Workin' Too Hard Can Give You a Heart Attack-ack-ack-ack-ack

Well, I finally did it. After much hemming, hawing, mind changing, talking with my family and friends, and a few tears...I QUIT MY JOB!!!! Yep, it's true. After 10 years and 10 months of working at the only job I've ever had, I up and quit.
And it's a huge relief. As much as I loved that job and the people there and the clients (some of them, anyway) and of course the pets, the stress level there was through the roof. I know that veterinary medicine statistically has the highest rate of suicides and stress-related meltdowns (I don't know if there's any other kind), but it wasn't that. I finally had it. I worked my butt off for those said 10 years and 10 months of my life and it was never good enough. If I did one thing, it was wrong. If I did it the opposite way, it was still wrong. If I did what I was told, it was wrong. If I did my own thing, it was wrong. And there was so much more that contributed to the issue. It wasn't entirely what I did (or didn't do, as the case seemed to be at times). I was informed at a few points in not so many words that being there was more important than my safety or even my family.
I had high blood pressure when I was pregnant that could have been partially caused by this (as a result I had to be induced early). There were times I would get so frustrated it nearly brought me to tears, and sometimes it did. I finally had enough.
I had hoped to have another job before it came to this, but we'll figure it out somehow.

This Ain't a Fairy Tale

I heard some sad, sad news the other day. A coworker and I were talking and she told me that she heard they were banning any sort of fairy tales in schools. FAIRY TALES! Now, I knew about the banning of certain books; in fact, Barnes & Noble stores were having a sale on these books. But now the banning of talk of fairy tales, all because they depict worlds with no God and show witchcraft. And people wonder what's wrong with the world today!
I'm serious about that last comment. I believe that's part of what is wrong with the world today. Without "fairy tales" (and this is of any kind, from Cinderella to Tom Sawyer to Harry Potter), we are taking away imaginations and the ability for people to think for themselves. We're taking away an alternate world for people to get away to if the day isn't going as planned. I know that certain fictions aren't being banned from the public, but by not allowing children to read them is teaching them at a young age that what you see is what you get. It doesn't allow them to think outside the box. This is a problem, even moreso than allowing the younger generations to watch too much TV or play video games. Fairy tales and fictions (if they are written well) teach right and wrong, cause and effect, just about any lesson you wish to teach.
People are "going crazy" these days because they have this reality and none other. They can't take their aggressions out in a sword fight or a duel of magic. They can't fall in love with a prince or a damsel in distress, or even have hope. That's what a lot of fictions have...hope. Goals in life. Even if it's to find the treasure or get the ring into the mountain. They keep going because they don't give up hope. If there's a challenge or an obstacle, they find an alternate route (going back to the thinking-outside-of-the-box thing).
As I said before, it's a sad, sad world out there. And it only seems to be getting more depressing.

Out With the Old

Well, here we are again. The beginning of a new year. What awaits us around each corner? Who knows. Here's a recap of my last year:

-My dogs contracted sarcoptic mange, resulting in Sprite losing a lot of her hair and losing a lot of weight, making us uncertain if we could do anything to fully help her...In the end, she has her hair all back and she has finally gained weight back and she's back to her adorable self!
-I gave birth to a 6 pound, 4.3 ounce little boy, Jacob Thomas Kestner, who has been the light of our lives!
-Also in the baby boom...my best friend had her baby girl Isla, another friend had her girl Paetyn, and three other friends found they were pregnant! Congrats to all the new mamas!
-The family cat, Birthday (aka Kitty), of about 19 years passed away (we assume).
-My cat, Jasper, that I've had since college, had to go live with my parents as an outside cat. I wanted to keep him, but first he scared us two nights after we brought the baby home by jumping in the playpen with him in the middle of the night. He was over twice the baby's size, so we were worried he'd lay on Jake and smother him. Even though we then kept the door closed, he kept testing his limits with the baby in my presence. So, mom and dad were great enough to allow him to stay at their place and we set him free.
-Because of the first thing listed here, Jake and I contracted scabies, which is not fun. A good slathering of permethrin cream and we're all cleared up!
-My niece, Britt, took her first steps and won't be taking her last for a very long time!
-Sadly, two amazing people in my life passed away...Grandma and Grandpa Moore.
-My oldest brother, his wife, and their daughter welcomed another addition to their family...Kaila Reese Miller (Kai for short).
-Mike and I hosted Thanksgiving at our house...and did AMAZING, if I say so myself.

Looking toward the future, here are some plans and hopefuls:

-We'll have the burial of my grandfather at Arlington National Cemetary.
-I will hopefully find a new part-time job, or better yet, we'll find some way by some miracle for me to be a stay-at-home mom (*fingers crossed*)
-Jake will turn a year old (don't know how I feel about that...)
-THE END OF THE WORLD!!!!!!! (no, not really)

Here's hopin'!