Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Third Time's the Charm


Well, we did it. We finally gave in and adopted a dog for Anna. Jim and I had reservations because our last 2 attempts of being dog owners didn't go so well. Pepper was our first. She was a Standard Schnauzer that drove me crazy! She would pee on the laundry room floor while I stood and watched her. I think she wanted to take my spot under the alpha male! To say that she and I didn't get along would be an understatement.... A few years later we bought Sadie, a sweet, lovable, and extremely energetic chocolate lab. We used to joke that she thought she was a "lap dog." Sadie even made the move to Arkansas with us. However, when we discovered that Ben and I were allergic to everything under the sun (and even the sun, in my case!), we decided to give Sadie away. Anna was heartbroken, but we had to do it so that I could breathe!... On Friday, January 27th, we surprised Anna and adopted Charlie, a Cairn Terrier mix. I wish that I had taken my camera with me to the shelter; I've never seen Anna so happy and excited about anything! When she got out of the car, she ran up to Jim with tears in her eyes, wrapped her arms around his waist and said, "Thank you, Daddy! Thank you!"
So far, Charlie has been a sweet addition to our family. He's everything we've always wanted in a dog; he's sweet, cuddly, playful, non shedding, house trained, and he very rarely barks! We're all amazed and think he's too good to be true! I guess you could say that the third time's the charm!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Feeling nostalgic...


I've been feeling a little nostalgic lately. I'm not sure why.... Maybe it's because I just turned 42.... Maybe it's because Kaity's a senior in high school looking forward to college next year.... Maybe it's because Ben's 6 feet tall.... Maybe it's because my baby's looking like a young woman.... Anyway, I've spent some time looking through the kids' baby albums recently, and those photographs have brought back so many memories.... When the kids were little, they were best buddies. Oh, they argued and tattled, but, at the end of the day, they were best friends. As they've gotten older, their relationships have changed. They don't hand out hugs regularly or exclaim their love for one another these days. However, every now and then, I get a glimpse of how much they care about each other.... Like when Kaity invites Anna into her room for a movie or when Ben voluntarily goes to Anna's soccer game or when Anna gives up the "big" TV so that Ben can watch a soccer game.... I guess that's why this photo, taken just a few weeks ago, means so much to me. It's just a few minutes out of an ordinary day.... Sitting on the steps after school, talking and laughing... Just enjoying each other... And that makes this mom's heart happy. :)