First Litters On Their Way and Fulton Show!

My first two French Litters are on their way, due in 7 days! I'm so excited!!!
Hot Rod Chevy and Daphne on my site.
http://www.joiedeviverabbitry.webs.com/

Stay tuned for pics :-)

Chev is a firecracker, she's been doing the nesting dance for several days now, hopping around in an elegant bunny ballet with great mouthfuls of hay tufting out both sides of her mouth. Adorable.
Daphne is big as a house. Can't wait to see how many she produces. We're taking bets over here. She is so calm. No nesting on her part yet!


I did my first rabbit show. I jumped the hurdle and hit the ground running. I was scared to death and when I put my Jr. REW doe on the table for the very first time Keith said I turned a shade of green and he was right behind me rubbing my back and whispering in my ear that everything was OK.
I was right on the cusp of either puking or balling my eyes out. I had visions of everyone hating me for upchucking on their rabbits and being tossed out for ruining all of that wool.
But then the judge grabbed my little doe and the sick feeling went away like it had never been there and everything in the universe was perfect for just that moment. It was like Nirvanna. I got a taste and that was it, like a fine drug I was hooked after my first sample.
My cheeks flushed and I was revitalized. I had a burst of energery. I was giggly. I was high. I made it threw the entire day without a single Kolonopin. It may not seem like much to anyone else, but when you have severe Social Anxiety Disorder, and Depression, and mild Agoraphobia and struggle to even call and order a pizza or check your own mail or answer your phone or put your trash out, doing a rabbit show and literally having your animals judged in front of you is the scariest thing you could possibly do, not to mention meeting all those new people and battling the "New Kid In Town" feeling. I'm not one to brag, but shit, I am PROUD of myself!!!
It didn't matter ONE bit how I placed that day. I rode a high that no one could have brought me down from. I did get my first ribbon with my Jr. REW doe in the Angora Speciality, she placed 3rd. You would have sworn someone handed me a publishers clearing house check for a million dollars. My yellow ribbon is displayed proudly as a marker of just what I overcame that weekend.

I want to Thank my freakin' AMAZING husband Keith without whom I could have never gotten over that fear, his constant reassurance was the main reason I went and did it. I love you so much Keith, more than you'll ever know. You are such a patient soul. You give me strength.
You are the Peanut Butter to my Jelly, and the Fruit to my Loop. My soul mate and better half. We've been together 10 years now and I hope we make it at least another 10 more without killing eachother. It's been an adventure babe.

I also wanted to say Thank You to Tina and Scott Vance from Nutty Buckeye Rabbitry in OH who drove 9 HOURS ONE WAY to come to the Fulton Show and show by my side. That is a true friend if there ever was one. You two will never know how grateful I am for coming out here to hold my hand through my first show. I know I wouldn't have gone if you hadn't come. Who knew that back in July when I first e-mailed looking for FA to buy that I would meet someone who could turn out to be such an amazing friend in such a short time?
I really adore you.

The outpouring of support from my husband, Tina and Scott, and my Mom who also came with us and knew how important it was for me to jump this hurdle- was so overwhelming that when we got back to our hotel room I completely broke down in tears for a long time. I have felt s0 tossed aside and forgotten so much in my life that I simply didn't know what it felt like to have so many people actually give a crap about me and want me to succeed at something.

When we drove back to RI on Sunday morning I left NY with my heart warm and full and our truck stuffed to the gills with rabbits and goodies. It was such a good trip for me, it did me a world of good.

And now I cannot wait for my next show on November 15th :-D

Who knew rabbits could be so healing?