Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart adopted a new little puppy in September of 2008.  A cute little Chihuahua.  The dog's name is Nellie, "like 'Whoa, Nellie,'" Dane explained. "We adopted it on the street from this adoption agency. She was thrown out of a car, so we took her."  How sweet, right? 

The couple will be celebrating their fourth Wedding Anniversary on October 29th.  They haven't planned anything formally yet, but are just happy to be together.  As for the new little pooch, sounds like he found a lovely little home for himself. 

(source: people.com, "Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart Adopt – a Dog", Sept. 16 2008)

Brooke Smith decided to adopt a girl from Ethiopia in May 2008.  She has been talking about adopting since Ocotber of 2007.   Brooke already has a five-year-old daughter with husband, Stephen Lubensky, named Fanny.  When asked why she says, ""You know, why not?"  They have traveled to Africa several times, and filmed a documentary on conservationists in Zimbabwe together.

(Source: people.com "Grey's Anatomy's Brooke Smith Adopts Baby Girl" May 16, 2008)

Justin Chambers voluntarily checked himself into UCLA's psych facilityin January of 2008. He says he was "exhausted" as he suffers from a sleeping disorder. The stay was brief and he was checked out shortly after.

Justin later explained, "It's an issue that I've had for a while. It's a biological sleep disorder. Your mind keeps racing, and your body is tired. It wants to go to sleep, but it can't." Before checking himself in he reportedly was only sleeping about an hour a week and was at his "wit's end."

(source: people.com "Grey's Anatomy's Justin Chambers Treated at Psych Ward" January 31, 2008; people.com "Justin Chambers Opens Up About Sleep Disorder" March 27, 2008.)

Evidently Katherine Heigl isn't all that enthusiastic about her current role on Grey's Anatomy. She took a back-handed stab at the writers saying,"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention," Heigl told L.A. Times columnist Tom O' Neil. "In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials." We know that her season's been a little rocky, what with saving the deer in the parking lot and all, but this sounds to me like she's trying to stir the pot. Evidently not afraid to speak her mind as history has proven, calling Knocked Up "sexist" and saying ex-costar Isaiah Washington "just shouldn't speak in public," this star has her fair share of headlines these days.

Although removing your name from the list has been done in the past, it has generally been from actors who had numerous wins like Murphy Brown and Bill Cosby. As a Grey's Anatomy fan, I must admit this last season wasn't Izzie's best, but it was certainly warranted after her tragedy last season and I think that she was given an opportunity at the end that will lead her to excel in a new role as the head of the clinic next season. I wish she was a little more grateful for what she has.

(source: usmagazine.com "Katherine Heigl Drops Out of Emmy Race," June 11, 2008)