Mindless Meanderings of Schroedawg

I love animals. I have loved animals ever since I was a child. Maybe it has something to do with my veterinarian parents and their devotion to caring for all animals. I am not sure. But what I do know is that I just love them. They each have their own unique personality. This blog is devoted to our animals, who are technically our family. We have four cats. Yes, we’re nuts. I may end up one day as the crazy cat lady, retired in my little log cabin up in Cooke City, with my 12 cats, two golden retrievers, and visiting pet moose, but the reason for the four we have now is because I could not see myself turning them away. We acquired these four strays when we were living in Florida, at our little apartment, early summer of 2004. I had just moved Tiger, my old-timer cat from childhood, to Florida, and we were a happy little threesome until fate directed us to scurrying balls of black racing underneath house in front of us. Upon further investigation, we found five kittens, flea ridden, di

As I was sitting, yesterday, getting my blood drawn 4x in 3 hours, starving,   to determine my glucose level and whether or not I have gestational diabetes, I kept thinking, holy cow manure---10 more weeks and our little bug will be here! I thought about the wonder of life and what a little miracle she is, that took Brad and me a year and half to create. And, despite the circumstances in our life, how graced I am by God to have this little bundle of joy to welcome in late August. No matter what I am going through emotionally, our little girl will always, and forever, be the one thing that makes me happy every day, even when I will be annoyed, overwhelmed, or completely exhausted. Progressing into the 30 th week, I have been thinking about the milestones in my pregnancy. Like when I told Brad, two days after Christmas, with two wrapped up pregnancy tests with the double lines highlighting the obvious positive, and how excited he was   (at first, wondering why I would wrap up two used

Dear Baby Schroeder: There is something you need to know about your mom and dad, and you will probably realize this as you grow up, too. We are crazy and adventurous, and life never ceases to surprise us. Hopefully, in the next two or three years, when you’re finding your groove and getting settled into this world, we will be settled some place and not be bouncing around like nomads. By that time, we hope to be debt free, so we can take you to all the places we want to go, and where you will be old enough to remember it all. In honor of Polonius from Hamlet , (yes, your mom’s favorite Shakespearean play), If I could give you some advice, as to avoid the mistakes your father and I have made, it would be this: 1.        Always follow your gut instinct. Easier said than done, but if something doesn’t feel right, then listen to that voice inside you that says so. It’s usually right. 2.        Trust only a select few. I really hope you get your dad’s intuition on this. Your Aunt Lindsey

My sister is a ball of wisdom, despite being three years younger than me. In the midst of the drama I   have been dealing with, and trying to understand all that is happening, worrying about the future, and calling two or three times a week to get advice, she amazes me with her calm, collective reasoning and reminds me of what a great person and teacher I am and how everything will work out. “One way or another, it will all work out. I don’t know how, but it will.” She proceeds to remind me of the amazing people in my life, who continue to support me no matter what, and for that I am grateful. What really angers me about the situation in my life that I have been dealing with is the entire matter of trust and feeling alone, out on a limb, while people I thought supported me, has only turned their back in spite of doing what is right. I really despise those that are two-faced, who treat you one way in front of your face and the next minute, turn around and stab you in the back with the

   We are finally coming to a close on the school year. I cannot even begin to express my subdued happiness for this fact. Last year, despite all my efforts to “keep” my job, one that I truly loved and enjoyed despite the political B.S. and all the jazz that accompanies it, I was devastated to be strung along until the bitter end, in hopes of returning because I was part of the next years training, and then to have the chords cut, just like that. Devastated doesn’t even begin to describe the emotions I went through in the summer months that followed. Angry? Frustrated? Questioning? Concerned? My self-worth was empty, non-existent, and the only thought streaming through my head was survival.    We debated and decided to take the position I am in now and for the life of me, this entire year, I have been wondering, why. The area is beautiful. The Olympic Peninsula is lush with vegetation and forests, green as if looking at the Emerald City in the Land of Oz. The beaches are breathtaking

I have officially decided to start this blog as it will force me to write regularly, and continue to brainstorm ideas for the summer writing adventure I intend to evoke upon. Besides, my goal was to be a “best-selling author by the time I am 30”, and, well, 30 is here.  Now it’s time to take my writing more seriously. It’s one of those things that I wake up thinking about, in the middle of the day I dream about, and in the evenings, continue to ponder. I blame my lack of writing on writer’s block, which is a lame excuse for any writer out there, but honestly, I think I’m trying too hard to create the best seller and not just write. What I do know is it’s been my dream since junior high and I am not giving up on it. Even if it takes me the next year to polish, rewrite, revise, and be rejected, I intend to make this dream a reality. But I have decided to take two things to heart in regards to my writing. My cousin, Beth, commented once I got my first teaching job in Florida, to “promis