Every Friday I’ll indulge my order-crazed brain in a list of randomness. Welcome to my Friday Fives.

As with every August, life is feeling much like a whirlwind these days. End of summer! Back to school! New season starting! It’s exciting and exhausting. Thrilling and terrifying. Where did the summer go? And why are wild fires in California making Utah so gross right now, making everything so much worse? Hashtag-can’t-breathe.

Here are all of the other updates–both big and small:

5. Reunion

Tomorrow I’ll be reunited with these guys after not seeing them since late June/mid-July. We have a lot of catching up to do over Boom Boom sauce.

4. Scentsy

If you know me, you know I love me some Scentsy. Yesterday I changed out all of our scents and I’ve decided this to be a new favorite. It’s the perfect pre-pumpkinpalooza that usually triggers Fall for me, but still a detour from summer and a nice nod to back to school. The would be the little of the updates, but sometimes it’s the little things…

3. Band Camp

Band Camp started yesterday and Lee arrived today, so it’s getting real around here. Looking forward to a great season and a lot of late nights for the Brothers Falvey this week. It’s like their adult-version slumber parties.

2. No-Sugar Challenge, Week 2

I’m almost halfway there! Noticeable differences from the me 12 days ago include: feeling less bloated (hate that word) in general…less puffy, losing weight and having more energy than I’ve had in months. Amazing. Too bad I miss the stuff.

1. Bella

This would be the big news of this post. Bella and I met with a new vet today to take a look at her ears and get a general idea on where things stand. The good news is that I loved the vet and her staff, and am relieved to have found someone I feel like I can trust. The other good news is that when examining her ears she said they look amazing for a cocker her age. Clean, not swollen, pliable cartilage (ew), and in better condition than she could hope. The bad news: There’s nothing to treat to fix her acute deafness.

As crushing as it was, I was thankful for the almost two months I’ve had to get used to the idea. The weeks I’ve had to cry and grieve and build my resolve. Bella has adapted much quicker and stronger than I have. In fact, other than her hearing, she seems almost normal in every other way. She’s still the happiest, most affectionate puppy. And for that, I’m grateful.

There were options of cranial x-rays and chiropractic care, but right now I think we’re going to stay the current course. If she was younger, maybe, but I don’t feel like putting her (or me) through anything else at this point.

We are adjusting to our new normal and it doesn’t look so bad when she’s in the picture.