Maddie woke up this morning and came to sit and talk with me. She shared that she'd had a dream last night where I told her to "come here" and when she walked in there was cute little puppy dog that was for her. She was so happy. Then she woke up thinking it was real. Tears were in her eyes as she said this to me.

I want to be able to give her a dog. I do. I know she's been asking for years. The problem is a money issue and a time issue. I know that it is not just a one time purchase. Dogs need constant attention and training and from what I can tell, lots of vet visits. I do not know much about dogs. I've never had one. But I do know that Maddie is very attentive and would do her best to take care of it.

What if I couldn't train it and it ended up being one of those stories like you see on the Dog Whisperer? What if I came home and my couch was torn to smitherines? But, looking into her eyes and listening to her heart, I realize that I get one shot at being her mother while she is a little girl and her heart's cry has been for a puppy for as long as I can remember. I will start considering and working towards getting her one for her 11th birthday which would be next July.

I completed a 15 mile hike this weekend. It was like nothing I've ever done. There were times that I felt like I was going to have to quit and just sit down, but the sun was setting and there was no way I COULD quit. I found out that I can do anything I set my mind to. The moment that hike was complete, I felt completely victorious. A little workout of 30 minutes to an hour at the Y is NOTHING compared to an eight hour trek through the woods.