Dexter the friendly dog!

This is our wonderful (sometimes terrible) little man. We love him, we hate him, we can't stay away from him. Here is a little history about Dexter...

One fine day in November (two days after Thanksgiving, to be exact), the hubs and I ventured to our local Humane Society. We had been talking about getting a puppy, but we weren't sure what kind. We knew we didn't want a little dog that was high-maintenance (but let's face it -- ALL puppies are high maintenance). As we walked in, we were bombarded with all kinds of cute puppies and dogs who were ready to go to any loving home.

We walked around a little bit, then went back home, overwhelmed with our decision to make. We had decided to get one of the little black puppies, and had narrowed it down to three. One was a little older and a girl, and the other two were about the same age and boys. 

The next day, we brought our good friends (Liz and John) with us to help in the decision-making process. We decided to see one of the boy puppies first, and his name was TRES (like the french #3). He was so cute and energetic, we couldn't resist. That was our Dexter. 

To this day we aren't really sure how we named him Dexter. Liz was reading off cute puppy names she had looked up online, and when she got to Dexter, I just knew. Also, for anyone wondering, he is NOT named after Dexter the serial killer from the TV show (no matter HOW much Joseph wants to say he is)! 

That is our little story, and here are some more recent pictures of the little man...

taken in December (still little) 

January 2012

January 2012 

February 2012 

March 2012 

This picture above and the next two were taken at the family farm in April of this year. Beautiful dog, beautiful day! 

This one could be an advertisement for something, right? He makes you want to buy puppy stuff! 

So here's to puppies and inconveniences that are worth it in time...

Abby *

Update!

Hello Friends! Last post I told you all that I may have gotten my dream job.....

Well, I DID! I will be a nurse in the OR! I am so excited. My new job starts the second week of March. Be praying that everything goes smoothly and that I will enjoy it like I think I will. It will also be a 5-days-a-week job, so I will have to be there around 6 every morning, but I will get off around 3pm. That will give me more time with our puppy, Dexter, and time every day to get little things done around the house! I'm going to become such an old person! Haha. 

The hubs still hasn't found out for sure about Dental School for this year, but he is already studying for the DAT (Dental Aptitude Test) again. He is also planning on taking an anatomy course this summer at UAB or Alabama. I am so proud of him working hard to achieve his dream (though it is frustrating right now). We are praying that through this year, God will show us what Joseph is supposed to do as far as school goes. 

There's our update in short, and you will hear from us again soon! 

Only 5 more weeks til my new job! 

Love, 

Abby 

Giving in but not giving up.

Since it has been a month since my last post, I thought today would be a good day to start back. These past two weeks have been good and bad at the same time. I got an interview for my dream job, and my hubby started studying to take the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) for the second time so he will hopefully get into dental school next year (not this year). I still haven't found out for sure about my job, but it looks pretty good. I have found out how hard it is to conceal your joy when your best friend is having a hard time accepting that he has to wait another year to start moving toward his dream, all the while stuck at a job that he doesn't necessarily like. 

It really puts that whole married business in perspective. He is learning to be happy for me as my job moves and flourishes, and I am learning to be considerate of him as he does not feel like he's getting anywhere in life right now. The good thing about that, though, is he has a little more time to hang out with me for another year before the madness of dental school starts. It also gives us another year to be in Birmingham for sure, with all of our friends and my family (his being not too far away in H-ville). 

So even though we do not know what the next year will bring us, we move on both happy for me and frustrated for him at this time. It does bring us closer together each day because we have to support each other and remind each other that whatever happens is meant to happen through God's sovereign timing and will. I have never felt that so strongly as I do now. Never. There is no other reason that Joseph shouldn't have gotten into dental school this year except that it wasn't in God's timing. Why? We may never know. But I'm glad we can rest in HIM for another year and look forward to whatever He will put in our path. 

Here's to living in the NOW and being thankful for what you do have, not for what you want and do not have...

Love, 

Abby 

Twenty Twelve: A new year, a new beginning

I hope everyone's holidays went well...as for the Randall clan, we spent the holidays in Huntsville (my first christmas without my original family). It was weird to be away from my family, but I LOVE my new family and we had so much fun! 

For new years, Joseph and I had some friends come up to his family's farm in Mulberry, TN. It was so beautiful up there, and our puppy, Dexter LOVED it! 

This is Dexter! He is a lab/hound/great dane? Well, let's just say he's going to be a BIG DOG! Hehe. 

So now we write 2012 on all our paperwork instead of 2011. I have not made any new year's resolutions except to love God and the people in my life better. Hope you achieve your resolutions! 

Abby :)