Blizzard Bloghop

Thanks to Household 6 Diva, I have something to do today! Thought it would be a good way to tell you guys a bit about myself, and meet some new bloggy friends!

Anyway.

I'm Via. I'm a 20-something blogger. I'm currently in college, attaining my education degree (hey, they say the average degree takes 5.6 years to actually complete...right?).

On May 15th, I'll be marrying my amazing air force officer, B.


And then we'll be moving way "out west" via Air Force. (And if you know anyone in Wyoming, I'd love to chat it up!).

This is my dog, Chase. He's awesome.


I love Photography. I'm a writer and a crafter.


But more than anything, I love to travel. Kenya, by far, is the best place I've ever been.




I love to advocate for things, especially breast and childhood cancers and groups especially for violence against women.

I started this blog originally to meet other air force/military wives to see what life was like for them (you?). And it's been amazing!

Laser Chase

This is my dog, Chase.


He hates hats.

But I rolled into PetSmart tonight and purchased a lovely laser device, conveniently called "Laser Chase."

Best $7 I've ever spent.

Chase is hilarious following that thing around. B thought he'd be funny and pointed it at the fish tank. Turns out when you are semi-close to the tank, the fish follow it too. Move about five feet further back, and they run from it.

It's awesome. Seriously.

Chase

Thanksgiving. I love it. You just can't beat the food.

This year, I realized I'm going to miss my dog so stinking much. That's weird, right? When we move, he's not going with us. He is my dog, and my mom wouldn't care at all if we took him, but my dad would be heartbroken and I can't do that to him. Even if that means I have to leave Chase here :(

We've had many dogs in the past. A bichon, a golden, a pomeranian, and my father has a minischnauzer (who is awesome as well, but not up to par with Chase). The bichon disappeared from our yard one day (there are suspicions of the neighbors down the street here), our golden died, and the pomeranian was more like a foster situation and now lives on a farm with another pomeranian making baby pomeranians. And we have Chase: our shiba, our rescue.

But both sides of my family go out of town for thanksgiving, and since I always have to work it's just me and Chase.

Chase, who doesn't bark (well, almost never anyway).


Chase, who hates the lake and water and can't swim but will sport a lifejacket anyway.


Chase, who will let the babies (and only the babies) play with his tail.


Chase, who still tries to run through 15 inches of snow.


Chase, who wears a seatbelt in the car because he gets so excited that he can't sit still.


Chase, who doesn't understand why I take so many dang pictures of him.


Chase. Who I can't help but stinking love more than I think is healthy for a person to love a pet.


I'm going to miss him. Even though we're planning on getting a dog of "ours," it's just not the same.

It's not Chase.

Georgia: 67 degree Thanksgiving

More to come on Georgia later this week, it's been a crazy day (more of that, too), but for now here's a few pictures of why Georgia is awesome (you know, other than it's amazing november temperatures).

Compare:

My dog, Chase. Weight: 21lbs. now (19 when this photo was taken)


Honey's (my grandma) cat, Tiger. Weight: 28lbs. Kid you not.
(Ignore evil eyes from flash. He's only a bit evil)




The best part of Georgia/South Carolina. Best hotdogs second to only Skyline.





Maybe the best advert in the world. For Belk. Text blurry, but it says: "Junior Sweater. Regular 15.00-30.00. Sale 14.99-29.99."



Until later!
V

P.S. Need to make signature...that's the cool thing to do these days apparently :D

Adoption and the Military

So, I looked into it today and it really is rather unfair that military families have to jump through so many hoops just to get an agency to consider them for adoption. That's crazy. Yes, the military does require moving around--both in country and overseas--but there are so many children who need homes that it just doesn't make sense to deny them the ability to help out. Besides, base schools are amazing, there's excellent medical care, great adoption benefits, a built in support system AND it's so racially diverse it may as well be a picture of the world choir. How is that not good for a child? I'm going to fight this eventually, I think. I know. This is something I've always wanted, and I don't feel like it's my fight entirely--everyone needs a voice ;] /rant

Anyway. I think we are taking off for Georgia on Thanksgiving morning...around 3am. I promise to sleep the entire way--that will put us there around 1pm, though, so maybe not the whole way. Talked to my father about it today and regretted that decision almost immediately, having decided I should have just not shown up at his lunch instead--save the argument. I'm excited about going, though! Haven't been in 4 years, and it's warm there! It will be good to see Honey, and it may be the last time.

Speaking of weather, it's FREEZING! In the 20's! This is Ohio, we aren't supposed to get snow until January and then through April, but it snowed this week. It was especially bad in my hometown, which I was only in for a few minutes, with the wind and the amount of snow coming down you couldn't see 50ft in front of you. But once I got on the highway and drove a few miles there was nothing--I mean, the roads weren't even wet kind of nothing.

A reminder of the 15" March snow last year (from the "Spring" file):

Chase standing in the snow. Had to shovel around the fence so he could go to the bathroom!