A LOT HAPPENED THIS WEEK!

I could break this down into several posts but
I won't.
It seems to work better for me to post a weekly post,
at least for now.
So, what happened?
Well....
My sister's dog Olive had puppies!

To be honest, I'm always torn about puppies,
knowing that there are so many dogs out there that need homes but
her older Husky "Nuka" was getting up there in age and when they adopted Olive a year and half ago the plan had always been to have puppies so they could continue his lineage.
It just happened sooner than they expected.
I won't go into the whole story but... things happened and BAM!
Olive was pregnant.

Luckily for them and the puppies, Olive delivered them easily and instantly went into momma mode.
It's amazing how Olive knew what to do and from what I've been told at the clinic, not all dogs are natural mothers.
She ended up having 7 puppies!
4 boys and 3 girls.
Stay tuned for a lot of puppy photos in posts!
LOL!

Also this week my niece Lily turned 21!

How did this happen?
I mean last week she was six!

I wish time wouldn't go so fast.

Another bit of good news.
I had a woman buy one of my prints that was at the clinic, that looked like her Goldendoodle.
But I didn't have one of her other dog, a Westie, so she asked if she could bring her Westie in
and have me take his photo and then do an altered photo of him.
So I did -

I also did an altered photo of Lily's little dog and her two cats as part of her birthday gifts to her.

Oh, I also turned in my letter for a request for a raise.
I tried to focus on it, using the Law of Attraction and...
it worked.
I mean, it worked to as how I was thinking.
Got to be careful how you think! LOL!
I requested an amount that I considered GOOD and fair.
As I contemplated the amount, I couldn't help think how happy I would be to get it.
And how if I got that amount, there was even the hidden fear that I wouldn't be as motivated to do my Art.
Then I thought about how if I got...

NOTHING.
Well, it had been three years since my last raise and I had taken on a lot more responsibilities and if I got nothing, well...

that would force my hand.
Then I thought about an amount I COULD live with but still be driven to do something more.
To concentrate on my Art and my books and...
The Universe listened and that's what I got.
Yep.

Sigh.

I have found lately that the power of positive thinking is working.
I have caught myself so many times, starting to think negative and catching myself.
I have had several "dips" this week, going up and down.
It's a struggle but the goal is to eventually just be positive and have faith that all will turn out as it should.

On that note, I have been having pain on my side and above the belly button area.
Nothing internal but rather it feels as though I have a bad sunburn but there's no rash, no bruise, nothing.

I'm not going to the doctor.

Everyone at work thinks I should but I'm going to ride it out.
My sister, who works in hospital, agrees with me.
We both think it might be residual effects of Shingles that I had several years ago.
I had them on the same side just higher up.
It feel like that, like a burn, only there's no rash or redness.
I'm going to remain positive and focus on other things and one day I will wake up and it will be gone.
In full disclosure, I've done that with many ailments and it's worked.
(I must admit that passing a bladder stone several years ago just about killed me! But Hey! looked at the money I saved by not going to the hospital! LOL!)
OK, anyway....

Back to the LOA-

The other day I was talking with someone and she brought up someone else who we have discussed before.
In the past, we have been envious, maybe jealous is a better word for this person's good fortune.
She hasn't had to really struggle for much and she's reaped amazing things.
She's traveled many times to Europe and gone fabulous places in the USA
and it all just falls into her lap.
Things seem to always work out for her.

So as her current adventure was being brought up and the conversation started to go on about how unfair it was, I interrupted and said -
"We should feel happy for her. Happy for her good fortune, for the opportunity that she's going to have and then we should feel happy and positive for ourselves because something good is going to come our way too!"
"But it never does!" is the response I got and to which I replied
"That's the problem, instead of feeling happy, The Universe is tuning into how we feel that nothing happens to US like that. So the Universe gives us more of nothing. If we instead focus on gratitude for what we do have and what is in OUR future, The Universe will bring us that instead!"
I could see the frustration in her face.
I know it's hard to change and she said as much.
"But this is how I've felt my whole life! That crap just keeps happening to me!"
I nodded and said "Yes, but you can change it. It's hard but you can. Some days you will forget it and start feeling bad but you have to STOP yourself and be grateful. I tell you it's not easy but you can do it."

The other day I started to feel sucked in again by mean people.

People who always have something to complain about.
People who always want to repeat a mean story or make someone else feel bad.
People who would rather scowl and frown and grumble and it's hard not to be upset.

I started thinking negatively but then I remembered- 

and I started to think about the NICE people I do know.
People that are funny and make me happy to be around.

Yep, it's not easy but it's so worthwhile.
And... if people don't want to even try to focus on something good,
then maybe it's best to stay away from those people as much as possible.
At least I'm gonna try to do that!

Finally, the decluttering continues.
Boy, I have a lot of crap!
I've focused a lot on outside stuff, yard things and such
but now I'm working on inside things.
So much to do!

I'll leave you with this image.
While I type this post.
My Blue naps.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
XOXOXOXOXO

MY BIG NEWS

OK, You might want to grab a beverage, and get comfortable because this is one of my longer post! LOL!
So, here is my BIG news.
Actually it's two things, but they are sort of tied together.
At least in my mind.
The first thing is, I am no longer going to feel like this:

I've been feeling like this for a very long long time.
Much too long and I'm finally going to do something about it.
No, I'm not quitting my job.
Well, not quite yet.
But I shall see what manifests and then be OPEN to it.
I'm talking about practicing the 
LAW of ATTRACTION.
If you aren't familiar with it, I found some definitions and clarifications by Remez Sasson
and you can find more HERE

1. This law is a manifestation of the creative power of the Universe.
2. It is through this law that everything is created: galaxies, planets, metals, rocks and even plants, animals and people.
3. Like attracts like.
4. Thoughts attract corresponding situations and circumstances.
5. You get what you think about.
6. You attract into your life whatever you focus on.
7. Positive thoughts attract positive events. Negative thoughts attract negative events.
8. If you entertain feelings and thoughts about hardships and obstacles, then this is what you get.
9. If you keep thinking and expecting success, and don't allow doubts enter your mind, you will eventually achieve success.
10. It is not enough just to wish for something, you need strong desire and faith to manifest what you want.
11. In order for your thoughts to manifest, you have to repeat them often, and add feelings, desire and interest.
12. The mind acts like a magnet.
13. Similar energy attracts similar energy.
14. Your thoughts determine the way you live.
15. This law is used by everyone, though mostly unconsciously.
16. Filling the mind with worries and anxieties brings stress and unhappiness.

17. Filling the mind with happy thoughts will attract happiness into your life. 

So, you might be asking what made me decide this and the answer is...
I'm tired of petty people sucking the joy out of my life and causing me stress and unhappiness. 

I had ANOTHER incident happen (I won't go into it here but) and I had to defend myself and straighten out what had actually transpired and... I'm done.
Done with the politics, cliques and general meanness.

Life is too short.

I'm focusing on what I want in my life and kicking the negativity behind me. I'm going to visualize myself into a better happier life!

Now, for the second part of BIG NEWS.

I've used visualization before but not a huge grand scale.
I've done it without actually even thinking about it.
I thought about my little Poppy when she was someone else's dog and boarded with me often. I was actually driving home and the thought of her popped in my head and I found myself thinking about her when my cell phone started to ring and I pulled over and it was the receptionist from work calling to tell me that Poppy's owners wanted to know if I would adopt her.
Another time I was at work and saying that I won't mind some day having a little dachshund, I was very specific. I said I wanted a smaller one, a female, a dapple and her temperament had to sweet and loving. Not even 10 minutes later, a woman walked into the clinic with a dog that was exactly as I described. The co-worker I had been talking to got wide eyed and then we were both shocked when the client told me I could have her if I wanted her.
So I guess I visualized them into my life.
A few posts back I was saying that I wish I had a energetic playmate, a poodle for my toy poodle Ping.
Pretty much all my other dogs are elderly and just don't want to play with her.
So when my friend who works at the Humane Society, asked me to paint her little dachshund (the painting I just posted a few days ago) I told her that I'd give her a discounted price if she'd keep her eyes open for a Toy Poodle with LOTS of energy and it had to be female. She laughed and said "Of Course!"
Now I want to point out that I am almost daily turning down dogs. 
You would not believe how many people offer to give me their dogs and I say No!
Recently I helped find homes for 2 Labs and now I'm trying to find a home for a Doberman.
(The Labs were victims of divorce and the Dobie, the owner is moving out of the country.)
Then the other day, four little tiny Shih-tzu mix puppies came in to be fixed from the Humane Society. One of the little females didn't have a home yet and one of the techs held her up to the window to me and I mouthed the words back to her
"She's not a Toy Poodle" and shook my head No.
I telling you this so that you know I don't drag home EVERYONE, although it might seem so.
Well, my friend text me again that she loved her painting and she had a little dog for me to meet but it wasn't a poodle. I told her I'd stop by on my way home but I highly doubted it because I wanted someone like Ping.
When I got there, she took me to a room and brought the dog in. I was told she was just over a year old and they thought she was maybe a  Shih-tzu mix?
After meeting her I think she's likely a Yorkie and maybe Affenpinscher mix.
The little dog walked in on a leash as my friend slipped it off and she just zoomed around the room! She was so happy! She jumped up and down and all around and when I called to her she flew into my lap. I couldn't help but laugh at her.
Apparently she had been fostered while she had her puppies!

Those puppies were HER babies.
Then she was adopted for 2 weeks, only to be returned because she had an ear infection and the people didn't want to deal with it.
So my friend had been caring for her at the shelter, treating her ears and she had just been given the OK to go to the Adoption Floor by their Doctor that very day.
My friend was in love with her and wanted her to go to the right home after all the little dog had been through in her short life.
The Director of the Shelter came in and laughed at me. She is a very good friend of mine too and she said
"I thought you wanted a Poodle!". I told her yes but most importantly I wanted high energy and a SWEET dog.
She knows me very well and she said she thought the little dog would be a perfect playmate for Ping. 
So here's the funny cosmic part. Or at least I believe it to be so.
Her name is Toodles! I told them that I had been thinking and saying POODLE but apparently the Universe heard Toodles!
Everyone laughed and I took her home last Thursday.
She walked in and greeted everyone right on the spot..
She was a bit of a mess from all the ear meds and being in the shelter.

She immediately started playing 

and then a miracle happened, she wore out Jimmy Chew.
When he gave up, she and Ping played

until I grabbed Toodles and gave her a good bath which she loved. Then I set her down and she was back to playing.

Every day since, all she does is play with Ping. they are even sleeping together.
The best of buddies.
Blue just watches her from his sofa and sometimes she will grab Nora's ball and RUN and Nora will chase her around to get it back and finally she will drop it and go back to Ping or Jimmy and play.
In fact as I type this, all three of them are tumbling and bouncy around the room.

It's amazing how this just clicked and worked.
I do plan on changing her name. I've tried out several.
I thought about ZIGZAG but she doesn't answer to it.
I've called her Tallulah but that's kind of a long name to say.
I tried calling her Tammy, because she's so sweet but she didn't come to that either.
I like the name Swoosie but I find it hard to say repeatedly.
Today I've been calling her Evie. So that might be her name.

So, maybe it's a stretch in some peoples mind but I clearly see this as a product of positive thinking and the power of visualizing the perfect dog to fit in the final puzzle piece of my fur family.
I think it was so easy because I believed it could be so in my heart.
Now, I must work on the rest of my life.
To remain positive, to have faith in knowing it WILL be so!
That HAPPINESS is in my power!
So, to me...that's BIG NEWS.