Part 2 - "Dangerous Dog" Quincy, the Growing Up Years.

AKA: How to REALLY Tick Off Your Neighbors!
(Guaranteed to work, every time! or your money back! – pretty safe bet, since reading this blog is FREE!)

So we brought this cute, scared, sweet little white (Akbash) Anatolian Shepherd puppy home to our property. And we lived happily ever after. Right?… WRONG!!!
Now anyone who has ever gotten a small puppy knows that they go through difficult times. We brought her home and tied her up, in order to not overwhelm her. She had a nice warm dog house, with fresh cedar shavings, under it and then inside it, and lots of food and water. We started to pay attention to her on a a regular and consistent basis, and she got used to us. Even started to look forward to our love and attention.

All that was fine, except that we are not people who believe that dogs should be tied up. In most cases, that is no life to live for the dog. So it was never the intent to keep her tied up permanently. Just long enough that she would learn her new home. To give her some sense of permanency. A place of her own.

When we first started to let her off her leash, after about a two week timeframe, she seemed to understand that this was home. She would go sniffing around our 1 to 1 1/2 acres of five foot tall, chain-link enclosure; never testing the boundaries. Happy to be there, establishing her territory!

That was fine. No problems… until we decided to let her loose permanently! What you have here folks, is a 35-50 lb. 5 or 6 year old mentality, highly intelligent, giant breed dog! And what she really wanted to do was to see what was beyond the fence! So she looked and she looked, and she looked and she looked for a place to escape. And, of course, she found one. It was not through digging or jumping. It was not through an open gate. It was though the one and only spot in the fence that had been compromised. Then patched, two years previously and forgotten about, part where the pump man had to put his truck through the fence, in order pull our dead pump out of the well, and drop the new pump in.

Well of course, she went exploring on our property, and came back in. No problem? Right? Wrong!

We'd see her outside the fence, but on our property. And we'd yell: "Quincy's out!" And we'd all scramble and get her back inside the fence, and we were fine. Right? Wrong!
When she was about five months old, we received a call from one of our neighbors: "Your white dog just killed one of our cats, and our renters are distraught over it."

The problem? Our white dog was inside our fence when we got the call.

So I asked questions: "When did this happen?"
Neighbors: Well, we didn't see it, we were just told about it by our renters who were having a party. So a couple days ago.
Oh, O.K. What did your renters see?
Neighbors: Well, they just saw a white dog carrying around a dead cat.
Oh?
Neighbors: We were gone, and they were having a party, and they saw YOUR white dog with a dead cat in it's mouth. And this was a cat they had started feeding and it traumatized them.
Did anyone actually see our dog with a cat in its mouth?
Neighbors: No one of their friends saw it, and told them about it. They all went looking for it, but they never found the dead cats body, and they never found the dog. It must have gone back in your fence.
Are you sure it was our white dog?
Neighbors: Yes. It must have been your white dog.
Oh? O.K.?!?!? Well, we haven't found any dead cat bodies, and all our cats are accounted for. So I really don't think it was our dog. Are you sure it wasn't your white dog?
Neighbors: No! It wasn't our white dog!

My husband walked our fence line, and found the trouble spot, and fixed it. No more Quincy roaming, and she settled in to a nice routine of patroling the enclosed/fenced area. She would sleep during much of the day, and patrol during the night, barking/warning us whenever the coyotes where roaming.

We used to watch the coyotes walk in broad daylight, across our property, across the paved county road, and onto the neighbors property. Quincy was telling the coyotes, "You are not welcome here! Go away!" We had no issues with our farm animals during this time, lost no chickens to weasels, and settled into a nice farm routine. And we lived happily ever after, right? WRONG!

A couple months later we got a phone call (on my cell phone) from the exact same neighbor: Your white dog is out running loose in our field, and we're afraid of it.
Uhhh, are you sure????
Neighbor: Yes! I'm sure, I can see it.
I don't think it's our dog, because im inside the house and I can see her through our front door, and she's asleep on our deck.
Neighbor: Oh, you're home? I didn't see your mini-van. (you can see our mini-van from way over there?) Yes, I'm home.
Neighbor: Well I can see your white dog running around on our land.
O.K. (insert neighbors name) I just walked out my front door, and I have my hand on my dogs head. She's right here. Quincy is not running around your field.
Neighbor: Well, who's white dog is that?
I don't know. But I know that it is not our white dog. Are you sure that your white dog isn't running out in your field?
Neighbor: No, our white dog is up at our house (more than a 1/3 mile away.) I'm down at the shop. It's not our white dog. (Are you getting the picture?)
Well, I'm afraid it's not our white dog, either.

End of conversation and again, we settled into a nice rural/farm routine.

September 2010:
My smaller children were out in our front yard playing. Our daughter ran into the house and yelled: "There's a puppy in our front yard!"
I yelled at the two older kids: "Try to get it out before Quincy see's it, cause I don't know what she'll do!" (She was here to protect our farm animals after all.)

Well as it turns out, the "puppy" was a full-grown Dachshund running loose, belonging to the adult grand-daughter of the same neighbors. She was visiting and the dog was not being watched, got loose, and had wandered down the road (after wandering down a rather long driveway) and squeezed it's way under our man-gate.

From Drop Box

Once Quincy actually saw it (after it bit her on the hind leg.) She chased it, and flipped it over with her front paw, and then pinned it to the ground with her mouth. She then let it loose and it ran towards the gate. By that time our neighbor showed up, and opened the gate (The one with the "Do Not Trespass" sign posted on it.) and scooped up the Dachshund. She started yelling at the dog, and spanking it and tossed it through the open window of her truck. She turned to us, and said that the dog had run off, and she was glad to have found it. Then she left. It all happened very quickly and no one was hurt. And that was the end of story? Right? WRONG!

Stay tuned for Part 3: That fateful day!

Our “Dangerous Dog” Part 1

Well, here’s the story from our perspective:

About twelve years ago, before our big move to the country, my dear husband came home with a printed article regarding Anatolian Shepherd Dogs. ASD’s are a form of Livestock Protection Dog, so you can imaging my response: “Uh, dear? Why would we get one? We live inside the city limits. We don’t have any sheep. This dog breed of dog would be miserable in our back yard. Dear husband, what are you thinking?

But of course, being the highly intelligent man that he is; he said: “I know, but I find them fascinating. And we (that’s his way of saying you) should really learn more about them. He knows me so well! Can’t ignore an opportunity to learn more! So onto the internet (O.K. so this is an updated article, October 2010) and to the library I went, two very young children in tow. (They were so towable then; and towheads, too! Or is that toe-heads? Which would take me in a whole other direction.)

Fast forward ten years (yes, I did say ten! It took us that long!) Add two children. (Another great two stories, which I will tell you about another time.) And the beginnings of an idea of what we wanted to do with this property.

We finally saw an ad in the newspaper that read something like: Pure-bred Anatolian Shepherds, Quincy, WA $200. and the phone number. WOW! This was the least expensive we’d EVER seen them in the twelve years we had researched them!

Simple and sweet (and cheap!) We called, talked for about an hour, to make sure that we asked all the right questions. The pedigree; the age of the sire and dam. Were the sire and dam on-site? The animals that were kept on-site?

The breeder asked us a ton of questions about our property, where the puppy would live/sleep/eat, what we intended to do with the puppy.

 

We made arrangements to drive the hour and a half to Quincy, WA. It was a lightly snowy day, March 6, 2009.

When we arrived, we found a rural piece of property fully fenced, with handmade signs that read: “No Trespassing” “Stop and call or honk and we’ll come let you in.” and their phone number. We went, “Whoa, that’s interesting!” But we followed their instructions, after all, we were on their property... when in Rome!

They let us onto their property, and told us that the adult dogs that we saw were “Walnut” and “Peanut.” Truthfully, I can’t remember which was which, but one was a beautiful classic looking female Anatolian (Kengal) who was obviously recovering from birth, and the other was an equally handsome classic looking male Anatolian (Kengal).

Imagine our surprise when they showed us this huge litter (12-14) of pure white puppies (Akbash: O.K. they looked like big round white snowballs with black eye liner and lips; and I instantly wondered how we were going to choose between them.) So being the incredibly wise woman that I am; I advised my dear husband that he would have to choose for our family.

The location that the puppies were in, was a completely enclosed/fenced area with a small herd of goats in it. Well isn’t that interesting? Just like the information we had researched suggested was appropriate!

Anatolian Shepherds are livestock protection animals. Their purpose is to guard and protect livestock from predators such as coyotes, fox, weasels, wolves, bear, etc. You keep them with the goats/sheep/chickens, etc. from birth on, to help them learn to bond with the animals they are to protect.

The idea is to start them out as “guardians-in-training” of any one or more type of animal, and they learn from their early experiences to easily transition to any type of animal (even the humans who feed and interact with them.) They are not “guard dogs” in the sense of a trained German Shepherd or Pit-Bull or Doberman Pinscher. They are a highly intelligent animal capable of assessing the danger level of the perceived predator.

Long story short, my dear husband chose one of the female puppies that day.

Here is the interesting part of the day: The puppy literally ran away and screamed in terror when she was picked up by the breeder to leave with us. My immediate thought was: OMGosh! What happened to that puppy to make it so scared of humans? Well, the short answer is: It is unwise to treat Anatolian Shepherds as that intimate family pet. Especially the younger they are.

She hid her head in terror THE ENTIRE one and a half hour trip home! We would pet her, and try to talk to her, and she never growled or tried to bite us. Trust me, we would turned the car right around in a heart beat, and given her back to the breeder, if she had! The Mama-bear in me, wouldn’t have stood for that EVER! And I was watching, let me tell you!

We named her: Quincy. Because we are that clever!

Stay tuned for Part 2: Our “Dangerous Dog” – AKA: Quincy’s Growing Up Years. Could also be named: “How to tick off your Neighbor’s”, but I thought that might not be as good of title. (In the famous words of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, of NCIS: “Ya think?”)

Technorati Tags: Anatolian Shepherd,Livestock Protection Dog,Guardian Protection Dog,Dangerous Dog,Potentially Dangerous Dog,Goats,Family

Happy Birthday!

16 Years Ago Today: I was enjoying a day at the beach at Porcupine Bay, and decided to go into labor two weeks early. I gave birth to a healthy, beautiful, wonderful baby girl. So today we celebrate her birth. Happy Birthday Oldest Sweetheart! You are one of the greatest experiences God has ever given me. And I am VERY proud of the woman you are becoming.

One of the most amazing days, ever!

Last Sunday, we had the pleasure of joining some friends at their lake property on Priest Lake. OMGoodness!

It was one of the most perfect days we've had in SOOOOOOOO long! Words can't express the pleasure we had, just swimming in moderately cold water and sitting on the edge of the water in adorondack chairs with beach umbrellas shading us. Sipping water. Nothing was high paced. The kids were busy having their own brand of fun in the water. Every one of them is fairly self-sufficient, so we didn't need to "help" them all the time, which left us to enjoy our day. Gosh I can't remember the last time we didn't have to stop to change a diaper, or give an over-needed nap.

My friends are such easy going people too. Pleasant to talk to, and share a day with. Wonderful! Extra, extra special Thank you to my friends for sharing their special place with us.

We shared dinner and came home sunburned, but we all said it was worth it. O.K. now I need to explain that each of us were sprayed thoroughly with a high factor sunscreen at least twice, but it really did no good for my oldest son. But it was not without trying. He is crispy. Poor guy.

We stopped at a little drive-in in the town of Priest Lake called, "Burger Express" and drank milkshakes on the way home.

Anyway, I just really wanted to share our most amazing day in a long time with all of you.

I know! It's been a long time since I've posted anything. Summer finally hit, and I have been non-stop! O.K. it's only been officially summer for one day, but I always need to get a head start.

We just volunteered to help tear down another "Just Between Friends" Sale. We got our largest donation, ever! It took three mini vans, an SUV, a Toyota pickup, and a flat bed truck we rented from Home Depot, to pick it all up. We didn't get home until after midnight last night. Thank you to all the wonderful people who donated their unsold items! And thank you to Tyona at "Just Between Friends," for continuously inviting our non-profit, "A Hope and A Future" to receive the donated items.

VBS started at 8:00 a.m. today. Plus, I've got my own "Secret Project" going on (... are you listening Ty?)I'll tell you more about it, as soon as I can. My husband has me on a "gag order" for right now.

My friend over at Triple the Blessings blogged about wanting a bike. She's got a link to an incredible bike from Madsen Cylces and they are having a contest in July! So stay tuned. I'll put a link on in July on how to possibly win one of their bikes! Heck, I'd like to win!

HAPPY NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CHIP DAY!

Yep, in addition to being my birthday, May 15th is National Chocolate Chip Day! So to celebrate I am going to post a really yummy Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip Brownie Recipe that my daughter is making me for my birthday! Well I think you should make these at your house. And, sing Happy Birthday to me! Remember the candles! And hats... and streamers! Oh, and a banner!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES

1 c. butter, melted
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. Hershey's cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. Chocolate Chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease square pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. In large mixing bowl blend melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, using spoon, beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually blend into egg mixture. Stir in Chocolate Chips and nuts, if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool.

About 32 brownies.

Old Pictures

I've been away the past day or so scanning old pictures at my grand-mother's apartment. This seemed like a good time to do it since she is away on a trip to the Grand Canyon. We started with the "wall" pictures, cause we had to take them out of the frames, and it would take the longest. My son, Parker, my uncle, and my sister and I worked like crazy, yesterday. We should complete the "wall" pictures today. They include some of my grandfather when he was a child. I am so glad to be getting at this project. It's been a long time coming. I may bring home some of the older albums to scan some of the pictures in at home. Parker and I can handle them by ourselves, cause there is no frame to replace them into. The picture above is of my mom and dad's wedding, February 19, 1959. The other one is of Glenn and my wedding, May 2, 1992.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mother's (and Grandmother's) out there. Without you, we wouldn't be the children, and grandchildren we are. We will remember to sit up straight, keep our elbow's off the table and smile at every new person we meet.

The Jordan Family – Aired April 24, 2009

The Jordan Family
Montgomery, AL

Brady Jordan, Dad

Monica Jordan, Mom

Brittany (Age 23) – Daughter. Wants to be a pediatrician

Miles (Age 15) – Son/Grandson. Wants to be a professional basketball player, but has a backup plan to become an engineer. Miles’ mother was killed by her fiancée, during domestic violence. He then turned the gun on himself.

Shaun (Age 14) Daughter/Granddaughter. She is interested in poetry.

Tay Tay (Age 11) Son/Grandson. He is interested in Earth Science. Tay Tay was only 5-yrs old when his father, William, was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. Shaun and Tay Tay are brother and sister.

Brady and Monica Jordan had three children. They had raised them, and each were becoming successful in their own right.

Their oldest daughter joined the military in order to afford college, and was going off to boot camp shortly. She wanted to become a lawyer, and practice law with her mother as a partner. Then tragedy struck. No one knows exactly why, but her fiancé took her off to “talk” to her, and shot and killed her instead. He then called the police to confess, and shot and killed himself. This left a small child, Miles, without his mother.

The Jordan’s also had an older son, named William. William had two children: Shaun and Tay Tay. One night, William was killed in a car crash, caused by a drunk driver.

Instead of just letting someone else be responsible for their grandchildren, Monica and Brady welcomed them into their lives, and gave them a healthy and stable home. These children will grow up with values that they might not otherwise have because of the influences of their grandparents. They are growing up calling their grandparents “mom and dad.” Under these circumstances, that is such a healthy thing. I thought this was such a special family, because they were so committed to each other. They remind me of my own family.

My father died, at age 34, from lung cancer. I was only 9 years old. My grandparents took us into their home for a whole year. We lived with them, while my mother settled things. Then, they continued to help out for the rest of our childhood, young adult and adult lives. It’s interesting: They were retired. They were on a fixed income. They had their retirement years planned. And yet, they were there to help us within hours of my father’s death, even though they lived on the other side of the state. They put aside their "plans" and made our lives part of theirs. I’ve asked my grandmother about this, and her answer was, “We never thought about it. It was just the only thing to do. We are a family.”

I believe the Jordan Family is that kind of family. It was the only option. They are a family. I love that Extreme Makeover Home Edition helped out this family.

Design Team:
Ty Pennington – Brady and Monica’s Master Bedroom. Special Project: Unique “Helping Hands” Photos all around the room, inspired by Monica grasping Ty’s hand when she first met him, and not letting go.
Paul DiMeo – Miles “Basketball” room and Tay Tay’s “Earth Science” room
Tracy Hutson – Brittany’s “Study and Medical” room and Shaun’s “Poetry” Room
Eduardo Xol – House and Landscape Design.

Monica speaks out against domestic violence and drunk driving. She is very active with speaking engagements at churches and schools. She makes a difference in her community.

M.A.D.D. (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving) and Tracy Hutson did an exhibit of crashed cars in front of Biscuit (Riverwalk) Stadium for William.

Paul DiMeo helped with an exhibit of cut out portraits of victims of domestic violence at the campus of Auburn University, Montgomery, AL.

Auburn University, gave Monica and each of her children a full scholarship to get her law degree, and for them to go on to college.

The Home Builders paid off the Jordan family’s mortgage, so that they would not have to worry about that. (Pretty cool!)

This all helps ensure that this family will have a hopeful future.

“When you choose to get into a car and drive, after you drink. That is an act of violence. When you choose to take the life of another, in any fashion. That is an act of violence.
I will continue to speak out against acts of violence.” Monica Jordan

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

This is about all we accomplished today. That's good enough for me!

EMHE The Kadzis Family - Aired Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009

I’ve got to get this posted. I can hardly think straight. I can hardly see through the tears! I am not all right. It’s taken me so long to post this because I can’t stop crying. Every time I begin to write, I start crying again. Ben had to be on my lap during the whole two hour show. It impacted us in such a strong way.

I think this one touched me so deeply because of the death of both of my parents to cancer. Dad in 1970 of Lung cancer, and mom in 1987 from complications from breast cancer. I don’t think you ever “get over” something like that. I think you just “get through” it. It impacts you for the rest of your life, hopefully not as severely as in the beginning. (Crying... need to stop for a minute.)

Dr. George Kadzis (Dentist) fought and won the battle with brain tumors in 2005. He now has stage 4 brain cancer and he is not going to get better. He knew his family would be fine because they have each other, but their house was too small for the family of 9! (I can relate!) One of the children (Martin) slept on the couch in the living room.

George wanted his family to have a safe secure home. That would give him peace, knowing that he would be leaving Barbara to raise the children. (Crying again. I can’t seem to get through this.)

The night before the ABC EMHE Design Team came, George was hospitalized. The swelling in his brain was just too much. He was experiencing (hopefully temporary) blindness, plus additional symptoms that were not really discussed.

The Kadzis family adopted six children from Chinese orphanages, five of them with special needs. Most of these children are considered “unadoptable” due to their special conditions. I have been told that in China, these children are considered “Unlucky” and Chinese people will not (I have to put in: in most cases.) adopt them. When they go home to be with their new family’s, then they are considered “Lucky.” The Kadzis family sought after these children, to give them a home and a family. What a special heart for children!

How the design team treated each of these children is especially noteworthy. Michael Maloney took the time to guide Melody’s hand down the length of the stretch limo, while he described it, so she could really know and experience what the family was leaving for vacation in.

Paige Hemmis tried learning some sign language as she was getting to know Aileen and Julia. Paige took pictures in the sand outside their vacation home, for their ocean/stars room. These girls had the cutest bumper sticker: "Made in China, Loved in the USA"

ABC and Extreme Makeover Home Edition Design Team gave this unique family a distinctive local vacation so that Barbara could be close to George in the hospital. EMHE rented them a beautiful beach vacation home right there in Tallahassee, FL.

Kadzis Family:

George (Dad). Loving, Devoted husband and father.

Barbara (Mom). A very strong wife and mother. You know this family will be all right, but you just want, so much, for her long-time friend, confidant and husband to be all right too. For Barbara's sake.

Chris (Age 16) Boy. Very understated, intuitive son. Music themed room

Aileen (Age 15) Girl. Beautifully articulate and helps her sister speak via sign language. Beach room shared with sister Julia.

Melody (Age 14) Girl. Blind at birth. Definitley understated. She was adopted at an older age, and had never lived in a family before. George and Barbara felt that she had the most difficult time with the old house. We all got the impression that this teenaged child had a lot to say. She just wanted a bookshelf to hold her partial Braille Holy Bible, which looked to be home-bound.

Julia (Age 13). Girl. Deaf. In China, she could not receive the education she needed to learn to talk. Here she is learning, and thriving. Her sister Aileen helps her out a lot. She wanted a room with stars. 

Martin (Age 10) Boy. Missing several bones in his arms at birth. Ever since he came to the U.S. he has been obsessed with American Trains. Received a specially designed Caboose bed with a trundle that held a model train.

Phoenix (Age 9) Girl. She was the first Kadzis family adoption. She was born with a cleft  palate, and required several surgeries, first in China, then in the U.S. Phoenix begged her mom and dad for a little sister, and they adopted Celeste!

Celeste (Age 6) Girl. She was also born with a cleft palate, and required several surgeries. Phoenix and Celeste both want to be teachers. Celeste wants to be an art teacher. The Design Team gave them a school bedroom.

The Tallahassee, FL community came together and made “Welcome Home” and “Get Well” cards for George and Barbara. Barbara took the “Get Well” cards to the hospital for George to enjoy. (Crying, again!) The love and mutual respect of these two was so apparent.

They are a very musically talented family. Barbara and George said that when the children would initially come home from China, they couldn’t communicate except that music was a universal language. Michael designed a music room with a baby grand piano, and made a unique art piece out of retired musical instruments above it.

I really think Ty Pennington connected with this family; offering hugs and stability at the appropriate times to Barbara. He was so respectful to especially when it came to George. The camera’s were not invited into the hospital room, and Ty was very reverent of that. (Crying yet again. I told you, I am a mess!) You kind of saw everything through a haze. I am so glad for that, because in the future, these children may want to watch the video of this episode, and they won’t have to be reminded of George’s last few days.

The family signed “Bus driver, move that bus!” together. That was so beautiful! Visually, practically and sentimentally.

So let me tell you, that Melody, the understated teenage girl that was blind since birth, was so much fun to watch when she got to “see” her room! The designers of the Kadzis home gave her a 3/16’ scale model of their new 3600 square foot, single level home, in order to help her make a “mind map” of it. This should help her to be independent much quicker, because it is so hard for people who are blind to function in new surroundings. Her room came with a new specialized computer system with a scanner, and a braille reader so she can “read” books that are not available in braille yet. 

Melody received the Complete Hard Bound Edition of The Holy Bible, written in Braille. How absolutely fabulous, because this meant so much to Melody! I love that part of EMHE... they try so hard to make everything so individually special.

The EMHE Design Team gave her a scanner system in the kitchen that reads bar coded labels. This helps her be more independent in the kitchen. She will be able to choose her own snacks, and I would imagine be able to eventually help out with the cooking.

The Design Team for this episode:

Ty Pennington - George and Barbara’s master bedroom, and bathroom (I think it was handicapped accessible, but you couldn’t really tell that.) Designed to help with George’s recovery.

Paige Hemmis - matched with Aileen, Julia, Phoenix, and Celeste. She took all the girls!

Michael Maloney - Interior design of the house, and Chris’ musical bedroom.

John Littleton - matched with Martin, designed the Caboose bed, and train trundle, with an amazing Train mural, and individualized work/study desk.

And finally, as a special gift to the Kadzis Family; EMHE brought in Stevie Wonder. Mr. Wonder sang a specially adjusted version of “I Just Called To Say I Love You.” Specially adjusted to reflect the Kadzis Family. It was so touching. He is such an amazing musician, and an positive representation for special needs people. (Crying, yes again.)

George Kadzis did not get to come home to his new home. He passed away three days after the Family moved in to the new home.

My deepest sympathy to Barbara Kadzis. Your love for George is a testament to all of us. I am so happy that ABC and EMHE came to help you, and that George was able to know that prior to his passing.

George Kadzis (1952 - 2009)

UPDATE: The EMHE application has been sent!

Yesterday (March 10, 2009), I sent our application package off to ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition. It should arrive around 12:00 Noon today (originally, March 11, 209.)

I sent them:
- 4 mini DVD's full:
- Of our home
- A Hope and A Future's "Donation Station"
- Interview's with wonderful people that help support Donation Station
- Interview's with wonderful people that use Donation Station
- Interview with my beautiful 93-year old grandmother
- My interview

In addition I sent:
- Approximately 100 pictures
- The nearly 20 pages of application
- Oh, and a nice copy of our property via Google Earth (their newest was from 2003).

Boy I hope I got everything! I have fretted and fussed for over 4 weeks trying to coordinate everything. Gather the information. Wake up in the middle of the night, thinking of things I'd like to include, without telling them what to do. I have such complete confidence in this process. They are fully capable of asking us, if they need the information. The past 1-1/2 weeks was pretty intense!

It was hard work, but I am happy to do it. I was even happier to have it done. Now, I have to let it go. I still find myself, thinking of stuff I could have given them to make them want to PICK ME!

If we are chosen, at some point I won't be allowed to update this. It's against the rules, and makes it impossible to surprise you all. So don't expect that we can tell you "insider" information. If chosen, I'll be as quiet as a mouse.

What you can expect, if you know us, is that if we are chosen... just as soon as we are approved to, you'll be invited over to fully enjoy the blessing we will have been given. 

Update From US Post Office:
Label/Receipt Number: EB99 5241 560U S
Associated Label/Receipt:
Detailed Results:

Delivered, March 11, 2009, 3:23 pm, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Notice Left, March 11, 2009, 10:29 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Pick-Up-Point, March 11, 2009, 10:25 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Pick-Up-Point, March 11, 2009, 10:12 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Unit, March 11, 2009, 7:18 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90009
Processed, March 10, 2009, 5:10 pm, SPOKANE, WA 99224
Acceptance, March 10, 2009, 4:00 pm, SPOKANE, WA 99205

Extreme Makeover Home Edition!

I can't help thinking: Wouldn't it be awesome to have Ty Pennington, and The Design Team show up at my house yelling through a megaphone: “Good Morning, Grytdal Family! Glenn, Carla, Kolina, Parker, Ben and Molly! Wake up and come out here!” I can see myself and my family running out the front door, laughing, and crying. I’d hug each one of them. So glad to see them, so thankful they were here!

Every Sunday, for the past four years we’ve made sure we are ready precisely at 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Pacific Time) I sit in my chair, lately with a quilt on cause it’s so cold outside. Sometimes with a six year old on my lap, because he can sense that mom might need to snuggle one of her children before the show’s done.

I can remember the stage, where Ben wanted me to make his hair “spicey, just like Ty’s!” I can’t tell you how many time’s I’ve cried pools of tears because the families were so wonderful, and so deserving. I have cried because the house was so perfect for the site and so perfect for the family. I’ve cried because some child would have a better life, because if it.

I can envision us showing our 1067 square foot home to Ty. Telling him the problems with our house, and why it doesn’t work for us, any more. I’d tell him why my fourteen year old daughter has no place to go to read at night, because her three year old sister will wake up if she goes in their bedroom to read. They share a 10'X10' room. The same situation is true of my thirteen and six year old sons. The older two have both been known to go outside to our mini van to read in peace. That's a lot more comfortable in the summer than it is right now!

I’d show him our small kitchen, which isn't big enough for a dinner table. There isn't a dining room. I'd explain that I love to invite people over, but I haven't had a place to put them for many years. I'd explain that my youngest son has a food allergy, and that I cook most of our food at home, because it is healthier for all of us, and much better for him. I love to provide locally grown food for my family.

I’d show him the mold on the bathroom ceiling, because the fan can’t keep up with six people showering/bathing. I'd show him the second bath tub, which we can't use because it has a crack in the bottom, and we can't afford to remove and replace it. The bathroom is so small, we'd have to replace the tub/shower with a shower stall, only. It's been storage for our extra stuff for at least four years.

I’d show him the places in our kitchen and our living room where the decorative molding is separating from the wall/ceiling due to settling of our house. I'd show him the sink in the kitchen, and how the facing is separating from the wall. And I’d show him how the house is set up on cinder blocks for a foundation.

How there are no sidewalks and no mud room, and why that is a bad thing with four children.

I would tell him why we had to give up our Washington State Foster Care license last September after six years, because there wasn’t any more bedrooms to put foster children in. How two of our four children were adopted from the Child Welfare System, and why I am so proud of them.

The Design Team would each choose one of my children to “get to know them” so they can design the perfect room for them. How do they do that? They get it right every time!

I’d love to tell them about the non-profit organization: “A Hope and A Future” which I am the (volunteer) Executive Director of, and which helps foster and adoptive families. I am one of three founders of this organization.

Foster and Adoptive families are some of the most giving people in our society. They give their time. They give their money. They give their homes, wisdom, and families. And they give their hearts.

A Hope and A Future is the only service organization in our area, available to encourage and help retain the entire foster and adoptive family in a tangible way. We provide new and gently-used clothing and household goods. We serve an average of between 55 and 75 families each month (over 300 people.) And we serve the entire family (biological, adoptive and foster.)

Right now we don’t have a building, or office of our own. My living room and bedroom are the office and file room. A well-used laptop (Mac PowerBook G4) was donated to us, and it has been an magnificent help for the past two years. An incredible donation of a brand new printer last year, was so helpful. The Five-Mile Prairie Grange is very generously allowing us the use of their facilities. At this time, and for the past five years, we have needed to transport all of our donated goods by U-Haul; set up; host “Donation Station;” and then tear down; and transport back to our rented storage unit; and store. All within approximately six hours. It takes about 25-30 volunteers to host "Donation Station" each month, and we are getting tired.

We could set up our free “store” permanently. Organizing the clothing by size, on hanging racks. We've gathered hanging racks, over the past several years and they are on the North side of our shop. The household goods could be organized on display racks and tables. We'd love to be able to serve foster and adoptive families better and more often. We could help out on an emergency basis, when a child shows up at a foster home at 2:00 a.m. without any clothes. When the police close down the meth house they live in, all their clothes and toys have to be destroyed. Some times all they have is the blanket they were given after the hazardous incident “shower.” D.C.F.S. simply does not have the storage available to provide the necessary clothing for all the children they help. We could provide pajamas, a clean stuffed animal, a few toys, and clothing for the next day. And then they could come back and we could provide them with more! We can always use new and gently-used pajamas, diapers, and clothing of all sizes, for all ages.

We could add so many additional services to area foster and adoptive families, if we could just have a place where we can set up permanently. I envision a lounge area for foster and adoptive parents to enjoy while waiting for children to finish visitations, physical therapies, psychological therapies, etc. “Coffee, Tea, or Soda?” A safe comfortable place, with a play room, and reading room to enjoy with their other children, not participating in court ordered services. I have a dream of a professional choir made up of foster children. One that tours to places they can only dream of, in order to raise awareness of America’s invisible children, of all races/ethnicities. Also office space.

Sunday night is the only night that Ben is allowed to stay up past bedtime. He loves the show so much, how could we prevent him from seeing people gathering together from all over America, giving of their time. Giving of their money; giving because it is the right thing to do for others; giving because it is truly better than receiving. Brought together by the awesome personalities of Ty Pennington, Michael Maloney, Paige Hemmis, Ed Sanders, Paul DiMeo, Tracy Hutson, Tanya McQueen, Rib Hillis, John Littlefield, Didiayer Snyder, and Eduardo Xol.

Remember the episode where Ed Sanders got his hand severely injured by a saw while building a unique (and extremely beautiful) piece of furniture for the bedroom he was working on? It was miserable weather, and they were way behind. Everyone was so tired, and he made a mistake, and it hurt him, badly. I was truly worried about him, and was so glad when he recovered and was able to return to the show! I love his british accent, and how he pesters “Pauli” (Paul DeMeo.) And Pauli... he’s such a hoot! I love Paige Hemmis. She is so intelligent and talented, and is such an incredible role model for women. I would love it if my daughter’s would use their intelligence and learn to be handy, like that! And Michael Maloney... how can you not just fall in love with his perpetually cheery personality, and phenomenal smile?

We are always impressed with the "Green" builds. We love the idea of solar and wind power. My husband is particularly interested in that part of the show, since he is a Stationary Engineer and an HVAC Technician by trade.

He has the illustrious distinction of being Spokane County's budget cut, not just once... but twice! You know the drill. Last one hired; first one laid off. Now the wonderful news is that he has always been employed. We are a single income family, and I think he would work for a fast food restaurant, if he had too, in order to provide. But we have lost a lot of our personal income, to their budget cuts. 'Nuf said!

So what am I doing? Why, I’ll tell you! I am gathering together the information to send in to ABC. I am completing my application package (I'm making a list, and checking it twice!) And if you know my family, and you feel inspired to do so, I am providing you all the links to nominate our family. But only if you want to.

I long to hear the words: “Bus driver, move that bus!" and “Welcome home, Grytdal family, Welcome home!”

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Applications - Click here if you or someone you know can be helped by the Extreme Makeover Home Edition team. (Off KXLY’s website)

Ice Cream Trough

What a unique idea! This might be Kolina's birthday treat in July! Or Molly's in May (I'm not sure I want to wait until July!)















Here's another idea for an Ice Cream Gutter: