Heartworms, Heartbreaks, and Healing - Part 2

Welcome back! If you read my first installment of Heartworms, Heartbreaks, and Healing, you know by now that my month has been rough. I was dealing with a pack of five cats, seven dogs, and a foster dog who was diagnosed with mass cell tumors, pneumonia, and heartworms. God knows I had my hands (or one hand) full, right? Not yet. For Part 2, I tell you how Maybelline came into our lives.

So rewind back to the Saturday when I broke up a dog fight between Justice and Bella and had gotten my hand bitten. I called my hubby crying, devastated, and sad about the outcome of poor Justice. I was weighing so many things in my mind. Well hubby was dealing with a situation as well. 

That night, hubby was leaving work when all of a sudden something darted out in front of his car. He got out to find that it was a dog. He called to it and it came straight to him. He, fearing that it would get hit, put it in the car and brought it home. (He is such an animal advocate now!)

Around Midnight, I get a call from Ryan, "Bring a harness and a leash." Yep, I knew what that meant. Another dog had found its way to our home. So I go outside to find a medium sized pit bull with spots of all kinds and the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. She was scared, but her tail was wagging. She looked well taken care of and was clearly an owned dog. We settled her in for the night and made a plan to find her her home the next day.

The next day, I decided that Facebook was the place to start. I put a post with her picture and where we found her. I used Facebook advertising to send this ad to everyone in Fairburn, GA. The hope was that the owner would see the post and we could take her home (because everyone and their mama is on FB, right?)

We gave our Facebook search a few days. Over that time, over 10,000 people saw my post, over 80 people shared, and dozens of people wrote me with clues about the dog and where her possible home was. (Thank you to all of the people who helped.) Alas, after that time, we were no closer to finding her owners than when Ryan picked her up.

After that, we knew what we had to do...take her to the shelter. Because she was found in Fulton County, we took her to the shelter there.

Let me give a sidenote here: The Fulton and Dekalb County shelters are run by Lifeline Animal Project. On July 1, Lifeline started a No-Kill initiative in these counties where they are aiming to take these counties to 90% no-kill. This means that 90% of the dogs who end up at the shelter will not be euthanized because of lack of space. This is an increase from 50% when Lifeline took over. That is amazing! Because of this new initiative, I felt better taking this dog to the shelter, versus a few months earlier with Justice.

When we got to the shelter, I talked to the front desk staff about how we found her, how we looked for her home, and what the process would be with us leaving her there. They let me know that they would do an owner hold for three days. This would make her non-adoptable in case her owners came for her. He assured me that after that three days, she would not be euthanized, but that she would be listed as for adoption and stay at the shelter.

While I felt relieved that she would not be euthanized, I felt bad about leaving her at the shelter. For those of you who don't know, a shelter is not a happy place for a dog. They are taken from a quiet loving home into a loud facility with strangers poking them, placed in a cold crate, with dogs constantly barking and no sense of where they are. It is traumatizing for dogs. So as we sat there waiting for our turn to do intake, hubby and I decided that we would offer to foster her if her owners did not come forward. We filled out the application then gave her up to the shelter staff. Walking away was the hardest thing.

We went home that day with a heavy heart, but knowing that we did the right thing in giving the owners a chance to find her. With it being the 4th of July holiday weekend, we knew that we would not hear about her until at least Tuesday. We said a prayer for her.

As you have probably guessed, no one went to pick up the dog, who we had affectionately named Maybelline (because she looks like she is wearing mascara and eyeliner around her eyes.) On Tuesday night, I received an email from the foster coordinator at Fulton County Animal Shelter telling us that we had been approved to foster Maybelline. We were happy, then I kept reading. Maybelline had heartworms.

Having just received this same news about Justice, I was not as shocked, but still equally as sad. I knew what Maybelline would be enduring over the next 2-3 months. The injections and the mandatory crate rest. I felt sorry for this poor baby, but I knew immediately why she had found us. She came to us because we could help her through this hard treatment with love and patience. We would not give up on her.

We went back on Wednesday to pick her up. She had just gone through spay surgery, so while we waited on the staff to bring her to us, they filled us in on her status. In addition to the heartworms, she may have developed kennel cough and they were suspicious that she might have demodex, a skin condition similar to mange. (We always get the dogs with the triple threats, right?) We were being sent home with antibiotics, demodex meds, an antibiotic shampoo, and her month dosage of heartworm pills. In August, she will receive her first injections for heartworms.

We were also given orientation as official fosters about taking care of her, when to bring her in for treatments, the schedule for adoption events, and who to contact in case of emergencies. They said that she could be taken to events as soon as we felt she was ready in hopes that she would get adopted. All of her medical care will be taken care of by the shelter, but we will take care of her food and other care.

Maybelline has now been in our home a full day. She is being crated away from our other dogs and being segregated while she decompresses from the shelter. She truthfully seems traumatized and still skittish. We are not pushing her. She can take all of the time that she needs. I plan on taking her to at least one adoption event before the end of the month before we start the heartworm treatments. I want her to find a great home with people who can love her and treat her well.

In the meantime, we have two heartworm positive dogs in our house who have a long journey to healing. How am I going to do it? I have no idea. But I do know that these dogs came into my life for a reason. In Part 3, I will try to tell you why I think these two special dogs entered my home and my heart.

For now, here is a picture of Maybelline that I took when we first got her. Isn't she a cutie? Also, if you or someone you know is looking to adopt, check her out on the Fulton County adoption page. (They call her Malinda, but it is our Maybelline.)

Talk later!
Crystal

Heartworms, Heartbreaks, and Healing - Part 1

The last month has been hard, ya'll. I mean so hard that you truly feel like giving up and just going to bed for a month. Through all of the trials that I have endured, though, I have seen hope and felt like I see a glimpse of the purpose that God has put on my life. For that, I am grateful.

(While writing this blog post, I realized that this is VERY long, so I am splitting it up into three parts...yeah, that is how major this past month has been.)

About three months ago, our foster dog, Justice, came into our lives. One morning, we found out that a close neighbor had died in his sleep. He was a great man who loved dogs and who had worked with us in the past to rescue our dog, Maya. He had two cherished pet pit bulls and a third pit bull who a family member had dropped off at his door. When he died, the family left all three dogs in his home alone for three days without food, water, or outside breaks. When they finally came to retrieve his things, they took our neighbor's two pit bulls and left Justice tied to the back porch with no plan to come back for her. When we learned this, we went over and brought her home to figure out what we could do to help. 

Our original intention for Justice was to get her spayed, vetted, and connected to a rescue who could find her a good home. Well the realities of animal rescue soon hit us. First, we live in a county in Dekalb county, Georgia, where pit bulls outnumber all other breeds. The shelters are literally filled with them. We went to the animal shelter in our county and were told that if we left her there she would be euthanized. And when we asked if they could put her in their system as a foster, we were told that there was no use since she probably wouldn't get adopted. Wow! I refused to leave her there to die in that shelter. So we took her home. I was determined to prove that shelter wrong and find her a good home on my own. 

Fast forward to June. Justice is still in our home. At this point, she has been spayed and we have begun to learn more about her. She is a sweet girl with a huge smile. She loves humans, but unfortunately, is cat aggressive and kind of a bully to other dogs, which has led to some skirmishes in my pack, particularly with my lab, Bella. She needs to be in an only dog home and we need to find a home for her soon. 

In the middle of June, I decide to take her in for one more vet appointment before I list her for adoption. We had noticed her straining to breath and I felt a small knot under her armpit. We needed to make sure she was healthy before we gave her to a new home. Unfortunately, the news that we received would change that plan. 

After some x-rays, blood work, and an examine, Justice was diagnosed with a bronchial infection and heartworms. I was devastated for this poor girl. Believe me, with us living in Georgia, I knew that heartworms could be a possibility with the high mosquito count, but to know that this girl would have to be put through the harsh treatment that included painful injections and 2-3 months of crating was sad. We left that day with three medicines and a plan for the heartworms over the next few months. We were also told that if her breathing had not gotten better over the weekend to bring her back in. 

Well the weekend went by and Justice's bronchial infection had not gotten better, so back to the vet we went. The vet listened to her lungs again and diagnosed her with pneumonia. More meds for Miss J. Then things got worse. Our vet looked at the results from the test she did of the lump under Justice's armpit and told us that she had mass cell tumors. Pretty much, cancer for dogs. Again, I was shocked. I asked lots of questions to the vet, but really my brain could not process it. I took Justice and I went home to cry. 

Over the next few days, I called my animal rescue friends, coworkers, and even people at our Sanctuary in Utah asking for advice. While, I did get hope, I also had people tell me the harsh truth. She would eventually die from this. These tumors come back and are very aggressive and requires surgeries to remove each time. Add to the fact that she has heartworms and we were in an awkward place with deciding what treatment to start first. Not to mention the enormous expense that we would incur. We had a choice to make, do we take her through surgeries and harsh treatments or give her quality for the time that she had left. 

So here I am, with a sick foster dog. How can it get any worse? Well it did. I was home alone with the dogs on a Saturday. After being secluded for a week, I felt Justice needed some socialization. All of the dogs were being amicable, playing, and hanging out. I went to walk into the kitchen to get a drink and in an instant a fight broke out between Justice and Bella. Without thinking, I ran to break them apart. In an effort to pull them apart, I got bit hard on my hand. Blood was everywhere and I was crying while still trying to pull them away from each other. After five minutes, I was able to put each in their crates and calm the other dogs down. But I was a wreak. I went to the bathroom and cried heavily as I washed and bandaged my hand. How could this have happened? Why was I stupid in putting my hand in? Why was Justice so aggressive towards Bella?

I called my husband and told him the situation. He had had enough and felt Justice had to go. I was devastated. I had failed her as a foster parent. I knew what would happen to Justice if we took her to the shelter. A cat aggressive, dog aggressive, heartworm positive dog with mass cell tumors. She would be euthanized before we could leave the parking lot. I could not do that to her. Again, I called my rescue friends and family members to tell them about my predicament. 

The answer that I got was not what I wanted to hear. The answer was that maybe I should humanely put her down. She would not survive in a shelter and with her issues, she was not fit for my home. We would not be able to find a rescue who would take her nor who could afford her issues. They thought that it would be more humane for us to give her a few good days and let her escape the outcome of a sick body and a life of aggression. After talking with my hubby, he agreed. 

In my mind, I agreed with everything they were saying, but my heart could not agree. For the next three days, I spent my time in our guest room crying harder than I ever have. I kissed her big block head and I talked to her about how sorry I was for what I had to do. I talked to family members who consoled me in my heartache. I tried to get my heart to the point where I could let her go, but every time I thought about calling the vet to make the appointment, the only thought that I had was that I was killing her. 

After those three days, my decision had not been made. Even with her sickness, how could I put such a lively, happy dog to sleep forever? I could not do it. I could not fail this beautiful creature. I went to my hubby and told him that I wanted to give her one more chance.

My friends and family think I am insane. I have been told by some that they do not support my decision. Over and over, they have asked me, "What will have to happen for you to give up on this dog? How much money will you spend on her treatments? What if she hurts another cat or dog? How long will you let her suffer before you think about her quality of life?" The answer is, I don't know. I just know that the decision to let her go did not feel right and to me, that means that I must keep trying. 

We have now ended the treatment for the pneumonia and Justice has an appointment with the vet next week to talk next steps. Our vet wants to do the surgery for the mass cell tumor first so that we can diagnose what stage she is. Hubby and I have talked and based on the stage her cancer is in, we will decide after that if we continue with the harsh heartworm treatment. 

It took me a long time to decide if I should write this post. How can I write about a dog who I love, but who has so many flaws? How can I talk about the harsh decision that I battled with to keep her alive or to end her life? Can I deal with the criticism from both sides of the argument about my decision to keep her alive and in our home? What criticism will I endure if my decision was wrong?

Animal rescue is hard. Saving lives is hard. Making the decisions for an animal who has no voice is hard. Why was I chosen to get this dog amongst all of the other dogs who were in need? Well in part two, I begin to get a clearer picture of why Justice...and later Maybelline came into my life. 

I leave you with this picture of my smiling girl, Justice, on the day that we found out she had heartworms. 

Talk later!

Crystal

I Have The Meanest Life Coach Ever!

Sometimes you need a friend to just tell you the truth. The hard truth. It may hurt, but sometimes you need someone to just gut check you. A friend recently said the following to me:

"You are filling your life with animals and food."

She would be the worst life coach ever (lol), but she said this with concern and love. And she is right. With thirteen pets (one is a foster up for adoption), I cannot take anymore in. And at 250 lbs, I need to get back on my road to health. I am not calling it weight loss. I am going to call it, Crystal's ambition to get up a flight of stairs without dying. Yes...that sounds accurate. 

Two months ago, I was doing the complete fitness plan. I was using My Fitness Pal to track my food diary and calories. I was going to spin class four times a week, and had started to add in some weight training. But, I was not losing weight. Not a pound. Not an inch. I was so focused on the numbers that I missed the whole point of the journey. I was bashing myself every time I chose to stay at home and cuddle my dogs instead of going to the gym. I was miserable. I was depressed. I needed to stop. 

So I did. I would not let myself count. I went to the gym only when I wanted to. I stopped an unhealthy mindset before it started. 

Now, I need to get back on track. I am setting a plan. 

First, I loved spin class. I love the music and incorporating the biking with it. If I felt good, I went really hard. If I was more tired, I could take it easy. Either way, I was working out and burning calories. 

Also, I loved weight training. My YMCA trainer has helped me to put together a weight training plan and I can go in and do all of my sets without supervision. It gives me structure and freedom, which I like. 

Second, I need to stick to a schedule that is realistic. I am not a morning person, so I should not set myself up for failure by trying to go to a morning spin class. I won't go my full potential and I will end up skipping it. Right after work is my ideal time to work. I will need to burn off some stress and I am awake, so it is when I need to go. 

Third, the calorie counting does not work for me. It makes me too obsessed with every little calorie going into my mouth. However, I can use My Fitness Pal to keep a food diary of what I am eating. If I look back and see that I am eating too much bread, I can adjust. If I see that I need more veggies, I can add them. I can also plan my meals for the week and plan ahead for good choices. 

And lastly, I am not going to weigh myself. Well at least not at first. My trainer told me to focus on how my body feels at first, how my clothes hang, and how strong I am getting. I should stay focused on them and not a number. If I am doing this right, I may not see weight loss because my body is turning fat into muscle, but after that I will see, feel and know the loss is there. 

I need this badly. Remember the Napa post where I was talking about getting back the confidence and energy of my old self. Well I think this will help. Plus, my body back in the day was like a brickhouse. I was stacked! HAHAHA

Talk later!

Crystal

I Met My Old Self in Napa Valley

Have you ever been something so long that you start to forget who you truly are? I am sure moms feel this. They have been a mom for so long that they forget what it feels like to just be a woman. Or you have been a part of a team so long that you forget how to be an individual. Well that is me now. I have been trying for so long to shape myself into a responsible adult, that I have lost my old carefree self. On a recent trip to California, I caught a glimpse of who I once was, though. 

Last month, I left my hubby for a huge two week adventure across the country. The word epic might have been thrown out a few times. Lol. I did a road trip from Atlanta to Utah (post about that coming soon), did a work retreat at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, then continued to California for a little relaxation in Sacramento before I headed to a marketing conference in Santa Monica. 

For a week, it was just me, a rental car, and lots of the state to explore. I love to drive and see the scenery speed by as I sing from the top of my lungs going down the highway. And a lot of it I saw. 

As I drove and drove, I got a weird feeling of freedom. A full week of exploring a new state that I had never really seen. It was exciting and the anticipation was running through my veins. I was lucky that I had a full weekend made longer by Memorial Day to really take in the sights of Sacramento, which was my first stop. I planned to meet one friend in the area, but other than that, I was free to do whatever. 

During the weekend, I saw Old Sacramento with its kitschy old west look, I went to UC Davis to explore for little sister who is going to college soon, and I had dinner with an old friend. It was great. I literally fell in love with the city and the cool vibe I got from being a tourist. 

And then I went to Napa...

I don't think there is a word big enough to express the love that I have for Napa. It went beyond the wineries and the beautiful scenery. My love came from a group of people I met there who I can only describe as spiritual soul mates. As I was alone on my California adventure, I decided to put on my big bow of fun and make the most of wine country. As you all probably know by now, I LOVE wine! Hell, I even have a whole section of my blog specifically about it. The intention was to do lots of wine tasting, buy lots of wines, and just enjoy some time as a single traveler. Not what happened.

What they don't tell you about Napa wine tastings is that you drink a lot of wine! Yes, they are sample pours, but when you opt for the tasting package that lets you sample ten wines, you are going to get a bit tipsy. (Probably a huge rookie move. Lol) And this was at my FIRST WINERY! Needless to say, I needed food to get me through the rest of the day. Luckily, Napa has this great downtown area where there is food, shops, and lots of tasting rooms that you can walk to, so that is where I headed. 

I walk into a Mexican restaurant to get my nosh on. I sit down at the bar and destiny stepped in after that. As I sit down, the lady beside me gives me a very enthusiastic "Hello." As a person who travels alone, I am always up for a good conversation with a stranger, so I greet her back. We start a lively conversation and soon we are joined by her husband. Within an hour, we are best friends. We are laughing and talking about our lives. We are wrapping up and getting ready to pay when the woman invites me to join them to another restaurant with a rooftop bar. I am game, so I tag along. 

Over the course of the next NINE HOURS, our trio expands to a group of seven. All strangers, from all parts of the country, with different backgrounds, and all different ages. And we are all head over heels in love with each other. We took our party from the bar, to a tapas restaurant, to the streets of Napa, to another bar. We talked, laughed, and shared our lives with each other for the whole day. And it was the best time of my life. 

I called hubby as I was driving back to my Airbnb and told him that I had not felt that good in years. I felt like myself again in a matter of hours. I let myself be Crystal. Funny, spontaneous, energetic, and carefree. Somehow I lost that woman years ago. I missed her. She was fun. She was the person who I wanted to show the world. That old Crystal was my hero. She was not afraid of new situations. She was always the first person to meet strangers and suggest new ideas. Where had she gone? 

I left Napa that night with a new determination to let that Crystal shine more. I also left with connections to seven people who I am so happy to have met. I believe that everyone you meet has been destined by God. Whether in Napa or in their hometowns, I want to see them again so we can have another great day together. 

Here are a few pics of my wonderful day in Napa Valley. 

Old Sacramento or the Wild Wild West?

UC Davis - Home of the Aggies

Vinoce Vineyards 

A very blurry pic of four of my Napa Valley friends

Talk later!

Crystal

Why The Name Change?

So you probably have noticed the blog name change. Why the change you may ask?

Well for one, no one understood what "Brain Meet Circle" meant. After some explanation, they understood, but it was not something that would catch. Hey, I tried to be witty with the name. Everyone is entitled to fail at least once. Lol.

The new blog name came to me after a wonderful trip to California recently. (Story of that coming tomorrow.) During this wonderful trip, I realized that every time I was going somewhere new or a place where I would feel out of place or felt like I wanted to have fun, I would grab my black scarf and make it into a big bow.

Me in the Big Bow of Fun!

Many of my friends will tell you that the bow has appeared many times. At events, at parties, on social media. The big bow has even received a nickname by my friend, Chrissy. It is now Sally. HA! People love the bow! Or maybe they love me in the bow!

This simple fashion statement, that most likely is hiding a bad hair day, has become like my superman cape. My protective vest. My security blanket. When I wear the bow, I feel like I have more fun. I meet more people. I smile bigger than I was before. The bow makes me seen and it really makes people want to meet the girl with the huge Minnie Mouse bow. Or that is what I think. Lol.

After thinking about all of this, I knew that I wanted my blog to be named this. I want the courage that I feel while wearing the bow to leak onto this blog. I want my words to open up new worlds and help me meet people. I want people to see the name of my blog and think, who is this girl who has the audacity to wear a big, silly bow and enjoy life.

So I hope you like it. I have also changed my associated social media to this name, so please, PLEASE follow me in these places as well.

Facebook - www.facebook.com/BigBowFun
Twitter - @BigBowFun

Ok, that is all.

Talk later!
Crystal

Why Fear Has Kept Me Away

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." -H.P. Lovecraft

As you can tell, I have been away for a long while. It has not been intentional. I really have had some great things that I have done over the last six months that I could have written about. There have been times when I opened up this blog and started writing, only to delete every word and close my laptop. Or most likely, go back to Pinterest. Lol. 

I have stayed away for one reason. Fear. I can't really describe this weird fear I have of writing about my life. Talk to me and you will know that I truly am an open book. I love talking to people in person and telling them about my hubby and dogs. Something about writing it down, though, while trying to be witty and funny and relevant scares me. 

Especially in a world where there are so many blogs. People more fascinating than me taking to the web to discuss their views on the world. Who am I amongst all of them? If you ask me about myself, I would say that my life is pretty boring. I don't leave the house most days. I talk to my dogs entirely too much for a sane person. And I mostly live life via reality shows, the travel channel, and whatever I view on the internet. What can I offer the world? That question has led to this crippling writer's block...hell, it has led to a life block. 

Call it my mid-30s life crisis, but that one simple question has led me to a point where I am literally crippled and don't know what or where to go. "What can I offer?" I literally could end my blog post there as some existential question that can never be answered. Over the last six months as my life has seemed to get more and more stale to me, that is all that has swam in my mind. 

Have I found an answer? No. Not even close, but along the way, I have at least figured out some things. The first is that I truly need to keep writing. I have been afraid to really get real and dark on this blog because truthfully, that is not what the original intent was supposed to be. I wanted to be like one of my Pinterest boards. A mix of all things cool and fun. However, maybe my voice is meant to express this stage that I am in. This crazy mixed up time in my thirties where I find out who I am and what my purpose is. 

So here I go...hope you enjoy. But don't worry, I will try and throw in some of the cool and fun in too. :-)

Talk later!
Crystal

New Year...New Resolutions

Happy New Year!

Can I be honest with you? I needed 2014 to end. There was nothing wrong with it. So many great things happened last year, but my mind needed that reset button that a new year brings. So when midnight hit and it became 2015, I said an internal thank you. 

I am sure that everyone on your Facebook, Twitter, and at work will now be telling you about their New Year's resolutions. Normally, I don't even bother because I don't like promising myself things that I will probably break, but this year, I want to try to do things differently. So without further ado, let me tell you about my resolutions for 2015.

1) Lose weight. 

I know, I know, everyone says this. For me, though, this is a needed life change that I need to do this year. Over the last two years, I have put on about 50 lbs of weight from life stresses, eating good food, and from getting older and my body changing. 

The weight is not what bothers me because I have enough confidence in myself to be whatever weight. What bothers me is the fact that I can't walk up stairs without being out of breath. The fact that I have a closet full of beautiful heels that my feet cannot handle because of the extra weight. The fact that I don't feel as sexy as I used to for Hubby. And finally, the fact that I know I can do better for myself. 

Don't expect any extreme dieting posts from me or for me to even mention my dieting after today. I don't want my blog to turn into a weight loss blog. My blog is about my entire life and my life will not be about dieting, but to live. I am looking for a lifestyle change that will lead to me losing weight. 

I want you all to see me losing weight without me having to talk about it. Of course, if you want to know more, just comment and ask. :)

2) Advance in my career. 

I want to be better in my career than I was in the past year. Whether that means taking another position, moving up at my current job, or just learning a new skill. I don't know what it will be yet. I am going to open myself up to more responsibilities, put myself out there more, and just seize any new opportunities that come my way. 

I am a very ambitious person and I love challenging myself. I have so many goals about where I want to be in five and ten years from now. I can't get to that point without pushing myself. It can be done and I know that God will put me where I need to be. 

3) Take a life changing trip/sabbatical. 

For the last three years, I have longed to take a trip that would take me out of my comfort zone, lead me to meet new people, and that would let me help other people or animals. This trip would not be about luxury hotels and tours, it would be a true sabbatical where I learn something about my character and leads me to figure out my purpose in life. 

I have a few ideas of what this trip will be, but can't make a decision now. I need to do some more research and of course, talk to Hubby about it. 

4) Save money.

Another honesty moment: I am not a saver. I don't blow money or go on excessive shopping trips, but like many people, I have lived paycheck to paycheck and when I did have savings some emergency would come up and leave me at the bottom level again. Vet bills, medical expenses, car trouble, etc. These things come up and you have to take care of it. And being that I was single, I was the one footing the bill (with some occasional help from my wonderful, Aunt T.)

Well Hubby and I have decided that we are no longer going to live that life. We want to be one step ahead, not two steps behind. We have made a plan to save and we are going to sacrifice where needed to make it happen. Can we live with just one car? Yes. Do we need a brand new, state-of-the-art washer and dryer? No, we can get a basic model and it will work the same. Can we cook most of our meals, only going out once a month? Yes, even though this will be hard because we love good food. 

By the end of the year, we want to be miles ahead financially from where we started in January. 

5) Learn Spanish. 

As someone who failed elementary Spanish twice in college, I know this one is going to be hard. Really hard. I will not let myself fail in this, though. I want to be able to talk to my favorite waitress at my favorite Mexican restaurant in her native language. If I go to an event at work, I want to be able to translate, if needed. I want to open myself up to new people, a different culture, and to a new language. 

I read somewhere that if I can push myself to learn 50 words or phrases a month, then I can be comfortable speaking in 6 months. Well, here I go writing my 50 words on cue cards and using my words whenever I can. Hubby is already really good at Spanish, so maybe I can implement Spanish Saturdays where we can only talk in our new language. 

Do I expect to be able to speak fluently at the end of the year? Not at all, but I want to at least be able to talk conversationally for at least 10 minutes. Heck, maybe I will even write a whole blog post in Spanish!

6) Read one book a month. 

I LOVE reading. As a kid, I had hundreds of books that I would read over and over again. Somewhere between work, life, and exhaustion, I lost my ability to make it through a whole book. Well that will end this year! 

Last month, I read an article called "100 Notable Books of 2014." What I am going to do is to choose six nonfiction and six fiction books from this list to read and write about them for my blog. To make it extra fun, I am going to try to match a new wine to the theme or region of the book. Books and wine...that is a great combination. 

7) Finally, I am going to continue with this blog. 

I have loved writing to you all. Whoever out there reading this, I really appreciate you. I like talking about my life and what I do. Call me egotistical or self-serving, but this has been great therapy for me. It is something that I want to continue doing. 

Am I going to write every week? I am going to try, but some weeks just are not that interesting. Sometimes work will take priority and some days, I will be so tired from staring at a computer screen that I won't want to write. I promise to you, though, that I will try. I will try really hard. 

Well that is it! My resolutions. Will I succeed or fail in these? Only time will tell. 

Talk later - XOXO!

Crystal