Hellooo-ooo!

GREETINGS!

I have been attempting this post for days and just wasnt sure how to tackle it! I have been in Seattle from May 22-June 27th (all the plans were a little last min). Tony was unable to come up with me due to work issues, but he did drive all the way up for 4 days, WITH all 3 dogs mid-June! It was by far the highlight of the trip. Ive been wanting to bring the dogs back home so badly, and I cant even describe how happy I felt seeing them, being back Home and having *my* family with me (minus the kitties of course, but they are happy anywhere), taking the dogs to all their favorite places, seeing them having a blast, visiting their favorite people and dogs they've known essentially all their lives & havent seen in a year... It was amazing. If we didnt have to drive through 2 mtn passes, we'd bring them home at xmas too but its just not safe (or comfortable) with my little jetta. And I cant afford $600 to fly them each time. (Plus I dont think Alki could handle flying, WAY too scary.)

So, Ive been back home now for a week and it feels so good to be back with my family. Its hard, I was so blissful being back Home in Seattle, seeing friends & family, and having 5 weeks was perfect; plenty of time to see EVERYONE multiple times, catch up fully, and just have fun. But at the same time I was depressed every night sitting in bed alone, no animals to care for, no one to lay next to and talk about the day.. basically the loves of my life not with me. I feel down a lot here in Sacramento for the same reason, missing home, friends, family, but it was definitely harder being away from T & the kids. So when he came up for those 4 days, it was perfection. Everyone and everything I love in the same place again. I really cherish that. It was an emotional trip, but I got a lot of thinking in, and learned a lot about myself.. And it was so healing to be close to so many people I love for over a month. The next 5 yrs will be really hard.. I definitely see why people drop out/change schools before finishing. Family and friends are so important. I mean, thats what life is about right? I think so. But I also know how miserable I felt a lot of the time when I was home, I know I need to do this. 6 yrs isnt *that* long in the long run. And I know Im learning a LOT living here, in a new place, and I do love school a lot. I think its these times while school is not in session that are the hardest on me. (Im so impatient..) And Im making new memories here, and hopefully new friends in time (its hard for me to open up to new people, thus Im really slow to make friends, but Ive been pushing myself to be social and having the dog meetups and things I think are good).

Well anyway, enough soul searching.. on to the photos. This is where Ive been struggling, I want to post them ALL but I just discovered this nifty feature on flickr, so instead, here are slideshows of the albums. First are the 4 days I had the dogs in Seattle, our trips to the dog parks:

Marymoor, 6.11.10:

Magnuson, 6.12.10:

**6.13.10: photos not fully uploaded yet!**

Marymoor, 6.14.10:

And to see all the photos I took while in Seattle, (including LOTS of dogs!) click here:

FULL SEATTLE TRIP COLLECTION

And! Some photos taken before I went away, but never got to posting!:

Folsom Lake, 5.9.10:

And Royal's day in San Francisco the day I flew out: