Millen's Home

Hello Lexington - It's been a long road getting things back in some semblance of order, but I finally am able to update Millen's website after 6 months! Our house did sell, even though I didn't want to get my hopes up that everything was going to work out. We closed on the Aiken house on February 17th, and then closed on the Lexington house on February 18th. Millen spent about a week at the Powderhouse Pet Resort in Aiken while we did all the moving. It was an experience that we don't want to ever repeat, but we're in the new house and trying to get things back to normal. Millen has been unsure of things, but she's getting used to it all. At first she spent all of her time in the master bedroom, and I've had to barricade her out of there on numerous occasions to make her spend time in other areas of the house. We still don't have a backyard fixed up - no fence, no lawn, etc... but hopefully that will happen soon. She does enjoy coming up to the bonus room and looking out on the neighborhood from a higher vantage point. The stairs are new to her, too. She likes them. So, we do miss Aiken, but we're getting used to the new area. :)

Latest News - Our house looks to be sold! We had a showing on the morning of January 10th and they made an offer! We've got a contract and already had the house inspected and appraised. If all continues to go well, the closing date is set for February 17th. The timing is working out well with the new house... so we're just keeping our fingers crossed in the hopes that everything goes smoothly. (January 23, 2009)

Let It Snow - We took a drive to the Great White North for Christmas and it was SO COLD!!!! Millen was very good in the car during the long drives. She seemed to know when we left Aiken that we were in for a long haul. Usually she's crazy when her and I go drive around, but this time she settled right in and was quiet. I'm sure she could tell that this was a different circumstance since her usually empty backseat was packed in tight. We spent time in Marquette where Millen had fun playing with her Auntie Lori (who she loves) and her people-cousins out in the snow. The cold didn't seem to bother her at all - she just wanted to go play in the white stuff! She was constantly sitting by the back door wishing someone would take her out! We also spent time in Muskegon where Millen finally met her doggie-cousin Ginger. She also was able to spend time with more of her people-cousins and her YaYa and PawPaw.

Merry Christmas! - Click here to see Millen's picture with Santa at Petsmart on Saturday the 13th! We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 2008 has gone by even faster than 2007, but it hasn't been as different from 07 as we'd hoped! It's definitely had its ups and downs! We thought we'd be moved by now so most of our Christmas decorations are in the storage unit. We do have some lights and other small decorations out. Millen has had a good year. She's spent many days at her favorite kennel for daycare while I've gone house-hunting. She also has gone on many car rides, which she loves, while our house has been shown. She's been a very good girl and I'm certain she's on Santa's nice list!

Halloween - As usual, it's been difficult to get Millen to pose for a picture! It doesn't help that she's afraid of all the props I find. I did get a few cute shots of her wearing a pink wig, but I couldn't think of how to make that "halloweeny". I found the witch hat at Target and a wooden broom that matched so well (black with pink/purple sparkles) at Hobby Lobby, but she was so afraid of the broom that I couldn't get it close enough. Oh well. I feel like I'm always making her pose very similar to the above picture, but it was the best I could do!

Goodbye Snowball - Millen's friend Snowball Maki passed away on September 15, 2008. We're all heartbroken for her mom, Amy, who has lost her baby of 17 1/2 years. Click here to read more.

Birthday Girl! - Millen turned 4 today (September 11, 2008)! She had a cake from the Bone-i-fide Bakery along with some gifts and birthday wishes. She even got a birthday card from Petsmart! We took her up the road in the rain tonight and she seemed to be so excited to go for a walk that she didn't care about getting her paws wet. Click here to see more pictures from her birthday. Click here to see her website birthday pic.

"Turd Talk" - Millen (and Chris and I) have made some walking pals in the neighborhood! Millen's new friends are Daisy, Jordan, Tiny, and Frieda! We oftentimes meet up with them while out walking and end up gabbing for a while. Several of our conversations have meandered to the subject of turds, so I think "Turd Talk" is a fitting name for our evening chats! Click here to see pictures of Millen's friends.

For Sale - (Late summer 2008) Our house is up for sale as we attempt to move to the Columbia, SC area to be closer to Chris's "new" job of about a year. We've just recently had a builder start on a house for us, but interest in our Aiken house has really dropped. Hopefully it will all work out. Millen has had fun playing and swimming at the kennel when I'd go house-hunting. She also has fun going for drives with me when the house is being shown. We're glad we'll still be near enough to Aiken to re-visit our now familiar home town! If karma is real, then you know who to get and what to do! That's all I'll say about that. For details... contact me!!! I'll be more than happy to talk your ear off and vent my frustrations about a company-who-should-not-be-named and its management!

Merry Christmas! - (2007) Millen had her picture taken with Santa today! She was extremely excited to go to Petsmart and it took some patience and strength on Santa's part to get her to sit nice... but voila!

Big Mess! (2007)- It's been a long time since I've updated this website due to a very unexpected hard drive failure back in March. It's taken a long time to get everything re-installed and back in working order... so I'm just now getting back to Millen's website! We've had a very eventful few months, and I'll be working to update the picture galleries as soon as I can. I did lose a few months of pictures... so please take it from me: back up your files!

Happy Halloween to all! (2007) I'm sure Millen will be very barky tonight with all of the little (and big) kiddies knocking at our door!

The New Pool! - (2007) The picture (click here) was taken at Millen's favorite kennel here in Aiken. The Powderhouse Pet Resort recently had an in-ground doggie pool installed in their play yard! The deepest end is 2 feet and it's got a walk-in ramp for the doggies to get used to the water. I think it's a great idea for a warm place like Aiken, and Millen loves it! I tried to take pictures of her swimming on the day this picture was taken, but Millen was far too concerned that I was on the other side of the fence to care about swimming. I did take a few pictures of her being silly, and then the Powderhouse staff were nice enough to take two pictures of her swimming. If we ever win the lottery, Millen will have her own in-ground doggie pool in which to frolic! Click here to see more pictures of her day at the pool.

Happy Easter! - Millen sends her Easter greetings, but please note: she's not fond of wearing bunny ears! I thought they looked cute, but she had other ideas. The only way we were able to get a picture was to have Chris hold her head up while I snapped the picture. The things we put her through! Poor girl! I got the idea of bunny ears from Millen's friend Snowball Maki who had some very cute pictures taken while wearing bunny ears. Click here to see Snowball's Easter picture (with her mom Amy).

Millen's Smooches - Millen sent out Valentine cards once again. She can be full of kisses that we thought we'd share them with everyone! Notice the "diamond" necklace that she's wearing. It was a Christmas gift from her Aunt Terri, Uncle Steve, Jackson & Garrison. This wasn't the picture I had envisioned, but it was very hard to try to pose puppy and then get back behind the camera before she got bored and moved. Before long I had her RIGHT in front of the camera so I didn't have to move around.

Ho Ho Ho '06 - Another 3,000 mile drive came upon us very quickly - especially after just having done one in August. This year I shipped most of the gifts ahead so we didn't have to try to pack them in the car. Millen was very good in the car, as usual. She was very happy to see everyone again. This year she was able to meet Grandma & Grandpa Brokstad during a quick stop in Muskegon, MI. She received lots of nice gifts including yummy treats, fun toys, a "diamond" necklace, and a heated massaging bed! What a lucky girl!

2-year Vet Visit (2006)- Millen saw Dr. Brown for her annual check-up and was given a clean bill of health. Dr. Brown remarked several times that we are doing a good job of keeping her weight in check. She tipped the scales at 71.9 lbs. Mills wasn't too impressed when the gals "went in" and took a sample of her feces! Gross! They told me that I can bring in a sample next year if I want... yeah right! Dr. Brown checked her hips and said they seem good for as far as she could tell just by the physical examination. Mills received her yearly vaccinations as well as a nail trim and general exam. It was SO cute when Dr. Brown gave her the up-the-nose squirt of the kennel cough vaccine - first she cupped Millen's muzzle lightly in her hands, then she leaned down and kissed her before she quickly squirted the vaccine in. I was ready for a nap by the time we got home. That girl can be exhausting when she's all excited!

Millen saw Santa - (2006) We took Millen to see Santa at Petsmart today (Dec. 10th), and she wasn't too impressed. She did enjoy seeing the other dogs and puppies in the store, but she didn't want to sit nicely with Santa for a picture. Chris and I ended up sitting with her and we were able to get the above shot. I don't quite know what kind-of face Mills is making, but it's funny! Click here to see our Christmas Card.

Millen's 2nd Birthday - (2006) Millen turned 2 on September 11, and we celebrated with a cake from the Bone-i-fide Bakery in downtown Aiken. She loved her cake. We posed her for a few pictures, but I haven't uploaded them yet. My classes have been keeping me busy. Hopefully I'll get them uploaded soon! Click here to see a picture of Millen with her birthday cake.

Another Long Drive - (August 2006) Millen has now traveled approximately 9,000 miles in the car (3 round trips to Michigan), and she's been a very good traveler. We left for Michigan on August 5th and arrived around 3am on the 7th. She especially likes to sit her front half between the two front seats and watch out the windshield or use Chris and me as a place to rest her head. We were stopped on I-65 in Indiana for two hours, and puppy just sat patiently waiting. Chris did take her out a few times to leave her mark on the median. She was VERY glad to see her Aunt Lori, Uncle Mark, and cousins Tyler and Travis. We brought her to Lake Michigamme and she had her first opportunity to go swimming. She took right to it. She LOVED it! Chris tossed a stick into the water, and she'd run right in after it. We also let her play in Lake Superior. She was a little scared of the waves, but she still had fun. I think she really enjoyed all the fun new activities in the U.P. (Upper Peninsula of Michigan)- she has seemed rather bored since we've been back home!

A Backyard... Finally! - (2006) We FINALLY had our backyard landscaped and fenced-in, and Millen now has a nice place to run and play. She was very excited when the sod was put down, although she was quite barky at the workmen. Now you should see her run to catch a Frisbee!! She's quite an athlete!

She Likes to Help - Millen decided she needed to help Chris study for his final exam. She hopped right up on the bed and positioned herself where she'd be of the best benefit. She encouraged him with some kisses, and I think she just enjoyed seeing what was going on. Oh, and she must've helped as Chris got an "A" in his class! Click here to see more.

Another Dentist Trip - Millen had to return to her dentist in Atlanta for a check-up. We went in February, and they had to put her out and take some x-rays. Her teeth are developing normally, although they still have a strange appearance. I don't know what it is about hotels, either. She used to be very good at them - now she has a very hard time settling down and going to sleep. Click here to see her problem teeth before we found a dentist.

More Baby Pictures - I found some packages of Millen's baby pictures that I had forgotten about. I forgot I had taken some film pictures as well as digital. Click here to see the ones I've scanned so far.

Be Mine, Love, Millen - (2006) Millen was very cooperative one night in January when she posed for her Valentine picture. I had to coax her with a Bone-I-Fide Bakery treat, and she surprised me by tolerating the pillow on her legs. The final touch came when I said, "Kroger" and she tilted her head slightly to the side. For some reason, the word "Kroger" makes her do this! A little bit of editing in Corel and Photoshop removed our living room from the background, and voila! Click here to see her Valentine picture.

Pass the Head & Shoulders - (2006) We discovered some dandruff along Millen's back in January and decided to give her a bath. The bath revealed some very thin areas of hair along her back. Another trip to the vet and a skin scraping later revealed no mites! She was on antibiotics for 2 weeks as Dr. Wells suspected an infection. Now she's got a dietary supplement to her Eukanuba in case it's a nutritional problem. This girl has some strange problems!

Millen's Second Christmas - (2005) We're starting to prepare for our long drive to Michigan again, and taking Millen with us does complicate things a bit! We are very glad to take her along, though, because she's our baby! We both agree that she'll be better in the car this year. Lately she situates herself so that her chest and head are resting between the two front seats. I've even bought her a special pillow so she can rest her head comfortably and sleep! We've still got to line up a few pet-friendly hotels as well as a kennel, and then we should be set for the trip. I've been busy finding some new toys for Millen as her old toys are getting very well worn. Most of her soft toys are missing a limb - I've tried to sew the wounds shut so she can't eat the stuffing - and some of her rubbery toys are missing chunks. Her Christmas picture was not easy to get! Millen did NOT like the festive collar, so every time we'd put it on her, she'd hang her head and tail like she was very sad! We had to bribe her with some very yummy food to get her to sit and look up for the picture!

November 7-8, 2005 - Surgery - We brought Millen to the vet on the 7th to have a bump on her elbow looked at. She had been really licking it, and it was starting to look raw. Dr. Wells said it was a "histiocytoma" and that it might go away on its own, or he could remove it the next day. We opted for the removal. I brought her in early the next morning with a very hungry belly, and Chris picked her up around 5 the same day. She was very groggy that first night, but soon she was back to her previous energy level. The incision is on her elbow, so every time she lays down, she is putting weight on the sutures... that, and her frequent licking of the area have led to the re-opening of the incision! We brought her back to the vet this morning (Saturday the 12th) to have Dr. Wells re-enforce the stitches with staples. Dr. Wells also prescribed some "Yuk Anti-Lick Gel" to try to deter her! Poor puppy! She actually doesn't seem very bothered by the elbow at all. She probably wonders why we are always wanting to look at it!

November 6, 2005 - One Year - We could hardly believe it had been a whole year since we first picked her up from the Rezacs family! Those first few nights were quite sleepless, and she was so little! To celebrate the anniversary, we took her to Petsmart (she loves going there) and then to a park in Aiken - The Odell Weeks Center - for a walk. She was a tired girl when we got home. Chris tried to pick her up for a picture similar to the one taken the day he picked her up (click here to see that pic, click here to see the day he picked her up)... but she would have nothing of it! This picture was taken on November 6. She always tilts her head when I mention "Kroger".

Millen Says, "Boo!" - (2005) Millen would like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween with the request that nobody try to scare her as she is already afraid of things! She did pose for a few pictures, but they were very quick poses and then she wanted her treat! You can see her eyes locked on the Greenie I was holding! Click to see her Halloween picture.

September 11, 2005 - Happy Birthday Millen! - Puppy celebrated her 1st Birthday with a cake from the Bone-i-fide Bakery here in Aiken, a few new toys, and a drive to the coast. On Saturday the 10th we tried to pose her for pictures with her cake and gifts, but she was too afraid of them to sit and stay. On Sunday the 11th we drove down to Harbor Island to check things over. As soon as Millen figured out she was coming, too, she was too excited to be contained! She was very good in the car - she sits in the back but rests her chest on the armrest between the two front seats. We took her for a walk on the absolutely deserted beach with Hurricane Ophelia churning out a bit north of us. She seemed to enjoy her day. Click to see a picture from that day.

8/17/05 All Aboard the Millen Train! -- Millen has developed a very silly habit. If she falls asleep in the living room at night, she is very stubborn about getting up and coming into the bedroom. Chris feels better if she's in the bedroom with us at night, so we've tried to coax her into changing rooms. Chris used to carry her, but now she's a tad too heavy. So, one night Chris pushed the ottoman from the bedroom into the living room. Puppy hopped right on and resumed her sleep while Chris pushed the "Millen Train" to the bedroom. She has done this on multiple occasions and it's very funny to see. Click to see the picture. (Oh, and notice Chris's Dukes of Hazzard t-shirt in the picture!)

July 2005 - Seat Thief - Millen is so funny. If Chris or I get up off the couch and run to the kitchen for a split second, we'll return to the living room to find that a certain puppy has stolen our seat. She shows no interest in the seat before we're out of sight, but she's certainly watching for her chance to take over a warm spot.

June 2005 - Puppy Want a Bath? - Millen's first bath was quite the ordeal. She didn't seem to like it, but she tolerated it. Now that she's big enough, she'll climb into the tub and just hang out. Sometimes she'll try to dig, other times she'll try to get a drink from the faucet, then other times she'll bark at something like the Taco Bell cup I have on the tub ledge for bathing her. If we're ever wondering where puppy is... we go look in the tub.

June 2005 - Puppy Toys - Just about all of Millen's soft toys now reside on top of the entertainment center. She's become quite a toy destroyer, and when the toys become amputees or have stuffing sticking out (she likes to eat the stuffing), we throw them out of her reach. I have tried to repair many of the toys, but the repair job doesn't last very long. We've found that toys made by Fat Cat Inc. seem to last a while with her and she likes them! One of her current favorite toys is the "Suspicious Chicken".

May 31, 2005 - Puppy Teeth - We took Millen to Atlanta to see the dentist. We drove the evening before the appointment as it was an early morning thing, so we spent the night in a hotel. Millen's first order of business at the hotel was throwing up in the doorway of our room. She also felt the need to start barking at 6am. Other than that, she was a very good girl! The dentists were very nice. They took her back to do some x-rays, and then cleaned off the affected teeth and sealed them with a dentin sealer. We picked her up around 2pm and drove home. They want to see her again in November.

May 2005 - Doggie Dentist - Millen's got a dentist appointment with the Atlanta Veterinary Dental Service at 8:45am on the 31st. Ever since her adult teeth have grown in, we've noticed some strange looking coloration on the teeth on the left side. In addition, the bottom canine and the tooth right in front of it have chipped enamel. So, we'll be driving to Atlanta for puppy's teeth. I hope they can fix 'em! Click here to see pictures of her problem teeth.

Late May, 2005 - Stubborn Girl! - Millen is quite a puller when she's out on a walk, plus she's getting very strong! We've been using a Promise Collar (or Halti) when we take her out, and she does not like it at all. It's a struggle to get it on her as she runs away from us in the house. Then, we'll get her outside and she'll pick a point and decide that she's boycotting the walk! She will lay down in a yard and refuse to move! It's not because she's tired as she gets up and RUNS when we move the leash to her harness and take off the Promise Collar! Silly girl!

Mid May, 2005 - Puppy's got a Swimmin' Hole - We picked up a plastic pool from Walmart for the girl. She likes it a lot! We'll throw a ball into it, and she'll run and jump in, snorkel for the ball, then jump out and run away with the ball. It's cute!

4/25/05 - The Salt Air - Millen went to the beach for the first time. We went to Harbor Island for the day, and took puppy out to the beach. She loved it! She was running around with Chris a lot and seemed to be having a great time. We walked her out to the ocean (the tide was out so it was a bit of a walk) where she tasted the salt water, and then she led Chris straight back to the car as if to say, "I'm tired". She slept most of the way home.

April 2005 - Millen loves to catch - She's VERY good at jumping and catching things. Sometimes she'll jump, then twist in the air to catch the toy, and then land. She's become good at checking her landing zone for obstacles before she lands, too.

3/13/05, Millen Graduated from Puppy Class -- Millen had her last puppy obedience class at Petsmart and she graduated! We were a bit worried as her attention span was very small that evening. She had to demonstrate 3 of the many "tricks" that she had learned. She wouldn't pay much attention to us, but when her favorite trainer, Chrissy, asked... she did 'em! Chrissy put the graduation hat on her, and we all snapped our pictures as fast as we could.

3/4/05, Millen's Favorite Games -- Puppy LOVES her daddy's shoes and slippers. When she finds them, she parades very proudly in front of us with whichever item she's not supposed to have. Sometimes when Chris is trying to put his shoes on and go to work, he has a very difficult time as Millen is trying to get the shoe away from him. It's funny! She also loves to play catch. She is very good at jumping up and catching balls and Frisbees.

3/2/05, Another Vet Visit -- Millen's belly has healed nicely, but now she's got some strange looking teeth. Since the removal of her baby canines, the adult teeth can be used and it looks like the enamel is chipping off. Dr. Wells said he's never seen anything like it!

2/15/05, Overnight at the Aiken Animal Hospital -- Millen was spayed on the morning of February 15th. She also had her remaining baby teeth removed. Her adult canine teeth had come in, but the baby canines were still hanging on. She had to stay overnight, and we picked her up around noon on the 16th. She seemed very happy to see us, and it was difficult to keep her from jumping for the next 7 days.

1/17/05, The Tooth Fairy -- Over the weekend, Chris and I found 3 of Millen's baby teeth lying around. She's lost the teeth on the left side of her mouth - the side she uses most. Poor girl! It doesn't seem to bother her at all, but we feel bad for her!

1/09/05, "Do you mean Rod Millen?" -- While we roamed around Aiken's Petsmart on Sunday, Millen stopped to make friends with one of the employees. He asked what her name was. When we told him, he first asked if she's named after the town of Millen, Georgia. Chris said that she's actually named after a race car driver. The guy paused, and then said, "Do you mean Rod Millen?" We were very impressed!

1/02/05, Millen's New Year's Resolutions -- 1. To not bite my daddy's ear so that it requires Dermabond at the local ER, 2. To sleep later than 6am, 3. To keep growing and become a big girl, 4. To try not to be so scared of being home alone, 5. To remember that mom & dads' shoes are not my toys, 6. To do good at my obedience classes.

12/30/04, A Well-Traveled Puppy -- Millen enjoyed her first Christmas after a LONG drive to Michigan. We left on December 18 and drove to Paducah, Kentucky where Millen spent her first night in a hotel. She was very curious, but she adapted well. Driving day 2 took us to Appleton, Wisconsin where Millen experienced her first bone-chilling cold weather. She did NOT like it as was evidenced in her potty-training regression! Driving day 3 brought us to Marquette, Michigan through some very snowy and slippery weather. Millen met her canine cousin Casey as well as her other human relatives on Staci's side of the family. She was VERY excited to be in a new place with so much going on AND another puppy! Millen liked the snow, but she never liked the freezing temperatures. She did very well overall in telling us when she had to go outside, although she did "go" on one of Tyler's Christmas gifts! Luckily she only got the box. She enjoyed her first Christmas morning chewing on a rawhide candy cane (a gift from the Youngs) while everyone opened their gifts. Monday the 27th had us on the road for 5 hours as we made our way across the Mackinac Bridge to Traverse City to meet up with Chris's family. We were back on the road on Wednesday the 29th and drove to Dayton, Ohio, and then drove the rest of the way home on the 30th. Millen did very well on her 3,000 mile drive with a little help from some tranquilizers to help with her car-riding anxiety. She also received LOADS of compliments wherever she went!

12/11/04, It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas -- On Saturday, Millen took a trip to PetsMart in Aiken to see Santa and have her picture taken. As you can tell from the results, above, she got along well with jolly old Saint Nick. It seems she asked for a big bone to chew on-- maybe if she's a good puppy, she'll get her Christmas wish! Millen says "Woof woof wuf woof wooof!", which we translate to mean "Have a Safe and Happy Christmas Everyone!" About the Picture -- Part of the proceeds from PetsMart's Pictures with Santa go to support local organizations that help place needy animals with loving families, including Aiken's SPCA and Molly's Militia. Not all pets have a home for the holidays -- help support a needy pet this Christmas. To find out more, contact your local branch of the ASPCA, Humane Society, or check your local shelter. Millen says WOOF!

11/29/04, Back Home Again -- We're back home again after a trip to Arkansas. It was great to see family again and enjoy some time together. That and the turkey dinner and homemade pies. And the gin-u-wine Arkansas smoked ribs & brisket my dad got for us. Through it all, Staci and I thought about Millen every day, knowing that she was having fun at the kennel but knowing we wanted to see her again too. We picked up Millen this afternoon and she seems bigger already. We measured her at 20 lbs., plus maybe an ounce or two. She already played in the back yard again and in the living room. And she remembers sit and shake commands (with some patience), and more importantly to sit by the door when she has to go potty. She seems to be happy to be home. We're happy she's home too!

11/22/04, Turkey Day Travel -- Thanksgiving is upon us and we are flying to Arkansas to spend time with family. We are sad to have to kennel little Millen for a few days, but it seems she's adjusted well already (see the sample movie in the Galleries section!)

11/07/04, Our First Night -- It is day two of our life with Millen, which means we got through our first night. Millen slept through the night... one hour at a time. Like clockwork, we'd hear her crying from her kennel every 60 minutes or so. Thinking she might need a potty break, we took her out in the yard each time. Mostly she'd just start to play, so we'd bring her back in and get her back to sleep. By the time 5AM rolled around, I decided to stay with her in the kennel for awhile, and Staci went to bed. I fell asleep in the kennel, waking up when she woke up, and we stay there until 7AM-- the longest round of sleep she had all night. Having me near her reassured her a bit. I played with her a bit until about 8, when Staci woke up. She took over then while I took a nap. It looks like we might have to tag team for awhile!

11/06/04, Millen has come home -- Our new puppy arrived home today, November 6, 2004. She's just getting used to her surroundings, and I think she misses her mom, sisters and human family a bit. But she's doing okay and already adjusting well. She's doing very well for day two. We take her out to pee, and she does so within the first minute. Progress will come, with time and patience. We'll soon be posting more, including pictures, movies, and stories. Come back soon!