one week changes everything

So, right off the bat, I am going to be honest with you and tell you that I did SO bad about going to the gym over Vday and what not. I missed...drumroll........11 days at the gym. Ugh. So embarrassing to tell you that. But it had to be said. But I stepped it up starting on my bday and have been going consistently again. Okay, with that confession out of the way...

I mentioned a few blogs ago that my brother and I have a rocky relationship, and it has been such a source of stress over the last 6 years. But this week, we made leaps and bounds of progress! On Valentine's Day we talked, then on my birthday he was the first person to tell me "Happy Birthday", then we texted more, then I got a card in the mail from him! Do you realize how big all of these things are for us? HUGE. The card was the most sincere and genuine thing I got from anyone on my birthday. It made my heart soar and it gave me hope that our relationship can once again be everything it used to be. It made my week. Period. :)

This week has also been really great for our new little boy Gryffin! Knock on wood, but we got him last Friday and he is already 4 days straight without any accidents! Hooray! And he knows sit perfectly! The commands down, stay, come, and all done are coming along really well! Such a smart boy. I love him love him love him! And I love that he is a sleepy cuddly kind of guy because I finally have a puppy that wants to nap with me when I get home from work! Penny and Gryffin are so cute together! Penny shows him how to do things - like the stairs and dog door - and Gryffin follows her around like a shadow. The only problem is that Penny loves him SO much, that she doesn't let the poor kid sleep! He's still a puppy puppy, and thus needs lots of naps, whereas she is an older puppy, and doesn't want to do anything but play all day! Thankfully, Gryffin loves his crate, and he just goes in the crate to escape from her for a while ;) 

Also in crate news, Penny had become absolutely NEUROTIC over time about being crated. We're talking she would shred anything she could get her teeth on (therefore we couldn't even leave anything soft in the crate with her), she cried literally the entire time being inside, and she would work herself into such a frenzy that she would pant literally puddles (YES, like a miniature flood) at her feet in the crate. I have never seen anything like it. When we got Gryffin, we decided we were going to start crating Penny again. We started crating them together, and Penny loves it! She has gotten to the point where when we get out their kongs (for non-dog-owners, they are plastic chew toys that you can fill with peanut butter to keep your dogs occupied when you leave), she walks into the crate! She sleeps with him and doesn't panic or even cry (unless Gryffin plops down in the middle of the dog bed and doesn't leave room for her to lay down). It's truly incredible how much can change in a week! I am SO glad we got a second dog, it is truly helping Penny just like we hoped it would.

I wrote a blog a while ago about what makes a friend, and I expressed a lot of heartache over fading relationships and unrequited friendship. I was such a happy girl on Wednesday when two of my best friends, and friends whom part of that particular blog was more or less inspired by, both called me! I was literally in shock! Having them call me made my Wednesday! That plus my brother being open to talking to me again put me on cloud nine :)

The last three nights at work have been busy busy busy! Which is great! Makes the night fly by and I get to stay on my floor! I have tonight off, and Tyler and I cleaned house and are making dinner for some friends. For those of you who know Clint, he is in town interviewing at the med school tomorrow! So he is staying with us tonight and Tyler is driving him to school and everything tomorrow. How cute :)

I hope everyone has had a fabulous weekend! Good luck going into your Mondays!

PS I am so excited there is a new Desperate Housewives on tonight! FINALLY, right?!?!? 

Cheers!