Make Me a Margarita

I Make It Look So Easy

I received the best compliment today. I was at a PTA event, a fundraiser for my kids' school at McDonald's. My friend Teresa and I were talking about my dog fostering adventures, and she said that I "make it look so easy."

I almost choked on my McDonald's Sweet Tea. I definitely laughed out loud.

I am a MESS! A disorganized, frantic, out-of-control weirdo. Seriously. I figured out when Teresa said that I "make it look so easy" that I may be misrepresenting myself on Facebook, to my friends, and on my blog. I thought it may be appropriate to admit to y'all that I am STRUGGLIN'.

I should give you a few examples.

I have laundry in my basement floor. It is piled. Piled high.

My daughter had an intervention with me recently about her bookbag. She said that her bookbag is starting to look like a paper volcano erupted in it.

We are excited in the morning if the children actually make it to the bus stop on time. Bus-stop-days are good days. Non-bus-stop-days result in an angry pajama-clad Mommy dropping kids off at school.

On that note, it is embarrassing to drop the kids off at school because at drop-off, all of the trash in my car falls out the car door when the teacher opens it to get the kids out. There is nothing more humbling than a teacher picking up an old sweaty sock and a shin guard to throw back into the floorboard of your car.

And work...it is okay to have ONE cup of coffee on your desk. But with me, ONE cup turns into three or four, and the remains of the cream-topped coffee may be growing my daughter's next Science Fair project.

Speaking of my desk, it is pretty bad when you go on vacation and come back to a cleaned desk. They weren't firing me; they were feeling sorry for me because I have to work in a self-created hazardous desk environment.

Back at home, you should see our "shoe closet." DON'T OPEN THE SHOE CLOSET. It is so full of shoes (that we don't even wear), we literally have to take a running start when we are closing the closet door.

I have a printer that my parents gave me for Christmas. Printers are good for creating letters, copying and printing useful information, etc. Our unopened printer box currently serves as a stand to hold our cable box next to our TV. I could open it. Seems like an easy enough task. But nah, I think it looks good sitting right there under the cable box. I will continue to go to my parents' house whenever we need to print something. (You might be a redneck if...)

I have a beautiful antique piano in our living room. It has a layer or six of dust on it. When I do get around to dusting it, it is a quick "around the picture frames" job to make it look moderately presentable.

Sometimes my mom pities me and does our dishes.

Bottom line is...I might make it "look" easy, but life isn't easy. I am a normal human being, with normal problems. Sometimes my problems may be more excessive than other people's problems, but I pick my priorities. Fostering dogs may look easy when I do it because it is one of the most rewarding aspects of my life.

If you have ever considered turning in a few of your duties (dusting, doing the dishes, cleaning out the shoe closet) in exchange for a fun volunteer job, contact one of the following organizations for dog fostering opportunities:

Franklin County Humane Society www.plannedpethoodrockymount.com

Roanoke Valley SPCA www.rvspca.org

Sometimes, You Just Need to Hold a Puppy

When you're all alone
and there is nothing to do,
When you're feeling tired,
When you're feeling blue...
You Just Need to Hold a Puppy.

When your husband is mad
Because you haven't mopped the floor
And your feelings are hurt,
And you can't take any more
You Just Need to Hold a Puppy.

When your friends have ditched you
And your life is a mess
And you're not getting it right
And you're feeling stressed
You Just Need to Hold a Puppy.

I foster puppies to help them out of rough situations, but I foster to help myself as well. Puppies... they love unconditionally, which is more than I can say for human beings. Sometimes, You Just Need to Hold a Puppy.

Meet the O'Doggies

Meet my newest foster puppies, the O'Doggies. I'm calling them the O'Doggies because I do not yet know their names, though they are in the litter of "O"-named dogs. My kids and I have played around with "O" names, thinking that we may be informed that the girl is Oprah, Olga, Olivia, Olive, or Oma. The little boy pup may be Orville, Oliver, or Ollie.

As soon as we find out the names, we will let you know. Until then, here are the photos of the O'Doggies with their happy foster mom.

Joanna with male "O" pup

Joanna with female "O" pup

"Hello, my name is Joanna. I am a foster failure."

fail·ure
n.
1. The condition or fact of not achieving the desired end or ends
2. One that fails
3. The condition or fact of being insufficient or falling short
4. A cessation of proper functioning or performance
5. Nonperformance of what is requested or expected; omission
6. The act or fact of failing to pass a course, test, or assignment
7. A decline in strength or effectiveness
8. The act or fact of becoming bankrupt or insolvent

It is official. I have adopted a foster dog. The dog I adopted is number 36...Isabelle. That's right...my 36th foster dog. I knew it was going to happen when I refused to send photos to my Foster Coordinator, Michelle, at Franklin County Humane Society. I didn't want anyone else to look at her photos and fall in love. It was confirmed in my mind when my husband called her "Belly," and said that he loved her.

"Belly" is a mini-doxie that fits right in with our family. She is approximately two years old, black and tan, and was recently mommy to a litter of pups. I didn't get to meet her puppies, and it is a damn good thing. I would probably have to apply for a kennel license and adopt them all.

Adopting a dog is always an exciting thing, but the job of the Foster Coordinator is to make sure you keep on fostering, so of course Michelle said "Does this mean I'm going to lose you as a foster?" when I broke the news to her that I want to keep Belly.

I am a foster "failure," as defined above, but keep in mind that while I didn't finish this fostering experience the way I had originally planned, I did make a mini-doxie a very happy member of a doxie family. Sam (my dachshund) and Grace (my first mini-dachshund) love her.

The question remains to those who are reading this...

Am I going to continue to foster dogs?

Why, of course I am. I'm addicted to the "feel-good" that comes from it.

Left to right, Isabelle "Belly"...then Gracie...then Sam Sam

There are local shelters that need your help. Can you open your home to a dog or cat for two weeks?

Franklin County Humane Society: www.plannedpethoodrockymount.com

Roanoke Valley SPCA: www.rvspca.org