Why you should move when you feel stuck

 I have many days where I want to stay in the darkness and bury my dreams.  

 I  only get up for my God who calls my name He says "Get up and try!move and I will be there to lift you up you are not alone."
 I know when I was trying to start my business there were many days I felt stuck and no doors seem to be  opening I didn't know where to turn. Maybe you feel this too and you just want to throw your hands up and say "forget this I give up!" But listen closely to your heart  and a word will come to you, a gentle touch or a whisper and you will be able to move on. Don't be so ready to run or to give up. Sometimes the things we want in our lives can be like climbing a mountain with no end in sight.
The days after Katrina I began to climb the biggest mountain I had ever climbed. My husband was in deep despair his beloved home of New Orleans was going through a major disaster a place where he played and lived with his brothers. He lost the place where he had worked for over 20 years as it had flooded out. I know as the head of our family he felt defeated and was afraid for our futures. We had a baby who was always ill because of the stress of having to be in our car as we drove back and forth to Louisiana and Atlanta. Our oldest son was a senior in high school and the thought of quitting school was there in his mind. Our beautiful daughter who was 15 at the time took it very hard, I watched the joy and light fade from her eyes as she left all her friends and family back home. Our youngest son was 12 and had just made 3rd chair in band he also was trying to get a deal with a skateboard company to sponsor him and his friends skateboard designs.All of us were going through our personal struggles and most of our family was in a state of anger and depression.
 We had many days where the darkness was so overpowering it threatened our families very core. As days passed and we began to feel the love of others surround us complete strangers began to reach out and we no longer struggled alone,each step was still difficult but had more purpose The mountain top was becoming more clear and we began to try to walk together as a family once again.
This did not happen overnight this climb has taken a better part of 6 years and we still are waiting to reach the peak. Even when the darkness seems to be the most present look up and you will find light. Walk on and you will find faith, get up and you will find passion in your purpose. My most sincere gift I can give you today is not to throw your hands up but place your hands out and touch another s life; who might be climbing the same mountain as you.

Sucess came out of my darkest hours

         I didn't ever see myself starting a pet sitting business when we lived in Louisiana; before my last child was born I was setting up to be an professional organizer. We lived in the small town of Slidell and there were virtually no businesses that compared, I felt at that time I had it made. We welcomed our daughter Madelyn Grace on February 10th 2005 we were so ecstatic as I had four miscarriages before she was born.  I stayed up nights to nurse and work towards my business goals. In August I had started going to networking meetings and began cleaning homes just to see what types of organization people really needed.
    I had set up my business page and just received my new business cards when hurricane Katrina reared her ugly head and changed everything,we were uprooted to Atlanta Ga a city my husband and I had never been to or knew anything about. We virtually lost everything my husband lost his job of 20 years,our kids were uprooted from the only place they ever knew friends,schools and family. We had 6 mouths to feed and life was really tough. I thought this is it nothing was ever going to be the same.
 Thank God after 6 months my husband found steady work and we began to recover some financially, I also went to job interviews but couldn't find anything that would be worth putting my baby in daycare and bring in money. I began to look at what were some of the best jobs to start from home and found that pet sitting was a fairly new industry. How could I ignore the fact that 4.3 million households had some sort of pet and they were willing to spend money on their welfare.I felt growing up as a child in New England and spending hours living and playing  in friends barns and homes  that had cats,kittens,dogs,birds,why not take my love and extend it to others?
 I went and bought business cards, began going door to door and handing out my fliers.I literally pounded the pavement with baby in tow for over a year before I really started seeing my hard work pay off. Some days I felt like giving up but I am the type of woman that doesn't hear no or I can't, it isn't in my make up.
 I began to see growth in 2007 and haven't stopped. I love being a part of such a growing trend and meeting so may interesting and caring pet people.I am able to spend quality time with our daughter who now is 7 and am here for our other grown children as well. We have overcome so much and I have to admit it is still a hard road but we are in a much better place. I am proud to call Creatures and Companions my business and to serve the many who have helped my family recover.
  

Pampering your Pets inexpensively

    Do you desperately want to get rid of that doggie smell but don't have the extra funds to go to the groomers? Now you don't have to. Everyday millions of pooches are primped and polished clipped and brushed to the tune of  $50.00 per pet per month.;not counted in is your time and gas for dropping off and picking up. By using everyday items in your pantry you can create your own personal pet pampering products. Items such as yogurt,honey and oatmeal as well as a berry fruit can give you the same affect as an expensive groomer.You can mix and match to your own personal taste. You  may also want to add an essential oil such as tea tree which is very soothing.
   Make certain your pet isn't allergic to any of these items by rubbing a bit on a back leg in a small dotted spot to see if there is a reaction,try not to let your dog lick it off before you can see the reaction if there is one. 
 Remember not to get facial scrubs in the eye area and anything with eucalyptus is not recommended as it can burn. I have personally used a mixture of mouthwash and water to get rid of fleas and makes my dog Mocha smell fresh and clean,be aware not to get the wash in your dogs eyes  as it contains alcohol. 
 Oatmeal and lavender can be very soothing and adding some shea butter can soothe flea and  allergy redness as well. Unlike humans dogs receive allergens through their skin instead of their nose.if he or she sleeps with you and has skin irritations you may wash your pet once a month to once a week depending on your pets skin and coat type. Many people speculate that over washing can take the natural oils out of your dogs coat and skin but by washing the irritants out of the skin before they can start a reaction you may save your pet from being irritated. 
 Whatever you choose saving money is one of the most important things next to having a clean and healthy pet.

Healing Hearts with Pets: Loss

Healing Hearts with Pets: Loss:      The week started out well and we were preparing for the wonderful 4th of July. I had been running around grabbing necessities that my...

Loss

     The week started out well and we were preparing for the wonderful 4th of July. I had been running around grabbing necessities that my husband needed to make our family a wonderful Bbq,hot dogs,chicken and fixing for the sides. We cooked and listened for fireworks it was wonderful day. The day after I checked email as usual and received a letter from a long time client the title was" Home needed for two cats". At first  I thought they had found two stray cats but after reading more I discovered they needed a home for their own two cats and were moving due to job loss. I was horrified for them as these are people who had steady income and seemed to be unaffected by this horrendous economy.
I cried for them as my clients become good friends and they become a part of my family. I shared the news with my husband and we made plans to visit them before they have to leave. Later that evening I received a call from a wonderful client and friend telling me they had to put their beloved dog who was 15 1/2 years old to sleep. I felt like this was another blow to someone I care about deeply. Not to mention the fact that Toto was a dear sweet little dog her spirit was like no other I had known. I become so attached to many of my clients animals they imprint in my heart almost immediately their little and big paws touch me and become my pets too. My heart began to sink and I started wondering what all this was about. I wrote a note of sorrow to my sweet clients and proceeded to get on with work. I then found out another client lost her dog of three years that very same day he was rescued from the streets by her and she fell in love with him.
This week was a week of sorrows,today we found out an uncle of my husband's had passed away, I felt bad as my husband's father had passed away this past February and it has been a struggle on him. I know God has a hand in all of this He has reasons for calling us home and I believe he has reasons for calling our pets home as well.
 My comfort in all of this is knowing that my clients who lost their job has a home to go to in another state and are set up to retire early so they will be safe; as for the little souls who left this week,well, I know we will see them again someday.

Happy Dogs

    Do you love sitting with your pets and watching them act silly or crazy? My dog runs around like a wild woman after being bathed and shaved. She must like feeling free like a naked person running out of the shower! I love seeing pets and their personalities shine and being who they are. We so often pamper and teach our dogs to be  more like us by putting on clothes that actually my dog hates!  or talking to them as if they were a 2 year old child "oh would you like some more puppy wuppy?" I know I am guilty too I love my dog as much as if she were one of my children. I have now offered Mocha a digging place in my yard to get a chance at being a Jack Russell or let her out to chase an occasional squirrel as the Jack Russell was bred to hunt. Is it natural to want  to carry our small breeds around in a purse ? The answer is "yes" but is it necessarily good for our Dogs ? One theory is if we are going to pretend the average dog is a person than you better be able to handle the behaviors that goes with it. Some small breed dogs become nervous and very insecure often resulting in shaking,biting and just plain naughtiness. They become over protective of their owners and unsocial. This can also shave years off a dogs life because they spend most of it being nervous and fearful and can result in early dog cancer and or other major canine illnesses.
 As a pet lover  and Pet Sitter I have started helping more of my clients to play more like a dog and less like a human!