2 years of Jaz

Today is the 2 year anniversary of our adoption of Jasmin, our beagle/terrier mix. When I think of Jasmin from day one to today, I can hardly believe that she is in our lives. Unlike Snoopy, Jasmin has had a hard life and her eyes and body have a hardness that Snoopy will never know. If Snoopy is our pampered pooch, then Jasmin is our street-wise fighter.
It amazes me how Jasmin came into our lives to begin with. After having Snoopy for about a week, we knew he needed a playmate, dogs need a pack. We searched at the local animal shelters and even contact private dog rescues and nothing. If we liked the dog, Snoopy did not. If Snoopy liked the dog then we did not. Then one day I found myself on petfinder.com and found a posting for a 9 month old beagle/lab mix female and I thought perfect! She'll be close to Snoopy's age and beagles and labs are both known for their friendliness. Snoopy and I drove the hour to meet Jasmin. Was it love at first sight? Not really. Jasmin was shy but once we stepped inside the house, Jasmin was in foster care, Jasmin and Snoopy began to play. So Snoopy quickly decided that Jasmin was the one.
We don't know much about Jasmin's history. She was found, pregnant, behind a local fast food joint, fighting for food. The girls at the restaurant asked the local dog rescue lady to take her. So Jasmin had just finished weaning her last puppy and was spayed the week before we adopted her. She has at least two bb gun pellets in her body. She was already house broken and had great doggy manners. She must have been someone's pet. Why would anyone dump such a sweet girl? When we took her the vet, we also found out that she was no where near 9 months nor was she a beagle/lab mix.
Jasmin was nothing we were looking for and yet everything we needed. She has become Ray's little girl. If Jasmin our dog has him wrapped around her paw, I can just image what a Baby Girl Bud will do to him. Jasmin definitely taught us to look beyond the physical and just plain old give people, or dogs, a chance.
It has been a long process in winning Jasmin over. But as she has gotten more comfortable she has had less nightmares. She no longer sleeps with her legs straight out, like she is ready to fight. She is happiest with us, whether outside or inside. She treats Snoopy like her baby brother, which means any dog that thinks of hurting him has to go thur her first. She is truly a wonderful dog and even though we've had many offers to adopt her from us, I know we would all be crushed if we were lose our Jasmin. I don't think Ray could handle it and Snoopy would go crazy with grief.
So that is the story of our 5-6 year old beagle/terrier mix. When we adopted her we thought we had a 25-lb 9 month old beagle/lab but God knew better. She is a chunky 40 lb dog, who brings us all joy and sanity. After a crazy day there is nothing better than relaxing on the couch with Jasmin in your lap.

Sleeping on my back

Sleeping on my back is another thing I can no longer do! Who knew? Why aren't people telling me these things? I know other pregnant women complain about getting advice and stories but no one is telling me a thing! No motherly advice, no mother-in-law calling me up, no sisters, no sisters-in-law! No one. I kinda feel alone in the whole thing. Just me, Ray, and Bud, and none of us has ever had a baby before. I find myself asking my puppy Jasmin about being pregnant. She is only one in the house who is ever had a baby, well puppies. Give me advice people! For once I have no answers, only questions. I can do lots of research but something tells me that talking to other woman might be more helpful. Besides crazy advice would make a great posting for my blog!

things I miss

Okay, why doesn't anyone ever tell you all the things you have to give up just by realizing you are pregnant? I'm not talking about alcohol or smoking, I mean the normal everyday things that you enjoy on a daily or weekly basis, such as chocolate. I know I spend a lot of time whining about being pregnant but I have found that this is one time that I can whine with being called a whiny-baby so I'm taking it.
But back to my point, no one told me that mint could or in my case does lead to vomiting and added nausea. I love peppermint! Now I can't even chew mint flavor gum without throwing my stomach into fits. I miss soda and sweet tea. While you can actually have about a cup of coffee daily without any problems, I have really tried to cut my caffeine consumption to nothing. I do make de-caf sweet tea at home but it's difficult to find de-caf soda or tea in the real world, outside of Lemon/lime soda, which I have already stated piss Bud off since Bud hates lime.
Lots of other things I've had to give up come mostly from being me and being pregnant. Things like fried chicken and limes are not a general pregnancy thing but a Martha pregnancy thing. Not that that makes them suck less but at least other woman can take heart in knowing that they won't have to suffer with those food aversions, they will have their own.
I think the part that I find most upsetting is the feeling that everything is changing. Yes, I knew that things would change for me but every woman in my family got to have carefree pregnancies but I get to suffer. Just doesn't seem fair. I was watching ABC the other day and they were running a special on teen pregnancy and this 16-year-old girl was crying and saying, "It's just not fair. Everything is changing for me and nothing is changing for him!" I laughed at first but now I kinda understand. I watch Ray eat fried chicken and wish I could enjoy one with bite but it's just not worth the vomit fest that would follow. What has he had to give up? Ray is a good man and I know his life is changing too but all I want is to enjoy my two boxes of Thin-mints! Truly, life is not fair.