Dear Clients,

Why must you always tell me what to do? Did you go to school for eight years and spend $150,000 to earn the title of Doctor?

Why must you wait to bring your sick dog/cat/horse/cow/pig/sheep/goat/cockatiel in to see me 15 minutes before quittin' time when I've been doing nothing for the previous 4.5 hours?

What makes you think that you can be rude to me all the time?

Why do you expect me to call you back in 9 minutes and 42 seconds with the results of blood work/x-rays/biopsies when it takes your human doctor at least 2 weeks to call back?

Also, why must you always speak to ME and not my highly trained staff? Human docs very rarely call their patients back.

Why must you complain when you have a brief 10 minute wait in my reception area? Name one time you were seen by your MD on time, even if you got to your appointment early.

Why must you gripe about your bill? And why do you expect to only pay $50 for a $600 stay in the hospital? You do not have pet insurance, this is a small business, and no, I don't have to treat your pet just because he/she is dying and/or wounded.

I am human, I have off days, and I will do the very best I can.

Give me a break!!!!!

Brides Wearing White

28 years of morals and convictions paid off.

My Cousin/Aunt, Katleene Runnels, has written a book about purity. It consists of several short stories of young women "who fall in and out of love, meet dating challenges, experience personal growth, and confront the screaming pressures of promiscuity." The characters in the book are all based on the real life experiences of herself, her daughter, her sister-in-law, her friends, and myself. And yes, I am the bride on the cover.

I must say that I take a lot of pride in this book. Not only is it super cool that Kathleene thought enough of my life's story to write a book about it, but it is so rare that women are looked up to and congratulated for remaining pure until marriage, for doing what is right in God's eyes. I am honored to be a part of it and to hopefully be an example for other ladies. It's rewarding, a pat on the back, a hug. It's a testament to God and to mine and Scott's lives. Yes, I am proud.

Did I make the right decision to remain celebate until marriage. You bet. I can't imagine being that intimate and that vulnerable to someone that hadn't vowed to God to love me and cherish me and take care of me for the rest of his life. Physical intimacy is lots of fun, deeply satisfying, and freeing. Being able to do that within the confines of marriage is wonderful, and there is absolutely no guilt or reservations or sense of shame afterwards (like after you made out with that boy you shouldn't have in high school). It is awesome that God made something that amazing to be shared between a husband and wife- something that no one else in the world can share with me, that ultimate connection.

Kathleene originally wrote the book for her granddaughters, but now I think she hopes it will reach all young women. How great to be apart of this - I am overwhelmed.

Holiday "Fun"

A belated documentation of our first holiday season:

To start, I was on call at Christmas for the first time, first Christmas away from home, first in our new house, first as a married couple. Lots of first and no hint of normalcy.

Secondly, it SNOWED. Not just snowed, BLIZZARDED. I'm not kidding, 12 inches of blowing, drifting, freezing snow. People getting stuck in drifts, on the highway, stranded on the side of the road on Christmas Eve. Scott spent Christmas Eve afternoon pulling people out of the snow with the tractor, making sure calves didn't freeze, and trying not to freeze himself. I spent the afternoon alone at the house and then went to the clinic to take care of 25 boarders and one sick cow. I had to pour hot water on the cow barn door to unfreeze it enough to open it. And then the cow ended up going the wrong direction and holed up by the hay.

Christmas Day was not fun. The clouds had cleared and it was gorgeous outside- pristine white fields, perfectly peaceful, and not a soul in sight, except for us. We were outside busily feeding calves, milking cowsm, pulling the milk truck down the road, walking dogs, and carting grandparents back and forth in my pickup (the only 4WD that wasn't stuck in the mud or the garage). Scott and I slip-slided to town to walk dogs, and then he went back to the dairy. We didn't get to Suzan's to eat Christmas dinner until 2 and, of course, I got called out just about the time I went to fill my plate. I got done just in time to walk dogs while everybody else worked at the dairy. We met up at Gran'ma and Granddad's for supper and finally opened presents around 9 that evening. Then we went to Kenton and Suzan's and opened presents there around 10. Then we went home and opened presents from each other. Scott loved his wallet, I loved my watch, Pepper LOVED his cow. Small successes.

The next day we tried to dig out of the snow and drive to Lamesa to celebrate with my side of the family. There was ice and snow all the way to Tahoka and Scott wouldn't let me drive, so it was a loooonnngggg trip. We got to stay a few days, so that was nice, and then I had the day off when we got back and then New Year's Eve at the church. Scott had to get up and help milk for nearly two weeks after the blizzard to help with the muddy cows, so we didn't see each other and when we did we were exhausted- life wasn't fun for a while.

And that's the story of our first Christmas--- memorable, to say the least. Here's hoping next year will be better....