For as long as I can remember I’ve been a memory saver. I scrap-booked, kept keepsakes in a box such as restaurant coasters from first dates to magazine tear-outs from my favorite Seventeen advice columnists to every last note from friends in High School. Then there was the quote book that I would fill with things said to me to encourage, inspire or just down right aggravate. Then there are the pictures.. the ten thousands of pictures I’ve hoarded throughout my last 26 years. I had albums for my favorites and boxes for the others but could never bare the thought of getting rid of them. High School and College came and went and I have every last detail documented in journals, photo boxes and scrap-books. It’s no wonder I fell head first into this career and love it. However, for the last few years.. since I’ve had a camera glued to my face most of the time I’ve neglected the memory keeping of the most fun days of my life thus far. What a bummer!! David and I were talking this week and remembering some of the funniest, most exciting memories over the last year and some of the stories I had almost forgotten. That’s when I put my foot down. NO MORE! We’ve thought about having a personal blog just for us and friends and family.. but it’s yet to get off the ground.. so until it does I’m making a serious effort to post my memories here! We live a pretty hilarious, adventurous and full life and I don’t want to forget a single minute of it. I’ve found a few companies out there that turn blogs into books for very little $$ and I’ve made it a personal goal to print one from this blog yearly. It will be my new scrap book, momento box and quote book.

It literally only took my 15 minutes to get this blog together, pictures and all.. so no more excuses.. here we go! I’ll just start with the best story of today. About 2 hours ago if you were to somehow use Google Earth to zoom in on my whereabouts you would have found me face down in the mud in my new favorite blue sundress in our back yard (in the rain) trying to get our 3 year old boxer out from under the deck. The dogs FREAK when it thunders, but this is the first time I’ve found one of them stuck under the deck!!

This story began when I open the back door to let the pups in. On a normal day they would both stampede full speed up the stairs and into our living room leaving a trail of slabber and dirt to be cleaned later. Not today.. today only one came running. I went through the 5 second MELT DOWN before I ran down stairs to find one of them trapped under a 9 inch space under their deck (I say their deck because we had a little deck for them built so they would stay off of our deck and keep it clean.. didn’t happen). So.. here I am face down in the mud wondering how the HECK she got there in the first place.

After a good 15 minutes of wiggling and squeezing.. she was freed. Both of us covered in mud!! I’ve never been so thankful for a muddy dog hug and lick to the face!!

Anyone who has met these two know they are crazy… all we know is they are the most loving members of our family. I caught David telling Marley last night after our run in Sequoya Hills “I really do love you”, which he would never admit in public. Marley is the sweet one, the 3 year old dummy who was stuck under a deck only 2 hours ago. And Lucy, the 1 year old, who is a friggin maniac, who thinks she is a lap dog, but also a big ball of love. Here are a couple of shots I snagged earlier when I realized today is DAY 1 of the personal Hensley blog. This is tale-tale of their personalities.

sweet Marley bug.

crazy Lucy loo. I couldn’t get her to let the blanket go long enough for a picture. You can also see remnants on the floor from my little mud experience earlier.

Marley always tries to act like she’s playing and in the action.. but she never actually gets involved.

This is our life and for all who are interested.. there is much more adventure, love and life ahead!!