I'm sitting down, filling out my paperwork.
"Melanie Dickens"  (Glad to see you all updated your information the other day during our phone call.)
I get up (cue stares and whispers "she's so young!")
Problem.  Although all my insurance info was updated a few months ago after we got married, my doctors office never called Tricare to authorize the procedure.  Freaking-fan-tastic.  This should be fun.
So we had to sit there and wait.  Wait for radiology to get ahold of someone in Tricare to authorize this CT scan.
As if I'm not all nerves already.  Now I have to wait longer.  She tells me it might take hours and it might not even happen today.  Lady, it needs to.  I have to go back to Florida on Monday....

After what seems like a lot of run arounds and TOO much time passing...
"Melanie Dickens"  (although she now knows this isn't my name and has updated my info, she doesn't feel the need to use my real name.)
I walk up fearing her telling me that Tricare won't authorize my procedure.
"It's all taken care of!  Go ahead and have a seat and they'll call you back."
Thank freaking goodness!!!

It's not too long before I'm taken back.
This time, I get to go straight to the IV room.  (Normally I sit in the tiny waiting room to get my IV).  Pam is there to put my IV in.  She's been in that room for the past 3 years and puts my IV in every time.
She never remembers me.
Sometimes, I'm thankful.  It makes me feel normal the way she introduces herself and tells me the same stories about her daughter or her husband or her dogs.  She's not looking at me in that way that others do.  The "oh you poor thing.  Still coming here every few months for these scans."  Pinning me as "the young girl with cancer."
I go with it.  Pretend I've never seen her in my life.  Allows me to feel normal.  To act as if this place isn't my second home.  Act naive as if I don't really understand what this all means...what it could mean.  Pretend this isn't my normal life.  This worry isn't a part of who I have become.  I get to pretend to be normal.  Even if I know I'm not, she doesn't know that.
Other times, I'm sad she doesn't recognize and remember me.  It's sad because it means she sees THAT many people in here.  That there's that many people she encounters fighting some sort of battle.  It makes my heart heavy.  There's so many of us that we're all just numbers on a piece of paper.  Yet despite that, she's the happiest and nicest woman ever!

Once my IV is in, she wishes me well and sends me back the waiting room.  It's so tiny.  There is one couch and one chair next to each, with another couch across from them.  It's so tiny that my knees practically touch the old man's across from me.
This is the part I hate.  This waiting room is always full of old, old people.  I'm sure you've met a few old people...they LOVE to talk.  Most of the time, I don't mind.  I love talking to the elderly and hearing their stories, answering their questions.  But not here.  I don't like it here.  A young girl walks in and they stare at you with hawk eyes.  They want to know your story.  And they definitely aren't afraid to ask.
Today, I have one elderly man and two elderly women in the room with me.  They all stare when I walk in.  I sit down.  Stare into my lap.  'Maybe if I don't make eye contact, they won't speak to me.'  Wrong.
Old man says, "So, what brings you in.  You look a little too young to be in here." 
I decided to make it kind of light-hearted, hoping to ease my mind a little if I could laugh.  Maybe ease their nerves too?
"That's the funny thing about cancer.  It doesn't care how old you are."
Old woman next to me snorts and says, "Ain't that truth, sweetie."
Then the other woman asks, "Breast???" 
(This entire time, their eyes have not left me.)
"No, Leiomyosarcoma."  (thanks lady, I know I have no boobies but you have to assume it's from a mastectomy?! I'm just naturally flat, thanks!  But it's okay...my Hubs claims to be a "Butt Man" anyway.)
Old Man: "Well, that's a new one!  What's your prognosis?"
WHO ASKS THAT...HERE?!  I just smiled and said "I'm in remission...at least I hope I still am."
They all drop their eyes.  I think they sensed my tone and saw the tears well up in my eyes.
You moron!  THIS SCAN will tell me my prognosis.  Ugh.
Thankfully, the tech comes back and calls my name (along with Old Man).
She drops me off with a smile outside the exam room and says they'll be right with me.
I take my seat outside and wait.  Again.

I wait for what seems like an hour but was probably only 10 minutes.  All the while doctors, nurses, techs all walk by.  Giving me that same sad look.....but smiling when we make eye contact.  I wish I could get in their heads.  How do they look at people like me all day long....knowing we're sitting out here to lay in some stupid machine that will tell us our fate??

Finally, she comes out to get me.  I enter and sit on the table...bed...thingy.  "You've been in here before.  Didn't you just move here?  Or make a big move?  You just got married, didn't you?!"
I was actually happy to hear she remembered me.  And it wasn't for my cancer.  Dawn remembered ME...my life.  Personal things about my life.  We chatted a bit about the wedding and moving.  She told me she was in the Air Force for about 15 years and was also an Army brat growing up (all of which I knew and remembered but I liked hearing her stories again.)
I complimented her on her memory and said "it's impressive considering I'm only here every few months and I'm sure you see a lot of people on a daily basis."
"Yeah, but you're easy to remember.  You're probably the youngest person we get in here.  And you're the first and only person we've ever seen with LMS in here."  ....lucky me =/ 
              (LMS = Leiomyosarcoma)

She then lays me down and puts a blanket over me.  I know to pull my jeans down past my knees (metal from the button interferes), lift my legs over the brace, and prop my arms above my head before she even asks. 
(I normally have to chug an entire cup of water but for some reason, I didn't have to today.  Thank goodness.  I hate water and it's always room temperature.)

She leaves the room.  Awkward creepy computerized man comes on "Take a deep breath. Hold it."  .....and I go through the machine, at a normal speed.  "You may breathe."  *exhale*
She comes back out, tells me she's administering the contrast.  "Let me know if this burns or is painful.  You know the drill".  And I do.
She presses the buttons and the contrast enters.  I feel it....it's cool as it enters my elbow-pit IV.  Then my arm gets hot...then my face....then my neck...then my chest...then my crotch...and it feels like I'm peeing.  (No joke.  It gets so hot that it honestly makes you feel like you just peed your pants.  Weirdest.Feeling.Ever.  When you get this contrast, they even warn you, "It will make you feel like you're urinating, but don't worry, you aren't."  I think this is something everyone should experience once in their life....just saying.)
She leaves.  Normally the warm/hot feeling leaves as quickly as it came.  But today, my throat is hot.  And it starts to feel like it's closing.  But I don't want to say anything.  I want to get this over with and leave.  I don't want to look like a wimp.  Maybe it's NOT really hot and I'm just so anxious that it feels that way?  Maybe my anxiety is making me hot?  Maybe I'm not hot and it's just my anxiety causes my throat to close and I'm blaming the hot contrast? (all rapid thoughts in my head).
Then I hear the creepster again, "Take a deep breath.  Hold it."  And I slowly begin moving through the machine.  It takes forever the second time.  And even longer when you feel like someone is strangling you with gloved hands the temperature of the sun.  "Don't move Melanie!  Don't move!" I tell myself.  I'm about to freak the eff out and start hyperventilating when Creepo says "You may breathe". Oh thank you, Jesus!

Dawn came back in and says "All done".  I always pay close attention to how they talk to me when they re-enter the room.  I know my scan popped up.  I know a radiologist was in there.  If anything was there, anything of a decent size, they would have been able to see it right then and there.  And if they did, I assume she might act a little differently.  But she didn't.  Which I took as a good sign.
She told me to drinks lots of fluids, wished me well, and sent me on my way.

Then it was the waiting game.  This time wasn't so bad.  I was back home with my family and friends that I had missed SO much and it was Mizzou's Homecoming so it was really easy to not think about it all weekend.

Until Sunday night rolled around.  Thankfully this time, I had Nick by my side.  He held me that night in bed....well as much as he could with two dogs in bed with us.

The next morning we went back to the hospital.  Went to the dreaded 7th floor....which will always be known as "Chemo Floor" even though it's the "Oncology Floor".  Yes, my doctor is on this floor but the entire chemo ward is there.  It brings back memories that make me sick to my stomach.  It's hard to walk past it.
But in we go and I sign in.
After an HOUR we finally go back to a room.
We don't wait too long before some woman walks in.  I don't even remember her name.  She introduces herself as Dr. Adkin's partner. ['Where is my doctor?']
She blabs a bit about something and then tells me my scan looks great and it was all CLEAR!!!!  {insert huge sigh}['Where is my doctor? Where is Toni? Why didn't THEY give me this great news?' (Toni is his nurse and she's my favorite!)]
This doctor talks about some stuff that I don't even remember because I was so happy to have a clear scan and because I was wondering where my team is...Dr. Adkins and Toni...whom I love and have trusted with my life the past 5+ years.
She lays me down and does a small physical.  Pushing all over my belly.  Checking for swollen nodes in my neck.  Asking me if I have any weird pains or discomforts.  Anything wrong.  "Nope.  Nothing."  I felt 100% healthy.

She then explained that from here on out, we're moving to x-rays once a year.  YAY!  Less radiation!!!!  The rate of recurrence at the sight has decreased enough that if I'd relapse, it'd most likely be in my lungs, in that case an x-ray of the chest would show it.  Obviously, it's not guaranteed to be there if it does come back.  And that's just if LMS comes back.  I could get another type of cancer and that could be anywhere.  But, we're just hoping we don't have to worry about anything anywhere!!
She also said that if at any time I feel that something isn't right or a pain, I can just call them and they'll order a CT scan to check it out or ease my mind.

We left super happy.  But I was still REALLY bothered that I didn't get to see Dr. Adkins or Toni.  You'd think they'd want to share it with us....they've been through this journey with us for the past 5 years.  If this was Dr. Linehan, he'd definitely be there for it ;)  I guess they just didn't care as much.
(Actually, when we tried to make our appointment next year on a Monday, they said Mondays are now for patients currently battling the disease so I'm guessing he was busy with more pressing patients.  Which is understandable but still sad for me.)

Despite not seeing those two, it was a very good visit and I'm so happy that we now know I will officially make it to the 5 year mark and that's SUPER exciting!!!!  It's a HUGE milestone.

CT scan #18....DONE!
That makes 14 clear ones!!!!  (the other 4 were pre-surgery and treatment scans so I actually HAD cancer then)

I'm a beast!!!!  Can't wait for November 20th to really celebrate!!

Vino Rose

We adopted another puppy!

Please meet Vino....Vino Rose

Some of you might remember that we've been planning (since long before we got married) to get a Weimaraner and a Vizsla.  And now our little family is complete (...at least for a few years before some little human rugrats enter the picture.)

Vino is a Vizsla, which is a Hungarian short haired pointer.  It is identical to the Weimaraner (Yadi) except in color and size.  Wiems are German and silver where as Vizslas are Hungarian and red/rust colored.  Vizslas are also typically smaller in size than Weims but they have identical body shape and build.

right after we walked outside with her from picking her up

About a month ago, after weeks of scouring PetFinder.com for a Vizsla pup, we came across a litter of them!  They were all adorable but we knew we wanted another female.  I emailed the contact and they sent us pictures of all 5 females.  We missed out on the tiny puppy stage with Yadi since she was massive at 11 weeks old so we picked the tiniest one of the litter, who also happened to be the cutest as well.  The one we picked out was named "Rose".  We decided it was only appropriate to use "Rose" as her middle name.
Unfortunately, we were not able to pick her up because they lived in San Antonio.  We were weary of having her shipped to us but we knew Petfinder.com was reputable but to be safe, we asked for a contract, which they willingly sent.  And that was it.  Just had to pay for her to be shipped to us.

The name.  Vino...well you know me.  I love my wine (as does my entire family).  It seemed fitting with her deep red color.  And when I called her that, her tail went crazy and she came running over to me outside the airport. No turning back.  Vino Rose it was!

Thursday, September 29, 2011, (just three and half days ago) we headed to Pensacola airport and picked up our little girl.  She was so scared and shaking (understandly.  She had been traveling for 8 hours BUT had been taken care of VERY well between each layover and was in a climate controlled area the entire time) but the moment she walked out of her crate at the baggage office, her little tail was wagging like crazy.
We were shocked at how small she was!  She looked so much larger in pictures!  We got her at about the same age we got Yadi (almost 12 weeks), and Yadi was easily 2-3 times larger than Vino.  After some loving outside the airport, we took her to PetSmart, stopped by her Uncle Julius' house to get her Kong and meet him, then came home for her to meet her new sister.

cutest little thing ever!

my babies!

cuddling with her Mommy

Yadi was excited about her but Vino was terrified of Yadi's large bark.  Vino wasn't really into playing with Yadi just yet.  (Although she wanted all of Yadi's toys)
Yadi wasn't sure what to make of Vino but by the end of the night, they were cuddling together on a pile of blankets Yadi claims as her (since her bed was thrown away and we haven't gotten a new one yet)

The next day was much better.  Vino loved Yadi and the two did nothing but run and play in the house and in the yard.  Yadi is starting to understand how much bigger and stronger she is than Vino but little Vino is a beast and takes it all like a champ!

It's now Monday afternoon and although I hate to say this so soon, we're pretty sure Vino is potty trained.  She's had ONE accident in the house and that was Friday night.  That's it.  She goes to the door, hits the bells, and goes outside and potties!
She came into our house Thursday at about 7pm and by Friday at noon, she was hitting the bells to go outside and potty.

The first two nights in her crate, she barked and whined but only once and that was it.  Then she slept through the entire night and didn't have any accidents.  In fact, WE have been waking her up in the morning!!!
The second day we had her, we left her and Yadi in their crates while we went to a bar to watch the Navy vs Air Force football game.  We were gone about 3 hours.  When we left, Vino wasn't whining.  When we returned, she was sleeping!!!!  Woohoo!

We're on essentially day 3 and she knows "sit"!!!!  She caught onto that command so quickly.
(It's hard to train her because Yadi is SO food obsessed and wants the treats I have as well as the ones Nick has.  Even though one of us trains with Yadi and the other with Vino, Yadi runs back and forth between the two of us.)

[Our only complaints thus far are that Yadi had started to slow down when she ate and now she inhales her food again...even though they are fed in their own crates or in different rooms.  The other complaint is that Yadi LOVES her mommy. So anytime Vino comes into my lap, Yadi is right there to knock her out of the way and get in between us.  I'm sure this will subside with time but it also stinks because I can't cuddle with Vino as much as I'd like because I don't want to make things bad between the two dogs.]

Overall, we are so ridiculously happy.  We have the worlds two cutest dogs.  And they are both brilliant.  We are incredibly lucky to have two dogs who learn things so easily.  And I cannot tell you how happy I am that Vino was pretty much potty trained instantly.  Nick and I didn't even really have to do anything.  It's been nice and easy.  Let's just hope it stays this way.

I love my little family and I am so obsessed with the three of them.  I cannot thank God enough for the blessings in my life.  Being away from my family is so hard but having Nick and these pups make it all better.  I'm not sure what I did to deserve such a life, but I thank God every night for blessing me with it all.

For my non-Facebook family and friends, click HERE to see pictures of Vino (and Yadi)