Ch- Ch- Changes

Whoa.  Where did September go?  Is anyone else feeling shocked and amazed that we're in the fourth quarter of 2012?  It seems like it was just summer.  Boo.  This time of year always signals change for me.  The falling leaves scream "winter is coming!!!" And, I am so not ready.  In fact, last Monday, I wore flip flops despite the chilly weather.  It was an act of defiance, for sure.

We had such a wild September.  Fin had his last free flight when we went to visit my brother in Houston (or should I say, last 6 free flights?).  We picked out furniture and slept on air mattresses.  Sadly, we did not get a family pic... but Fin did get quite a haircut from my mom. 

From surfer...

to rocker! 

We celebrated Fin's second birthday.  It was awesome having 11 two year-olds running around screaming... and even better it wasn't at my house.  No clean up!  Holla.  The infamous polka-dot cake was a fail.  If you follow me on Instagram, then you are well aware.  I took pics along the way and was super excited until it fell with three minutes left.  You can imagine my vocabulary at 1 in the morning when the replacement cupcakes were a disaster, too.  Don't be fooled-- I love to bake.  It's the dairy-free thing that's throwing me a curve-ball.  The same thing happened last year.  I'm bound and determined to have it mastered by birthday #3.  

Ignore the hideous provided decor behind our heads.

I ran the Denver Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon.  I originally signed up for the full, but I came back down to reality during the summer and switched.  Let me tell you... I am so thankful I chickened out.  I wasn't even close to ready, my foot was acting up, and it was hot.  After six miles, I was wishing it was a 10k.  BUT-- I finished.  Not only did I finish, but my time was faster than my last 1/2 in Steamboat (which isn't really saying much).  This race was my first half marathon NOT in Steamboat and the first for me to run completely on pavement.  I'm claiming it as a small victory.   I would definitely recommend running a Rock and Roll race.  They have the races down to a science, and there are so many people cheering you along the whole course.  Lots of great signs... Worst parade ever was a good one.  One of my faves was "I admire your endurance... call me!" with a real phone number listed.  Priceless.  Marathonfoto took loads of pictures, and I was smiling in every single one.  You know something was right.

We capped off the month with some hard news to hear and some decisions to make.  Just before our trip to Houston, we found out that one of our dogs needs surgery.  Jill is 12 1/2 years old and my girlfriend.  She came with me from Arkansas to Colorado, and I can't imagine her growing old.  She still looks like a puppy.  Unfortunately, a tumor on her leg has grown quite large after already being drained once.  We went through a round of antibiotics to get rid of an infection, and now we're looking at round two.  The vet won't do surgery to remove the tumor until the infection is gone, which means as soon as it's gone, she has to go in to avoid getting another one.  They're afraid that they may have to amputate her leg.  I know that if any dog can handle this it's my girl, Jill.  For those of you that have been reading this blog for eons, you may remember she's already missing an eye.  The vet warned us that the surgery may not get rid of the problem, but we've decided to move forward. 

The other rough news is that we have to take Fin in to see specialists in Denver.  His two year well-check appointment showed little weight gain, and with all of his ailments, we need to figure out what we need to do to turn this thing around.  I started to get down about it, but then I decided that maybe this is exactly what he needs to be a rock star.  One small victory-- he is finally on the charts for height.  Yay!  We'll take it. 

One positive that is coming out of September-- all of the ups and downs have really made happy.  It's kind of odd how going through rough patches makes you cherish the little things.  I'm taking better care of me and enjoying every little moment.