Thanksgiving.

I can't believe its November, let alone Thanksgiving. The temperature is so different than what I am used to. It should be the time of year where it is starting to snow, you've had your fill of raking leaves and cross your fingers that no more will fall when a breeze passes by. The time of year where you should be able to walk outside and feel that nip in the air. It should be the time of year where everything starts looking bare like it's just waiting for the pretty white snow to cover it. Yeah there is none of that here. Everything is green and pretty. Along with the weather being different my whole Thanksgiving day was different as well. Usually it is day full of my loud crazy family, lots of laughing and talking, so much yummy food and just a day where you don't have to worry about anything but being with the people you love! This year was the opposite of all of that. The world of animal care really doesn't give you very many days off, if any. The animals need to be taken care of every day, including holidays. So Thanksgiving was like every other day for me. A little more lonely than usual because it was a short day in the working sense so I was there by myself most of the time. But that was okay with me, I was still doing something I love and I was with the animals I love! I guess I did end up do something Thanksgivingy, I went Black Friday shopping at midnight! Ha what an adventure that was. I had never been before and I couldn't believe how long some of the lines were that people were waiting in! And everyone was crazy. They were grabbing things, pushing around people, and really just taking anything that they could find. What a big gimmick in my opinion.

Even though my Thanksgiving was different than usual I still enjoyed it. My Thanksgiving this year  also opened my eyes. I realized how awful it is to spend a holiday by yourself. The whole day I couldn't stop thinking about the widows I know and hope that they were with family. I couldn't help but think about all the people who are away from home and don't have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving. It really did give me a new perspective. A thought and feel that I think I will carry with me my whole life. Something that I hope I can make a difference with.  

I'll guess I'll end with a happy note, I'M GOING TO FLORIDA! Yup you read that right. Amanda lived in Florida for a couple years and she is going back for a visit and invited me along! I'm so excited and I can hardly wait!

Anyways Happy Thanksgiving! And Merry Christmas!

Box of Sunshine

 Sometimes I forget that people care about me. Ha that sounds kind of sad but I didn't mean it to be. But I'm sure we all feel that. We forget that we have people that care about us and that would do anything for us. Well the past month has been one that's been chuck full of emotions for me. Every emotion know to man, I've experienced it in the last 30 days. I have gotten many reminders of just how much I am cared for here. Phone calls. Hugs. People offering to help out. Sweet texts that I'll keep forever. Letters. Emails. They were all greatly appreciated. It was nice to know that people care. Well today I got another reminder that was a complete surprise!
Life has been busy here at TGR. We have been open every single day. And open every day makes for long crazy days. That also means no church for me. I haven't been able to go to church for over a month now and it makes me sad. I love going to church and I have a great ward down here with some amazing people! I have a box of sunshine to prove just how wonderful they are :) A couple girls from my ward dropped this off to me today. It was wrapped in bright yellow wrapping paper and a note saying how much they miss me and to keep my head up. It was the best thing I could have gotten today.

Save the Monkey

Chloe, the baby baboon on my head, somehow managed to get her head stuck in a bunch of rope, which you can see in my hand with a pair of scissors, I had to go in and cut her out. I was so scared that she was going to die. She was handing from the rope by her neck and she was having a hard time breathing. It took a while to detangle her and to cute the rope off. I was nervous that she was just going to be mad when she got out, but just the opposite. She melted into my arms. I sat there holding her for a good 20 minutes and then she proceeded to groom me! Her way of saying thank you I guess.
The other monkeys on me is A baby Spider Monkey in my arms and a baby Howler Monkey wrapped around my neck.

Just another average day as keeper :)