Niva and I did it! We passed our therapy dog/handler test. I was so nervous, but I shouldn’t have been. Niva did fantastic.
My next step is to get our paperwork squared away (her vaccines, dog license, etc. plus my state clearances) and then I need to attend one last orientation in January. Once that’s done, we will officially start our work together.
I plan on doing a post about the whole process of training and testing from start to finish once we’re settled in. Suffice it to say that I’m on cloud nine right now. This is something I have wanted to do for years.
When I first started training Mavis for therapy work in 2017/2018, I never in a million years would have guessed that I wouldn’t achieve that goal until 2023/2024 and with a completely different dog, but God has His way of working things out and His ways are better than mine. Always ❤️
Okay, enough of my dog talk! Well, actually… let me just share a picture of Niva and her bestie, Runah. They had a sleepover at our house this week!
Runah’s owner organized a Christmas stocking drive for kids in foster care and the party to drop off the stockings was this week. I made peanut butter blossoms and chocolate covered Oreos for the gathering.
Runah spent the day and night at our house while her mama was busy with the party and Mordecai and I popped in to drop off my gifts. It was cool seeing people enjoy the cookies, too!
I also baked cupcakes and gluten free brownies for our co-op’s Christmas party. We have one family that has celiac, so it’s neat to be able to share treats they can enjoy, too. This reminds me I need to share my brownie recipe.
The Christmas party was fun! Sadie and Mordecai both had a great time and promptly fell asleep on the way home. Always the sign of a good time, right?!
Sadie and I have been doing lots of reading lately. I picked up the Paris Hilton memoir and have been surprised. Some of it has been what I would expect from how she’s portrayed in the media, but some of it isn’t what I expected at all. I had no idea she was sent away to a troubled teen boarding school and that she had such horrific experience.
Sadie and I have been reading Itty Bitty Princess Kitty, Owl Diaries, and Unicorn Diaries together at night.
Sadie and I also made a festive treat together. A donut snowman! It was fun putting that together. Sader Tot requested that we vlog the experience, so here it is in all its chaotic glory.
Other fun things lately have included taking the kids to the park (though it was cold!) and seeing a beautiful evening sky as I walked Niva.
That’s all I have to share today! Jimmy surprised me this morning by saying that he was taking the day off (!!). We went to Starbucks as a family, we’re taking the kids swimming at the YMCA, and then going to a pet store to look at axolotls for fun.
Living My Full Life 
Way to go Niva. Congratulations to both you and Niva
Thank you so much!!
Yayayaya! Congrats to you and Niva. I’d love to read more about what your goals are now with this certification. Specifically where you’d like to use it. Forgive me if I missed that somewhere in the previous posts.
Hooray for GF brownies. I’m not celiac, but I’m VERY sensitive to gluten. I dabble here and there, but I really try to avoid at all costs. It’s been almost a full year since I’ve had any gluten. Your Oreos are adorable as always.
Paris Hiltons story fascinated and saddened me at the same time. I remember watching a small documentary about her experience as a kid and it’s horrifying. I never knew places like that existed, but then I delved more into other people who were sent to those and they are terrifying.
Thank you!! I am hoping to volunteer as much as possible with Niva by visiting hospitals, schools, retirement homes, mental health facilities, etc. to provide patients/students/people with some dog therapy!
I remember your post about figuring out your autoimmune issues and how gluten had to go. I am in awe that you’ve been able to avoid it for a year. That is hard work!! I’m sensitive to it as well (found out via a food sensitivity test) but I suffer the consequences LOL. Some day I’ll be a bit more conscious and I’m sure I’ll feel 1,000x better/more energetic haha. Thank you for the compliment on my Oreos!
Okay, YES, I had the same thoughts about Paris Hilton!! I remember seeing episodes of the Dr. Phil show with kids being sent to these boarding schools and wow.. I had no idea what was actually going on and how it wasn’t regulated. I’m glad she’s using her fame and experience to open up and show people what’s really going on.
Congrats Niva!!!! Excited to read your upcoming post about the process. I’ve thought about one day certifying my future pup as a therapy dog. Would help to know what that actually entails 😂
Thank you, Pree! I can’t wait to share. I think you would do awesome as a therapy dog handler. You’ve had so much experience with different types of dogs!
Very exciting! I look forward to reading your posts about the therapy dog training journey 😊
Thank you!! I can’t wait to compile our journey together and also to start volunteering!
Wow! Niva passes, baked cookies for the foster children drive, and a ton of reading with Sadie!
You’re a busy girl and doing all the right things!
Love ❤️ You !
Dad
🙂
Aww, thank you so much, Dad! That means the world coming from you. I love you!
The peanut butter blossoms look amazing!! You are such a talented baker!
Thank you so much!! Also: I keep meaning to ask for your address: I want to send you a Christmas card!
That is the cutest thing ever! Thank you so much!! My email is stylingwhilesmiling@gmail.com (if you email me on there I’ll send you my address) ❤️ and can you send me yours too? I’d love to send you and the kids something!
I’m so proud of NIVA!!! I knew the two of you could do it!!!
It looks like you had a great day with the fam with Jimmy’s surprise day off!!