"Mom, Is School Really Necessary?"

Today I had my first geochemistry test of the semester. This semester has not started the best, with the not getting in the right class, car trouble making me miss class then not be able to afford books, etc etc. Just this past weekend I was able to obtain my very own textbook. That only left me about 150 pages behind with the first test this week. That meant last night was a study night. Sammy has always been there to help me study and pull all nighters. He usually camps out with me til the bitter end, no matter what! Last night was no exception. Yesterday and yesterday evening he was more than happy to lay next to me (or on my book/notebook/notecards/other study items) and lend some support. He stayed up with me until 2am while I read the book, made notecards, read my class notes, looked other stuff up in my mineral books and mineralogy and petrology textbooks. And by stay up with me, I mean lay half on my lap or on my things. Anytime I got up for a mountain dew or new pencil he walked towards the bedroom hoping it was bedtime. What a cutie pie!
This morning was an early morning. My test was at 10am and we are in more snow and freezing rain here in Omaha. Sammy was reluctant to awaken. He was more reluctant to get up and off the bed, but didn't want to hang in there while I was up and studying. What a sweet boy! He came out, went outside and got some breakfast. Then he just laid back down. After a few minutes, Erik emerged from the bedroom to help me with Sammy in case he was any trouble while I was trying to study. Erik was very nice and made waffles. After that he sat on the floor with Sammy. Sammy looked half asleep. He was not happy to be awake. Currently he is completely passed out on the couch. If something wakes him up, he gets very exasperated and sighs as he repositions himself, just to say, "really? must you move? I'm trying to sleep here." It's quite amazing how much he can communicate with us without so much as a word! Dogs (especially mine) are incredible.
Anyway, I snapped this photo of Erik and Sammy trying to help me memorize my nucleosynthesis equations, Goldschmidt's Rules of Substitution and the Aufbau Principle just before leaving for my test. Look how sleepy Sammy's eyes are. Really, a picture is worth a thousand words!