I wanted to make just a quick one of these because hey why not. 2017 was a big old mixed bag of emotions for everyone this year. So much went on, it was almost hard to keep track of it all, but somehow we made it through! I'm not saying 2018 will somehow magically be wonderful and fantastic for all, but I hope we can all make some changes to make it better for everyone. Here is the good and the bad of my year:

This year, I lost both my childhood dog, Shiloh, and my grandmother Dorothy. Both of these were very hard in different ways. Shiloh was my friend growing up and helped me through very tough times. He was always happy to see me and give me cuddles whenever I was sad. He had been struggling for a couple of years with different issues, but this year it was just too much for him. He had stomach cancer and it just got too bad. He gave us 13 wonderful years, and I am happy he is no longer suffering.
My grandmother, Dorothy, also passed away this year, only about a month ago. She had been battling Alzheimer's and dementia for about a decade and watching her go from a country karaoke singer who loved to go out and be with people, to just a shell of a human who stared at the same infomercials day in and day out was heartbreaking to say the least. Growing up, we were never very close, but she was still family and it still effected my mother a lot harder than she had even anticipated. My grandmother lived to be 92, passed away peacefully in her home. I am also thankful she is no longer in pain.

This year we have also welcomed new members into our families who bring much joy into our lives. After Shiloh passed away my mother had a hole left in her heart she wanted to fill. That is when we found Beau. He is a mini Australian Shepherd and a great addition to their family! I'm happy she has him in her life. He may not be Shiloh, but he is his own dog and will give them many years of companionship!

We also adopted Mochi into our family! If you follow me on any other social media, I am certain you have seen many, many pictures of my sweet little Mochi monster <3 She is a a purebred Maine Coon from a cattery up north. I was so excited to go and get her and bring her into our lives. I miss my previous two kitties so much still and I think of them all the time, but Mochi is a new chapter in our lives and I am excited to see all the fun adventures she brings.

2017 wasn't all bad. It had its up and downs, as every year does. But I am confident that things will always be ok, no matter how crappy they may get. 2018 brings us many new adventures ahead! We're going to Japan in April, moving in May, and who knows what else 2018 will bring us! I guess we'll all find out together.

I hope that this year will bring you all the luck and happiness you deserve, even if things are looking down and gloomy now and again, fight through it. We'll all get through it. Hang in there and keep your chin up!