Way to many years....

Not the most effective blogger here, I will be the first to admit it. It has been about 3 years since I touched this blog....many things have changed.

Last time I wrote I was still in the Woodrow Wilson program, studying to be a teacher. I finished the majority of the program June 2012, and found a job on the east side of MI teaching in a Charter school. I was not happy there, and spent time trying to find a position back in industry. I moved to Redford Township, about a mile from Livonia, MI in August 2012. I continued showing Joce, and brought Math with me. About a month after moving to Redford Collette offered to let me have one of her retired brood bitches, Elle. I in turn offered to let Math go to NC with Marci (who brought Elle up from NC for me). I knew that Math was not happy, and he needed a change. So Math went down to NC with Marci and Elle moved in with me. Elle was not the easiest pup to live with, everything had to be taken up, as she ate everything, and was very fast. Before I got her she had had 2 obstruction surgeries, 1 c-section and a spay. Within a month of her coming to live with me she had to have another obstruction surgery. Elle didn't last very long as she was hit by a car while being watched while I was away at a show.

Joce winning BOB and her 2nd major.

During the summer of 2012, before I moved to the east side, I went to a show in VA with Danielle and Collette. It was a 4 day show in July, and I got to see my dear friend Carla again. I wasn't too happy during the trip, but the one memory that stays with me is the day that Joce got her 2nd major. Joce went WB, and was one of 3 girls in the ring for breed. Amazingly enough Joce went BOB, and while I was ecstatic, as she beat her full sister Whinney, as I looked out of the ring I was Collette crying ringside, and not tears of joy. She actually made the handler on Whinney to go back in and ask the judge why Joce got BOB over Whinney. I was very taken aback, and amazed that a breeder/co-owner of a dog would do that in front of the person who owned the dog! I even called my mom's co-owner/co-breeder about it. After many discussions with a good friend who was as appalled, I began to realize that Collette was one I really didn't want to be to closely associated with. I did continue to deal with her as a business associate, but started pulling back away from being associated with her.
I showed less after the VA trip, as after I got the job in the charter school I was extremely busy. I did go to Cleveland in December for the Crown Classic, and got a point there.
After working for 4 months at the charter school I realized that I could not be there any longer. I hated my job, the people who worked there and the kids, and I knew I was not meant to teach high school chemistry. I worked on finding an industry job, gave my notice at the school, left the beginning of Feb. and made plans to move back to Dad's house. I also traveled down to Greenville, SC in Feb. to show Joce (and hopefully finish her!!). I was successful in that, going WB the 3 days we entered, and finishing Joce's CH. My first show dog, and I was able to finish her all owner-handled!! I hoped mom would be proud of me, I like to think she was.

Joce finishing her Championship

After Greenville I went and moved my stuff back to dad's, moving into the basement (larger area). In May Joce and I went to WI for our National, and had fun reconnecting with friends who lived further away. Joce made the first bitch cut at the National, and I was so proud of her. We also competed in Rally, and she got her first RN leg. After the National we went back to dad's, and I worked on finding a job that I liked. I also brought Joce down to Collettes to try and breed her to a dog owned by Cindy B. Joce didn't take (which was a good thing on 2 counts, one we ended up moving right when it wouldn't have been good for any puppies, and two, the dog we tried to breed her to was not the conformation I really would want to have bred to my girl). While waiting to find the good job, I took a QC job in Kalamazoo, but I knew that it was not the permanent job in industry that I wanted. I was contacted by a headhunter in TX, for a job in Louisiana. I went to LA to interview for the job and was made an offer in July, which I accepted.
Another momentous event happened in July for our family. Kate and Alex got married July 13, 2013. Andrew, Jette, Chris and Chris' then girlfriend came over for the wedding. I had such a great time with them, and with Kate's family! I adore Kate, and am so happy that Alex proposed and she accepted. They are such a great couple together!
I then moved to Lake Charles, LA Labor Day weekend 2013. I began work at a surfactant company in Sept. 2013. The work is ok...still not the job I am happy at, but one that I have been ok with for the past 2 years. I ended up renting a house in LC right down the road (in fact 3 houses down) from Milford and Peggy, two CSCA members.