How I got my Mercy.

I am obsessed with my dog. Legitimately obsessed. I lived on my own (no roommates) for the first time this summer, and she was all I had so we became really close. I got her from a place I used to work at back home called BlooMoon Pet Resort. It was basically a hotel for dogs, but such a cool job. I left my job to go to ACU, and came back at Christmas break to see the most adorable, loving, precious, amazing animal I had ever seen in my entire life. Her name was Mercy.

One morning, a few months before I had come home for Winter Break, someone had left her on the doorstep at BlooMoon. She was badly injured, two broken back legs and scars all over. The owners rushed her to the vets office and did everything they could to get her better. She even had one of those huge metal braces on the back part of her body to help her walk! Through many generous donations and lots of help from the vet's office, her bills were paid for...she just needed a home. Christmas came and so did my family, and I begged and begged everyone I knew to take her. Never before had I seen such a loving, amazing, and caring animal. She hugs you. I mean HUGS you like a human would! I knew I wasn't going to be without this dog.

I had to leave to go back to ACU, and was living in the dorm at the time and had no way of keeping here there. I had never really prayed about an animal before, but there was something special about Mercy and not a day went by that Spring semester that I didn't pray for Mercy to find a family to live with that had kids and would treat her well, while God was planning something completely different for Mercy. One thing led to another, and on May 13, 2011 Mercy was officially mine.

Since then I haven't had to scold her, punish her, or even be upset with her. She is literally the perfect dog. She cuddles like a person, she makes expressions like a person, she even has her own twitter (@mercythebasenji)! She is such a blessing in my life... she really is my best friend.

With all that being said, sob story and all, my heart hurts for all the abandoned animals in the world. If it weren't for the kind and generous donors and doctors, Mercy would not be in my life today. Imagine all the amazing animals out there that never get a chance because no one wanted them. So what I am saying is, if you are looking to get a new animal, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE adopt. Nothing is better. You can spend thousands of dollars on maltie-poo-shitzi-terriers but nothing is as amazing as knowing you helped save an animals life. If I was a rich girl, I'd buy all the animals in the world.

first post!

So I decided to start a new blog! Thoughts From the Nest still exists, but I figured this would be a better fit for me now. Leave the past in the past and all, new year new me, resolutions, all that cliche stuff! So what is this blog about?

-The random things that occur in my life. For example, my sister Marie and brother-in-law Bo are expecting their second child (a boy!) this March! I transferred to Texas State in San Marcos, my other sister Laura goes here, my mom recently moved to Austin, Bo and Marie live in Austin and it's all so close I just decided what the heck let's do this! ACU wasn't really working out for me anyway, and this was an option so I chose it. I'll miss my boyfriend and my friends, and knowing where everything is!

-The clothes I wear. Okay let's be real here, they're not THAT exciting but I like them and I think they're neat. You should too!

-My weight loss journey. When I started college I weighed 25 less pounds than I do now. I've grown more into a woman which is cool and all, but I would like to lose some unnecessary weight. I'm going to have lost 15 pounds by March, and the full 25 by May. Notice I said "I'm going to." Because I am. No "planning on" or "going to try to" here! I plan on drinking only water, no alcohol or Dr. Pepper, and basically just counting calories to where I am eating 1200-1400 a day. I plan on working out some, but I have had people tell me that what you eat is 80% of weight loss, and running/walking all the time hasn't resulted in anything spectacular. My motivation came from Amanda from Kevin & Amanda. She looks so great!!! I hope that I will have something like her weight loss story when I am done. I think it will be cool to have the blog to show my progress.

Thank you so much for your support throughout the years my loyal followers, and I hope that The Road Less Traveled will be a great starting point for the journey of my life, and that you enjoy reading it.