Puppies!!!

My parents bred their yellow labrador, Glory, a couple months ago. I learned that dogs are pregnant for only 2 months and then... PUPPIES!!!


Glory started labor around 10am this morning and had 10 puppies in 3.5 hours. 

I would like to add that everyone left at one point and Glory wouldn't lay down. I realized all of the sudden that she was having another one. She popped out the 10th puppy but was so exhausted she just looked at me. I was thinking, "Uhhh... I guess that means I'm delivering this one." So I got to help the puppy the rest of the way out, break the sac, and encourage mom to clean her. It was the 4th little girl. 6 boys and 4 girls. 

Stay tuned for updates! 

:: Tuesday's Tea With Me ::

Good morning friends! Come in come in... Grab your mug and pull up a chair. Come share this awesome view. Isn't it beautiful? Sydney likes it too she's been doing her Kitty Yoga right there on that window sill.

So as you know I've been swimming upstream trying to slow down my life. So far so good. Sometimes I do something to slow it down and immediately following I think, "Whoa whoa. Don't slow down that much." It takes some getting used to this leisurely life. I noticed right after I make a change that is worth it, I suddenly feel like we're creeping along at a snails pace and I feel bored. But slowly I have been able to create space and allow myself to get used to a slower pace.

 People have even gotten mad at me for living this way. I don't think they realize that's what they were mad about though. It probably seemed to them like I wasn't keeping up, or maybe that what was important to them was not as important to me. Which was probably true as a result of my secret decision to walk through life not run. And I'll be darned if that doesn't royally piss some people off.

Anyway, I see the world much differently when I'm "walking." I've begun to see places where true wealth has been tucked into life. It's a surreal experience to watch people buzzing right past the truest riches in their rush to get to work and make money. I'm not sure if I should laugh or be grieved.

America! You've sold out your soul. I'm beginning to wonder if there are not two types of people in America. Those who are consumed with television and advertising, and those who are not. That seems to be what it comes down to. The interesting people are the people who still have enough empty space in their lives to express themselves and be creative. 

I've been knitting this blanket. You know I hadn't taken on such a large and costly (in the sense of time) project for a while. Do you know how much time it takes to knit a blanket? TONS. And more tons. And you know what. The balls of yarn aren't so cheap either. I'm going to need about 40 and they're $8 each. Yeah. And you thought making your own things was cheap. I used to think that too. So I was laying in bed last night letting my thoughts wander about the various trails in the wilderness of my mind, when they came upon this pool of thinking... What if we have it all backwards. What if the richest people are those who can live with the least amount of stuff and be content?

Because I have bought a lot of blankets in my life, and I don't think I will ever get rid of this blanket unless it is just utterly scrappy and useless. Or if I decide to give it to someone. Because its well made and quality yes, but it's got ME in it. Hours and hours of me in it. It was made with love. It has shared a piece of my journey through life. I've purchased more expensive blankets that I've given away. Why? Perhaps if we began to purchase things with our time rather than our money we'd see value in entirely different places.

I really think we've got something all cockeyed in our thinking. It's all that darn marketing. "Buy this, you need that, you'll be the greatest human being if you purchase this, you'll be famous if you carry that..." What a crock of bull. Well advertising world... I'll be Jenna thank you very much. And you don't know the first thing about being Jenna. So I don't think I'll be listening to you. Good day.

Well anyway, those are my thoughts for today. I love you guys. Have a very blessed day. I'm going to get back to playing with my cat. Because I think its too funny how she's holding her foot like that. Ha ha ha... She cracks me up.

-Jenna Jill

Point Sal

I got to hang out with the guys today. Loved it. We had a full day of adventure as we hiked our legs to death up and down hills, across beaches, through the dunes, and over tide pools. And the weather was perfect.

We even saw dolphins but they are really hard to get pictures of while standing in a tide pool.

Meet Duke. Duke is a working dog and likes to go quail hunting. He was our trusty companion and was so adorable. He did whatever his master said and was constantly ready for a command.

Lunch. My very first MRE. It was quite tasty actually.

We had some small obstacles on the return trip, just a few extra canyons, sheer cliff faces, and creeks to cross but we managed to lug our legs of lead up hill after hill.

And we MADE it. Oh my goodness we made it back. I am at home in bed as I write this and I can barely move a muscle but it was worth it.

I dare you...

I discovered another trick for quality social interactions. Are you ready? 

Leave your phone at home. 

I accidentally and without that little box to stare at, it opened the door to interact with two lovely older women at the cafe this morning. We had a delightful conversation covering a whole range of subjects from politics to religion, to food and family. 

Are you looking for a break from the mundane? I dare you. Try leaving your phone at home, and see what delightful treasure finds its way to your attention in lieu of your instant messages.

:: Tuesday's Tea With Me ::

I was talking with one of my best friends the other day. We were reminiscing about all the harrowing things we have been through in our 30 years of life and how they have all turned out to be catalysts. Between the two of us there have been some very painful and traumatic experiences. And also some choices we've made that really cost us. And I imagine that if I were to gather even a handful of friends I have grown up with, that there would be so many many trials of which to share. I know I have had friends that have passed away, some that have had cancer, car accidents, lost their homes, gotten pregnant sooner than they'd like, I mean... we ALL have something, if not many challenges in life. 

That's life right? Some of us got married young, some of us have been divorced, some of us have never been married and want to so badly, while others are married and would sure enjoy those days of singleness and freedom. Some of us are pulling our hair out because we have little muchkins running everywhere, and some of us are pulling our hair out because we haven't been able to conceive a little munchkin. And I have had several close girlfriends miscarry and it just tore my heart out for them. 

I personally have had a surgeon cut the wrong part of me during a routine operation and I nearly died. I spent years healing from that. That sheer physical pain was utterly unbearable. In my mid-20s I lost someone very dear to me to a drunk driver and saw his crushed body beneath a yellow sheet on TV. Life is really painful. And I think I have said this before but its worth saying again.... You know what you do with pain? You sit through it. I've grown to see pain as free college. Truly. If it's painful, it means you are the lucky winner of an opportunity to grow deeper and wider.

Who wants to reach our forties or fifties and be shallow? Still partying and aimlessly skipping from friendship to friendship, relationship to relationship? I don't. I want to be deep. Which means... I can count on more hardships. I find that each of these experiences has taught me to interact with and rely on God in a new way. 

Like my friend said, 

"When I get worried or overwhelmed I try to reflect back and see all the issues God has been with me through and the outcome of those.  I realize that He has delivered me out of every issue without fail. And His outcome is always sweet."