Tag: therapy

DOG MOM LIFE

I am not sure I have actually written much in this space about dog mom life.

It is truly the BEST LIFE!

Most of you already know that Louis came to me is a super roundabout way and I didn’t have any intention of having a dog in my life.  I grew up with dogs and after having to rehome a dog a few years ago, I didn’t have time and space to have a dog in my life…or so I thought.

Obviously having Louis has been one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me.  We are all certain about that! 

Just over 2 years ago, I began to follow a group up in Traverse City who breeds teeny tiny dogs.  I was in communication with them asking what it is like with the teeny tiny dogs in the same home as big dogs.  She graciously answered all of my questions back then though ultimately I decided not to pursue one of their dogs.  I did, however, keep following them and their accounts on social media.

Last September, one of their dogs birthed just a single puppy.  I don’t know much about dogs but I do know that dogs have litters, not single puppies.  I was curious about this little one but more curious how he was born a singleton. 

Fast forward to the first week in January and the breeder posted on Facebook that they needed to help a family rehome their little dog and that he just wasn’t fitting into their home well enough.  It was on my heart to reach out to talk about this pup and maybe get a chance to meet him. 

During that time, I had remembered that i tuned in when this pup was born as it was the singleton from September!   Apparently when a mom is done having puppies, they spay them (obviously) but when they went to spay her, she was already and unknowingly pregnant.   Her body was done having puppies and so she was unable to support a full litter and only one made it to their birthday.  

I met Tater Tot, formally named Maddox and Nico, the first Friday of January, the family brought him to me so that he and Louis could meet.  

It wasn’t an instant match, but it was a fun playmate that Louis took to right away.  I knew that both Louis and I would need a bit of time to get used to the idea of having this 3 pound pipsqueak around AND I also knew in my heart that it was the right thing to do in that moment. 

So this little one came home with us that day.  

3AM in the morning, I woke up with so much anxiety…HOW ON EARTH IS THIS TEENY TINY 3 POUND BABY GOING TO SURVIVE THE STAIRS IN OUR HOUSE?1/!?!?!?!!!!!!  My house has 4 full flights of wood stairs and there is just no way around it.  In my mind, there was just no way that he would be able to manage going up and down that many stairs when he was smaller than the stair itself!

I wrote to the breeder and also the family to let them know that I made a horrible mistake!  I am still not sure that either of them appreciated a 3AM email but sharing this concern was the only way I was going to be able to go back to sleep!

I awoke to an email from the breeder assuring me that all their little ones eventually learn to work with all the stairs in all the homes that they live in.  

Little did I know that the big guy would also be teaching the little one so many things, including going up the stairs within just a couple days.  Louis would go up to the top of the steps and wait for Tate to do the same.  He would sit at the landing wagging his tail and of course I was there being his cheerleader too.  

He mastered going up the stairs in 2.5 days and another couple days, he mastered going down too.

For those reading this who live in Michigan, you may remember the weather through those winter months.  To be honest, it was very difficult to bundle up 7 times each day to take this little one out.  I also knew that when I took him home on that Friday that I was signing up for that for the season no matter what was happening.  I also had faith that the commitment to that this year would be tough but wouldn’t be every year.  

The biggest concern of all was being a single mom to two dogs.  What was I even thinking?  Would I be able to make that happen?  Would I be able to manage two dogs?  Would it be overwhelming to have eight little legs and feet running around the house?  Will I have enough time and energy for both of them?  Will they figure out how to eat next to each other?  

YES TO ALL OF IT and SO MUCH MORE!!! 

Having the little one has brought new life and fun into Lou’s world, as well as, Lou teaching Tate so much about life and living and listening (well we are still working on that last part).  

They aren’t the very best of friends just yet but day by day they are growing and evolving together.  I also take them on adventures together, and very different kinds of adventures separately.  

So the question that everyone has asked, “WHEN IS TATE COMING INTO THE OFFICE???”

That is NOT our plan.  Although you would all love him so much, the office would be more of a dog party than a chiropractic office.  And more importantly, he want to be in the mix of it all and he easily become a trip hazard for me…and also for all of YOU!!!  There are just too many moving parts inside of our days to make that happen.  For a long while anyway.  We will see once he is maybe a couple years old to see what kind of temperament he evolves into.  

If you are still reading this, THANK YOU!!!  It has been wordy however both of their stories deserve to be shared as this DOG MOM LIFE is the VERY BEST LIFE EVER!!!! 

FOUR YEARS

So many things can happen over the course of four years.  Four years ago today, June 14, I purchased Big Blue.  Some people say that I should have started referring to it as THE CENTER or something more “on brand”.  But honestly, Big Blue was mentioned at one point and stuck and so here we are.  Best Chiropractor Fenton Michigan - Dr Erica Peabody - Expansion

I share this story a lot but I first saw the building on Zillow.  My Mom and I are always looking around at real estate on that app just to see what is out there.  When I saw the building, I sent a quick screen shot and message to my realtor.  “What is up with this place?  What is the story?”

His response, “I don’t know but let’s go and take a look!”

It used to be an assisted living facility so when we initially walked through we had to pretend that we were “looking for a spot for family members to live”.   A sale like that that had to be that way due to the business and employees and how the sale was being concealed.  

Prior to going inside, my Mom and I said to each other, “let’s take a look but more than likely this place will smell weird, be weird or be unrecoverable from what it had been through.”  

Half way through this 10,000 sq ft beauty, my Mom and I both looked to each other and said “Wow this place is amazing and already set up for what I want to do.”

And so the due diligence process began.  That started in February of 2018 and I finally closed June 14.  

When patients visit us for the first time, they look around in awe of the beauty that is so natural to Big Blue.  Even after 130 years, it has the original woodwork, original wood stain color and craftmanship that is not seen in current day construction.  It is absolutely beautiful and feels like working inside of a museum.  If only the walls could talk, I can only begin to imagine the stories they would share.     

The purchase of Big Blue has not been without its downfalls though.  As most of you know, I had a very serious “life sidekick” when I began this project.  That didn’t last like we had planned which threw life through a loop…but here we are still standing and thriving inside this space.  

We have many businesses join us over the past 4 years, incredible practitioners helping to increase the health and wellness in and around our beautiful community.  The services offered inside Big Blue include: chiropractic care, massage therapy, supplements, acupuncture, family therapy, psychotherapy, speech therapy, esthetician, life coach, reiki master, photography as well as connection with hypnotherapy and functional medicine.  As you can probably imagine, there are a few more business partnerships in the works for the future.

The practitioners that are currently in our building have taken great pride to enhance their office spaces and I will share a sneak peek into their working spaces in the near future so you can get a feel.  I feel fortunate to have business owners taking such pride in beatifying their office spaces.    

There is a “special something” in the air at this spot that is inherent to the building itself.  Although the business prior to us did well, a revived energy to Big Blue has been a welcomed addition to the center of our growing and bustling downtown Fenton.  

People often say “I have driven by this building thousands of times, I am so glad to be able to finally see inside!”

There is a long, beautiful and thriving future for this building and we are so happy to be just the ones to help make that happen!  

Swing in and say hello!  Or get in touch with one of the providers inside of the building and experience for yourself.  I am in awe of the first four years, I can only imagine what the next four years will bring!