Half-way there!

We're finally half way done with the semester! I can't believe how much work senior year is! I knew it would be difficult, but all of the work is really getting to me! On top of hours and hours of reading, papers, research, lesson planning, and field time, our professors seem to have made a resolution to act like their class is our only class. News flash; I have 16 credits! That's been a normal load for me, but considering these are all 400-level classes with field work and projects...it's rough. Luckily, I have Arch to keep me sane! Even though I know I sometimes say he drives me crazy, he really keeps me calm most of the time. When I'm reading, he had his head on my lap snoring away. When I'm writing papers, he's laying on my feet. When I need a break, he's ready to go for a long walk. And we all know he's always wearing a dorky face!

He's been able to come to lots of events with me in addition to classes, such as club meetings, dinners, and the homecoming parade (well, he got to go to the parade with Kim, but I don't think Archie had a problem with that!). I don't know what to do without him! When he was gone for a few hours for the parade I had no idea what to do! It's funny how I don't notice how much my life revolves around him until he's not here. I kept doing weird little things, such as looking before I stepped off of my bed (to make sure he wasn't in the way), closed the bathroom door (so he wouldn't splash around...), and double checking that he was in his kennel before I left (even though I knew he wasn't there).

We've also been working on his exercises that he should be doing to strengthen his muscles. One of them is for him to "sit pretty" on his back legs (begging), and let me tell you, I've never seen a dog fall over so many times! I want to laugh at him and cry for him at the same time! Every time he falls over he gets up quickly, shakes, and kind of looks around like "who pushed me!". Nobody Arch, you manage to do that all by yourself :)

Oh, and Archie really likes to play the piano...yep, little mister hits the keys with his paws, then looks at the keyboard like "what's going on?". It's most definitely one of the funniest things I've seen him do!

So we're doing well! Insanely busy, but who needs free time anyway?

My little Cuddler

So in our new apartment, it's been really cold. I don't think my roomate and I are quite ready to turn on the heat, because that means the weather is really cold for good. I keep thinking back to last summer, when I first got Archie at a cute little 8 weeks old. He was so small, so soft, and so not in the mood to cuddle; ever. I didn't get cuddle time with him, because he could barely stand any attention from me. It's weird to say looking back, but I don't think he liked me. The only person he would willingly flip over for was my dad, and even then he didn't like human contact for long.

Then after 3 or so months, something clicked and he started to like me! I don't know why, but we have speculated (as a total joke) that he started to have a change of heart after his "mean mole" was taken off. He had this mole on his leg that had to be removed because he kept scratching it, so until he was able to get it removed he had to wear a long-sleeved turtle neck. It was absolutely hilarious! After he got his "mean mole" removed, I sat in the back seat of the car with him for the hour and a half ride home. This was the first time he had cuddled nicely with me...probably because of the anesthesia, but after that something changed. He started to like his hand held, and that still continues. He also likes to cuddle up very tightly with me now, and uses the inside of my arm as a pillow. Sometimes he just lies there and stares at me, and when I look back his tail starts to slowly wag. So instead of the heat at night, I have an Archie to keep me warm :)

I always think of what a long way he's come since he was a puppy. From not liking me at all, to following me around the house as if he couldn't survive if he didn't see me is a huge change. Not going to lie; I love that he loves me! It makes taking care of, training, and loving him so much easier!