Here are a couple of pictures of the kids... Mike enjoying a beautiful Fall day, and Miss Gidget with a pair of my underwear... see what I mean... she just takes over and claims them for herself. LOL The picture is a little blurry, but you get the idea.


I'm looking out the window at the beauty of Fall. The sun is shining, and all the trees are gold, orange, yellow and red. What a beautiful picture God paints. I hate the thought of all the leaves falling and winter settling in. It's suppose to be 65 degrees today... a far cry from what it's been, and even though this weather isn't going to last more than a day... it's beautiful nonetheless.

Mike is sleeping next to me. I don't think he feels too good today. This is one of the few times he didn't go back to sleep behind the couch when he came in from outside in the morning. A typical morning is that I let him out, and he goes back to his safe place behind the couch, and I normally wouldn't see him for at least an hour or more until he's ready to face the day. I know he was hurting yesterday and last night too. He groans in his sleep and when he's awake... he groans when his bladder spasms on him, and lately, there has been some blood in his diaper... not much, but enough to see that there's some red in it.

I'm really grateful, though, that his appetite is still really good. Actually, it's probably better than ever. I've been trying to watch how much I feed him at one time so he doesn't get an upset stomach, so I've been trying feed him around noon or 1:00 and then again around 5:30 or 6:30 ... but.. lately (for maybe the last two weeks or so)... he always gets hungry between 8:30 and 9:00 at night too. When he gets hungry like that, he won't leave me alone until I feed him. So, now he's been eating three times a day. It warms my heart when I watch him eat... and when I do, I thank God for the blessings He has given us with Mike being as good as he has been for so long.

There is one problem with his eating so well though, and that is that after he eats, he gets a burst of energy and wants to play with Gidget. Normally, I love to watch them play, but when he gets that excited after eating, there's always a mess from an upset stomach to clean up. I hate to have to stop them from playing, because they don't play as much as they use to, but after eating is not a good time to rough house.

Gidget is as cute and funny as usual. She's constantly finding things to do to make me laugh. Sometimes, just the way she looks at me gives me the giggles. I know I complain about her sometimes (she's such a pita... especially when she's bored)... but I am so glad she came to be with Mike and me. She really loves Mike so much. However, sometimes she loves him too much, like when he's sleeping really sound, and she wants to play... she'll go right up to him and bark that high pitched "yip" right in his face to wake him up... ohhhhhhhh... that is NOT funny. Poor Mike...
But.. it is adorable when... if he's been sleeping in the bedroom, and she hears his tags as he gets up.. she gets so excited.. she wags that tail so hard that it moves her entire body from side to side all the way up to her neck. LOL ... then she'll run up to him and give him all those puppy whisker kisses. He'll show his teeth and try to walk past her, but that doesn't stop her from getting right in front of him and show him how happy she is to see him, and her little butt just wiggle waggles all over the place.

Well.. gonna get going and try to get something done around here. I hope everyone had a good week and you all have a happy, healthy and blessed weekend.

Love & Blessings

Again... I've been gone a week. I swear, the older I get, the faster time goes by.

Mike and Gidget have been doing pretty well lately. Mike does seem to be leaking again more than normal, and he has been having bouts of passing granules (I can hear him groan when he pushes on his bladder to get them to pass, so I know he's in pain sometimes), but all in all, he's eating and doing everything he's suppose to be doing that let me know he's doing ok. His sleeping at night as been sporadic. The night before last he slept really good and really deep, but last night, he couldn't get settled until after 1 am. Even though he's going through everything he's going through at night, I'm still very grateful that he's as close to normal during the day as he can get.

The young one is really coming in to her own. She's grown up enough now to realize that if I don't run to the back door as soon as she calls for me, she can sit and wait, and I'll be there as soon as I can. I guess we can all sell our stock in Bounty and Resolve now... haven't had to stock up on it for awhile.
I think I've determined that Gidget thinks she's an outdoor dog though. She loves standing outside and letting the wind blow through her hair and chasing every leaf that dares to blow in her sight. She's so funny watching her pounce on them and looking so proud after she's demolished them. I'm thinking when it gets a bit colder, she won't want to stay out so long though... we'll see about that though.

The weather is really getting cold. Thank God I FINALLY got a new furnace yesterday. Since October 6th, I've only had heat a total of 5 days. The furnace guys were out here six times before it was determined that I need a new furnace. I'm a freeze baby, and since it's been so cold here already, I've been using three space heaters to keep my sanity. I did wake up one morning with a horrible migrane that lasted two full days... my gosh, I haven't had one that bad in a very long time (maybe over a year). Even though I do have a history of migranes, since the surgery I had to stop them, I've only had a few really bad ones (nothing like I use to), and mostly they have started with cold air hitting my head. That's the major reason I have to hibernate in the winter. Even standing by the door too long to let the dogs out can trigger one if I'm not careful.

Oh well.. that's all water under the bridge now. Everything is fine, and my house is warm. Even the dogs seem happier.

Hi Cynthia...
Thanks for stopping in and visiting. I'm so glad Benji's surgery was successful. Give him and Bugsy bunny hugs from me.

Hey Sunny & Buddy...
We're sorry... we've been after Mommy to write for the longest time, but somehow she doesn't listen to us all the time. Sometimes when she didn't listen, my sister peed by the door to remind her that she's suppose to pay attention to us... but then she just got mad... so she she stopped doing it. We know how to get her to listen to some of the stuff we tell her, but when it comes to her computer, the only thing we can do is have Gidget jump on her lap while she's typing and then Gidget tries to type for her.... but... she's still too little to know how to spell people words, and when my sister types... no one can understand the Westie words we write. I don't like jumping on Mommy's lap when she's on the puter so I just try to tell my sister what to write. I wish she'd learn to write in people words though.

Sending you guys Westie nose and whisker kisses

Mike (and Gidget)

Sequia said...

Joanna, thanks for looking in on Benji. He got a clean bill of health from the vet yesterday! I am so pleased.

How are you doing? We you and Mike able to sleep better last night? Give them so nose kisses from me please.
Cynthia

October 22, 2008 12:16 PM

Sunny and Buddy said...

no updates? The westie cousins were looking for news!

Sunny and Buddy

October 27, 2008 6:20 PM

Hope everyone is having a happy, healthy week.

Love & Blessings

It's amazing how fast time goes by. I never realized that tomorrow would be an entire week since I've been here.

The experience at the park last week really took a toll on Mike. My poor boy slept almost solid for two days. I was really beginning to get worried about him. I had to force him to get up to go out or even to eat... had to get him started eating by hand feeding him. We really weren't out there very long... maybe 45 minutes, so I would never have thought it would bother him like that.

He's having problems sleeping again... not just panting, but sometimes sitting and staring while he pants. It's just so weird that it's only when we go to bed. He generally seems fine until then. However, there have been times I've noticed it starting up, so I'll give him the Benedryl, and we'll go to bed early so he could get settled as soon as possible before the panting gets worse.

We had a really hard night last night. He just couldn't sleep. He wasn't panting the whole time, but he was getting up and down... laying down and sitting... until almost 2:00 this morning. Then when he finally DID fall asleep, his breathing was really heavy, so of course I had to stay awake until it got a bit more normal. I ended up giving him the whole Benedryl last night.. 1/2 just wasn't doing it, and in all honesty, I probably could have given him another 1/2 to help him sleep (their children's strength so it probably would have been ok). I'm hoping he has better luck tonight.

Gidget has been full of the devil tonight. I've had to keep her busy because she's determined that she doesn't want Mike to sleep. Earlier (around 5:00) he must have been in a really deep sleep because she startled him and he actually snapped at her. I don't think he even knew he did it, but she really pissed him off. Then everytime he moved someplace else to sleep... she followed him and tried to get him to wake up and play.

He's sitting next to me right now, and everytime I pet him, I realize how soft his hair is and how loving he is and how blessed I am to have him with me. I just realized that Mike became a PIN on IMOM on October 20th last year. He's been a true success story for IMOM. At that time, the vet told me he "might" have six months.... and then in December when he started passing clots and IMOM raised enough for his surgery on January 2nd, they said, "a few weeks to a few months"... and Praise God... here we are a whole year after his first diagnosis. I am so very grateful for everyone who has helped my sweet boy and all the wonderful friends we've found there for support and so very grateful to God for helping him maintain a decent quality of life for so long after "man" said otherwise. What a miracle he truly is.

Hi Alex... The hayride really was fun. I'm glad I went. It's so funny to think of a bonfire in 85 degree weather... guess that's just not a Florida past time. LOL I lived a year in California, so I know what you mean about being thrown off with the season always being like Summer. It's weird going Christmas shopping and wrapping presents when there's not even a breeze in the air. LOL

I haven't heard from Roberta for a little while. Last time I talked to her, she was still on days, and I "think" she likes it. It's tough working nights. I did it for four years, and I loved it, but it does screw up your system.

Give the kids hugs for me.

Ok... gotta get going.... I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.

Love & Blessings

Alexandra said...

Wow, Joanna, that hayride sounds wonderful! I'm so glad to hear about you getting out and having some fun. Really REALLY glad.

At first I was confused. I think living in Florida, I am losing track of the seasons. All I could think of was, "A hayride and bonfire in 85 degree weather?" But then I remembered where you live.

I get thrown off guard at church when they ask me to design a slide for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I'm thinking, "But it's still summer."

Anyway, I'm glad you can get out. Talk to you soon.

Love,
Alex

PS How's Roberta doing? Is she still at her day job now?

October 16, 2008 5:52 PM

We had an awesome afternoon today. The weather was around 68 degrees (perfect for me), so I took both Mike and Gidget for a ride to the park. They were so happy just for the ride, but when we got to the park... well... all the scents of fallen leaves and the smell of squirrels that had been there before us took their attention totally away from the rest of the world.

Gidget had never been to a real park... just the prayer path behind the church (it's a beautiful path created in the woods along the river). The prayer path is awesome, but the openness of the park was all new to her. It was hillarious when we walked near the playground... she barked like hell at the playground equipment. She had never seen it before and was protecting Mike and me from those big scary things. LOL

Mike enjoyed the walk just as much as she did. He took his time and sniffed as much as he could and of course stopped every ten feet or so to try to pee. When we got more into an open area, I told him, "come on Mike.. walk, walk"... and he'd stop peeing and walk a lot more than stopping. Or I'd tell him, "we're on a walk... not a sniff.. come on", and he did. He is sooooooo good.

While Mike and I were walking, I let Gidget run as far as she could on the leash (retractable)... back and forth and all around us. She definitely got in her exercise for the day.

It was a great time... UNTIL!!! Until it was time to leave. I had put some water out for the pups, and they both had some. I was still holding on to both leashes, and when Mike was finished drinking, I went to put his diaper back on. Just as I got it on, he spotted a squirrel. Now mind you... Mike doesn't usually care about squirrels. We have a whole family of them in the back yard, and he never even takes notice of them. They could sit ten feet away from him, and he wouldn't care.
BUT... I guess the fresh air and the fact that this wasn't "our" squirrel that he spotted woke up the hunter in him, and he tried taking off after it. He couldn't go far because of the leash and almost choked himself trying to get to it.
THEN... the great white huntress saw it and decided to join him in the anhiliation of that poor little thing. Well.. the squirrel got away, but those to made me look like a complete idiot out there. You probably would have peed your pants laughing. Here I am... holding two retractable leashes, and the dogs on each leash crossed over, so my arms are crossed trying to pull them back and keep them from running off.... then somehow, Gidget got both of the leashes tangled... AT THE TOP WHERE I WAS HOLDING THEM... I'm still trying to figure out how she did that. Sooooooooo.....now I can't control either leash, and they are fully extended with two miniature elephants pulling on me.
I don't know if you realize how strong these little dogs are... but they were both pulling me so hard that they were dragging me behind them. Gidget was barking, and Mike was choking himself, and I was saying.... "doggone it.. stop pulling... hang on.. you're tangled"... of course they weren't listening to me. I don't think they even knew I was there. Then somehow, Gidget's leash came totally off Mikes, and just before she got lose, I grabbed it. Unfortunately, I didn't get it by the handle but caught it on the string (leash) part.... MAN DID THAT BURN!!!

Finally, after what seemed like a very long time (but was probably only a minute or two), the squirrel disappeared into a vortex, and both dogs relaxed. My gosh.. was I sweating. Thank God the park was empty (except for a guy sitting in his car eating his lunch and laughing at the show we put on). You could tell my guys are really well trained can't you. I'm glad I gave that guy a good laugh.

We came home, and Mike was totally pooped. He slept the rest of the afternoon, and I actually had to wake him up aroun 7:30 tonight to feed him. Gidget, on the other hand, was still full of piss and vinegar. I had to put her in her room so "I" could catch a short nap.

All in all though.. it was a great day off. I haven't really had much time to do stuff like this since Dr. Blaha went to the convention. She came home last night, and I took off today. She called and wants me to go in tomorrow morning to meet with the computer guy who's coming to do something to the computer and explain to him what happened with VIA... I just hope he doesn't screw it up... it took forever to get it going again.

Hi Alex...

It's so good to hear from you. You are soooooo right. God is so good, and He has been blessing us. I'm so grateful for everything. It does seem like I'm in and out all the time, but the good thing about working for Dr. Blaha is that she's just about a mile from my house, and I can pretty much set my own schedule, so Mike and Gidget really aren't home much by themselves. The longest they were alone was when I went on the hayride Saturday... it was awesome.. it was at a Christian campground... a beautiful hayride through the woods (with an almost full moon shining through the trees) and then a bonfire with a weiner roast and nice burnt marshmallows.... humm.... yummy.
Give the little ones some belly rubs and scritches for me.

Oh Cindy...

I know you are 100% right. Last year, I almost did stroke out. Had to go by squad to the hospital with blood pressure that I won't even tell you how high it was. Since I posted about my bp, I've been doing really well... except for Sunday afternoon.... but we won't talk about that. I did go to the doctor after my post (twice actually) about the blood pressure. We, again, changed the schedule and dosage of the meds, but I didn't call him after my episode this Sunday. Don't yell at me for not calling him... I think I know why it went up like it did. I got really excited about something that had happened at church (too much to explain here), and I think that's what made it spike again. Please don't worry... I am being careful, and I know the number for 911.... praying I never need it again. I have another appointment with him on November 7th, so prayerfully by that time I'll be 100% ok. Just keep me in your prayers.
Oh.. by the way... nope... never been a nurse. I've worked at the hospital in ER though in registration.

I'm so glad that Justice is still on the train and hoping that Tuck gets back on again really quick. Give them hugs and belly rubs for me.


Ok.. time to get these guys outside. I pray everyone is having a happy and healthy week.

Love & Blessings

Alexandra said...

Hi Joanna,

It seems like you haven't posted here in a while either. Boy you must really be busy! What a change, huh? Before you had the car you were stuck at home and now look at you. Seems like God has been blessing us both!

I'm glad Mikey is still hanging in there. boy, what a trooper he is! I saw a dog at the dog park yesterday that looked just like him and I was thinking about him. I hope they both don't mind you being away from home so much. At least they have each other, right?

Okay, well I'll have to check back and see if you've updated this blog.

Give the little ones kisses for me.

Love ya!
Alex

October 15, 2008 1:35 PM

Cindy said...

Ok Joanna, didn't u used to be a nurse??? Well even if u were or weren't--don't u play 'nurse' on urself-cuz u ain't doing a very good job of it. You know as well as I do that u could easily have 'stroked out' with a BP that high. You said more then a week ago that u had a call in to ur doc. So...u are going in for BP checks and just not telling us--right?? I said RIGHT????? PLease tell me u have talked with the doc! Home testing machines are great-but when u have symptoms and the scare-u need to get to the doc and take care of urself. ASAP!
Hugs, Cindy, Tucker and Justice
I guess u need a refresher course--High blood pressure is a SILENT killer. By the time u are having symptoms like u were, u are in serious danger of having a stroke. You were damn lucky--and so was Mike and Gidget. They may have lost or had an incapacitated mom.
It's wonderful u are going to see the kids in Missouri at Thankgiving...but I sincerely hope u have touched base with ur doc and stopped in and let the nurse do a BP check before u travel. U want to have fun don't u??? U want to be healthy in Missouri and come home healthy don't u???
So PROVE IT!! Stop in at ur docs and have the nurse check ur BP. Don't wait in case u need to do some changes on ur meds-then u will be used to changes before the trip.
Sermon over---FOR NOW!
hugs to u and the kids! U know the sermon was only becuz i care...plus I am in a mood. LOL. But I AM right!!

October 15, 2008 7:47 PM

Busy week. Sorry I haven't posted. Dr. Blaha has been gone all week, and I've taken advantage of getting as much done in the office as I could. She's not coming back until Tuesday, so the quiet in the office is great for getting things accomplished. By the time I've gotten home and taken care of the dogs and things around here, I'm too pooped to pop. I didn't go to work today... for some reason, after doing some Saturday errands, I was just way to tired to concentrate. But, thankfully, I was able to grab an hour nap and feel much better now.

My blood pressure, I think, has been better. I've changed the times I take my pills, and so far so good.

Mike has been leaking so much lately. Poor guy... we go through more diapers in one day now than we did two (or sometimes three). Yesterday when I went to clean him, I saw he was really red and raw down there. It really must hurt him. I gave him a bath to make sure he's really good and clean and then loaded him with Neosporin and baby powder. It looks much better today, but I know it can't be very comfortable.

Gidget is still a little gidget. She's getting much better in the "peeing" department (shhhh.. don't wanna say that too loud). Now, if I could only get her to stop barking so much outside.... she'd be "almost" the perfect little girl. You would have fallen over laughing this morning if you had walked in my house. From the front door, all the way to the laundry room, were different articles of clothing. I mean she actually made a trail. I'd pick them up and put them back, and she made herself nice and busy doing it all over again. Normally, I'd pick them up and put them up on top of the washer where she can't reach them, but... it was nice and quiet in here while she was so busy, sooooooo.. I just let her enjoy herself.

I'm sorry I haven't gotten to any IMOM threads for awhile. I promise to get there soon. I'd get to them tonight, but believe it or not.. I'm going on a hayride and a bonfire in a little while and have to get ready. Haven't done anything like that in years. Should be fun.

I pray everyone is having a wonderful and healthy weekend. Take care and God Bless.

Love & Blessings

I hope everyone had a great weekend.

I had a weird day yesterday. In the morning, I got really lightheaded before church. I took my blood pressure, and it was a little high. After I took my blood pressure medication, I took it again, and it had gone down a little. I questioned as to whether I should go to church or not, but at that point I felt ok, and it was a beautiful Fall day, and I didn't want to stay in all day. Well, at church, the feeling came back but (thank God) no where near what it had been earlier. The rest of the afternoon was downright scary. The feeling came back full force around around 2:00. I took my blood pressure again, and it was 204 over 89. Oh my gosh... wayyyyyy too high. I took my afternoon pill, and it went down but not far enough to be normal. The lightheadedness continued on and off all day. When Karol was here meeting the dogs, we were at the back door, and she had to catch me before I fell. Gotta tell ya folks.. this is not fun.

I've got a call in to the doctor, and I'm hoping he calls soon. My head feels a little fuzzy this morning but nothing like yesterday. I'm wondering if maybe I have an inner ear problem too, and maybe the blood pressure isn't the entire problem. I don't know. All I know is that this has to stop.

Ok.. enough of my junk.
Karol came over yesterday and loved the puppers, and they loved her too. Mike sat right up against her foot, and Miss Gidget stayed as close as she could to her on the couch. Karol really loves animals, and it shows. I know when I go to visit my son, my babies will be in good and loving hands.

Mike is doing ok. He still has his problems, but my boy is doing the best he can with the situation he's in. He's such a sweetheart. I have to say though, he's been a bit confused the last couple of nights because we've slept in the living room instead of the bedroom. The furnace went out Friday night, and Chuck wanted to wait until today to call the repair guy (weekend rates ya know)... anyway.. it wasn't too bad. I have a heater that I use in the bedroom during the winter, because it gets really cold in there, and I put it in the living room the last couple of nights. Gidget sleeps in there, and I wanted her to stay warm too. When I said "bed time" the last couple of nights, Gidget went to her room, and Mike went to the bedroom. When I didn't go in there, he came back in here and looking at me like "I thought you said we were going to bed??"

Gidget has been really good lately. I think she's realized that cuddling could be as much fun (or almost as much) than constantly yipping. Of course the yipping hasn't stopped, but she's doing it less and less each day. However, there are still times when I need a break and tell her it's naptime.... she's really pretty good about going to her room for a nap for an hour or so. I love those quiet times.

I hope everyone has a great week. Give all the furkids hugs and belly rubs from me and nose and whisker kisses from the Westies.

Love & Blessings

Hey All... Happy weekend to you. The weather is cold right now (down to 38 at 9:45 in the morning), but it's suppose to go up to 62 (hope so). The sun is out, and the sky is blue. It really is beautiful (if it just wasn't so doggone cold). I have no idea what I'm going to do in the winter.. I'm such a freeze baby.

Gidget is being as sweet as pie lately. I don't want to say that too loud though. She's so darn cute, but there are times she tries to use her cuteness to get away with things (doesn't work). Yesterday she was in the laundry room, and I heard her yip... thought she had to go out so I went in there, and here she was barking at the empty laundry basket... looking for underwear. LOL Bad Mommy did all the laundry and didn't leave her anything to play with. This morning, I heard her yip in there again... again I go to let her out, and she's laying in the middle of the laundry room floor like a little princess just looking out the door. What a girl she is.

Mike is sawing logs next to me right now. He had a hard time falling and staying asleep again last night. I don't know what it is about the night time, but, lately, it usually isn't until we go in to the bedroom that the panting starts. It use to be that it would start even before we went to bed, so maybe he's getting better.. I just don't know. I just wish I could get him on the bed, because he always seems to be able to fall asleep faster there... but he refuses to jump up or try the step stool, and it hurts him when I pick him up to put him there. I really miss him up there, and I know he misses being there too.

Well.. gotta get going. Got "Saturday" things to do. I hope and pray everyone has a wonderful, happy, healthy and blessed weekend.

Love & Blessings

VIA is up and running, so thank God there was no permanent damage to the program. AND... amazingly enough all of the information I entered into the laptop was miraculously transferred to the desktop... so there's no need to re-enter all the data. I'm soooooooo relieved. Dr. B is going to a conference on Monday, so I'll be going there a few days during the week while she's gone to get some work done for her and return phone calls. I'll be going over there this afternoon to see what she has for me and set a schedule for next week.

Mike has been doing fairly good during the day, but on occassion he groans in his sleep or even when he's awake, and I can tell he's in pain. The last few nights, he's had a heck of a time going to sleep and staying asleep. Last night I could tell he was really in pain. I ended up having to give him the second half of the Benedryl, because he was panting so hard and just couldn't relax. He was like that the night before too. The Benedryl seems to help him, but then I stay up to listen closely to his breathing. It sometimes gets so loud and labored sounding and then other times is so shallow that I have to check to make sure he's still breathing. As I type this, I can hear him groaning in his sleep behind the couch. It breaks my heart. I just wish he was healthy.

Gidget is still a gidget. She's a handful all right, but she is so damn cute and sweet and cuddly (especially when she "want's" to be). I still have to go around the house picking up my dirty laundry throughout the day. Emptying the laundry basket seems to be one of her favorite (quiet) pasttimes.

Oh... some great news!! I'm going to visit my son and daughter-in-law in Missouri for Thanksgiving. I am sooooooo excited. I'll fly out Wednesday and come back on Sunday. I went there last year, and I've got to tell you... when I go there, I always feel so welcome and loved. I just love going there. We just hang out together (the three of us) and do whatever we feel like doing or nothing at all. Last year all three of us were in the kitchen together making Thanksgiving dinner, and while we waited for it to cook, we watched Miracle on 34th St and It's A Wonderful Life. Sadly though, this year, Bailey won't be in the kitchen with us. They miss her terribly, and it's going to be hard for me to go there and feel that void there too.

Since Michelle has Scrappy now, there's no way Mike could stay with her while I'm gone, and he wouldn't live past the second day in a kennel (wouldn't do that to him anyway). So Karol, from church, will come and spend the entire time here at my house and take care of my babies. Karol is about my age, and has made a career of dog sitting. She's not cheap... she charges $50 a day/night... but it will be soooo worth it just knowing I'll have someone I trust, who loves dogs, to be here for Mike and Gidget.... especially for Mike. The dogs will never be alone at night (she'll sleep here too) or forced to stay in cages all day. They'll be able to stay in their own home and stick to their own schedules, and Mike will have the special care he needs. She's going to come over Sunday after church to meet them. I know they'll love each other. Now the hard part is saving the money to pay her. I hope Dr. Blaha was serious about adding hours (and it would be nice if I did get a raise... but I'm not going to mention that to her unless she brings it up again).

I hope everyone is having a great week. Give all the furkids hugs and scritches from me and nose and whisker kisses from the Westies.

Love & Blessings