Day 2

Day 2 of school and we're already back in the swing of things. I started teaching again today too and I feel like schedule and order have taken over the chaos of summer. It is SOOOOOO wonderful!

Of course, I must always complicate my life a little more. I guess I should say that BRIAN must always complicate my life a little more, since this next complication is all his.

Meet Belle, the newest addition to our family.

Belle has been a long time coming. Brian has wanted an English bulldog for as long as I can remember, but one look at the price tag convinced him otherwise. So for years and years he's planned for the day when we could afford one. No, that day did not come. Luck while doing a good deed came.

You see, Brian's mom's dog died about 6 months ago and she's been looking for a new one. So he was being the good son and scouting CraigsList for her. Well, one of the days he was doing that he came upon an ad for an English bulldog. The owner was away from home 12-14 hours a day and just didn't feel like she was able to give the dog the love she deserved. Brian emailed her for over a week, telling her a little about our family and answering her questions about our dog-raising skills. The owner decided that Brian should adopt Belle. So yesterday we went and got her. We're now the proud parents of an 8 month old.

At times Tucker is thrilled to have a playmate. At other times said playmate disturbs Tuckers much needed slumber. But they do have a great time together and I know Tucker will be happier in the long run.

The cats are less than thrilled about Belle. While Mira absolutely detests her (and all other dogs for that matter), Violet is curious.

The kids think Belle is the cutest thing and they love that they can walk her (Tucker is just too strong for them to walk). Belle is only 8 months old though, so she does get in some mischief. The Barbie's have new hairdos thanks to Belle slobber salon. And Tristan got very distraught when his favorite stuffed Pokemon got picked up and carried around the house. She hasn't chewed anything up yet, but the kids are quickly learning to keep their doors closed until she learns the rules of the house.

So there she is ... our new family member.