100th Post-Looking Back and Ahead

It is pretty amazing that we have reached 100 posts in the blog!  When I decided to start this, Mom wasn't sure if anyone would read it or how it would go.  We've met so many awesome people and pups and cats through this!  We thought we would look back at what has happened through the past 100 entries first.
Mom got sick before we started the blog and had continued to get sick.  She had first discovered my ability to alert and was starting to learn about service dogs and if I could become one.  She had talked with my old trainer and started my service dog training.

A crazy little black puppy showed up.  She was 5 weeks old, dirty, skinny and dehydrated and the perfect addition to our little family.  Mom named her Lola and she grew in to a smart, crazy little sister for me.

We did a lot of traveling while Mom was trying to find a doctor who could diagnose her.  We went to Atlanta and Florida.  While we were in these places, we got to go do some fun stuff, like visit the fort at St. Augustine in Florida.

Mom finally got referred to her aesome doctor who was able to diagnose her.  He did a test that confirmed his diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and gave Mom and hour of relief (and an hour to pet me with what was at that time her bad arm).  Mom's CRPS had started to spread in earnest through all this and soon after moved to her entire upper body, including her right arm.

Our newest member of the family was left in a box in our driveway a couple months after that.  She was a scared, fluffy little kitten Mom named Francine.  After she got over her scare, she warmed up to me and Lola, obviously LOVED Mom and adored Karma.  Karma adored her back and Mom knew she was the perfect kitty addition to our family.

Soon after that, Mom's CRPS spread to her legs and that meant she needed a service dog who could help her if she fell or get her to her wheelchair.  I have a bad knee and poor hips, so I can't do that stuff and Mom decided to retire me.  Retirement has meant that I get extra spoiled by everyone and I get to hang out with every body more and I get to sleep more!  I still help Mom around the house and tell her before she gets sick when she's home.

Now we are waiting on a new service dog for Mom from CARES in Concordia, Kansas!  She will be getting a male Standard Poodle.  In the next 6 months we should find out exactly who my new brother is!
Mom's business, which she started in January, has really taken off and she has been busy with that.  Of course, that means that I'm busy supervising and modeling Mom's work!  We even get to test out the beds Mom is thinking about making!
Mom is working towards getting me certified as a therapy dog so we can go visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools and the local Victory Junction Gang Camp!  She is working on agility with Lola so that she and Lola can compete next year.  And of course, the cat sisters are getting in to everything.  Mom is making sure that Francine knows some tricks (yes, Mom trains the cats) and that Karma keeps up with hers.  We are hoping she gets her implant trial soon and that it helps so she can start doing more and maybe walking a little bit too.
Here's to another 100 posts!