snapshots of our life.

I swear I’ll calm down on posting pictures of our dog.  But she has a boyfriend.  And I just have to share these pictures.  She really came out of her shell around my dad’s dogs today.  But she especially took a liking to Candler.  She played hard and now she’s passed out on the couch.

So excited about tomorrow and about the New Year.  I can’t wait for 2007.  Not big on New Year’s Resolutions because it’s just something else I don’t ever follow through with.  But I do have some goals I’m really going to try and accomplish this year.  I love the idea of having a “fresh start.”

We’re having Chastity and her fiance over to cook out and go to the Blue Moose (a really classy establishment across the street).  And we got some wood for our fire pit my sister gave us for Christmas.  Craig’s really excited about that. 

Happy New Year!

He got a promotion today!  He’s such a hard worker and Mom and I knew it would be a matter of time before people began to notice.  Generally, you have a 3 month probation period before they up your pay and you get benefits.  He hasn’t even been there 3 months and he’s already been promoted!  I’m so proud of him. 

We’re making progress with Sadie.  Apparently she’s never been on a leash before either because she freaks everytime I put it on her.  So we’ve been making baby steps to put it on her and let her walk around the house with it.  Picking it up is another story. 

Tonight I was drying my hair when she came creeping in.  If you acknowledge that she is there she turns and bolts.  So I didn’t say anything and didn’t look down until she had settled in right beside me.  I don’t understand how she isn’t scared of my hair dryer or the vacuum but people freak her out.  It makes me really wonder if someone has abused her.  But she’s doing much better.  She follows us from room to room and whines when she can’t get to us.  Which is a huge change from Friday night when she was hiding in our closet.  

Today she played tug of war with Craig.  And she chases the toys when I throw them, but won’t go all the way to them.  She just stops and whines.  It makes me happy that she is coming around.  Her tail is finally wagging every now and then instead of being tucked between her legs.

Oh! And!  The top picture was taken with my new Canon Digital Rebel!!  I didn’t have to do a darn thing to it in Photoshop!  I’m loving this camera.  So much to learn on it, but I can’t wait. 

Craig and I got a puppy last night.  She is completely different from any I have ever had.  And any that I have ever been around.  And I’ll be honest, I went to bed last night thinking about what a mistake we had made.  And what a big task this was going to be.  And how uneducated we were going into it.  Not that we weren’t ready for a puppy.  We were.  But we were ready for your typical puppy.  The kind that doesn’t know when to slow down when he’s running towards you and plows right into you.  The kind who can’t get enough of playing with his toys. That laps you up with puppy kisses.   The kind that comes to you so you can shower them with attention.  Not the kind who won’t look you in the eye.  Not the kind who hides behind curtains.  Not the kind that shakes harder the closer you get to her.  When she is in our arms she’s fine.  She loves the attention and she’ll let you hold her all day long.  But the minute you put her on the ground, she’s panicked.   And forget a leash, you can’t walk her anywhere.  The world is too big for her.  I went to bed feeling sick to my stomach, unable to do anything to make her feel better, and defeated. 

Mom came over this morning.  And in just the full day that we’ve had her, she’s made huge improvements.  She comes to me if I have her bear in my hands.  She ate out of my hands (this one was HUGE).  And instead of running to another room or hiding in the corner she stands in the center but doesn’t move.  This afternoon when Craig and I were loading up the truck to go to my dad’s, she followed me in and out of the house 3 times.  Which for most puppies, or dogs in general, that doesn’t sound like too much.  But coming out of the house on her own free will instead of hiding in the corner was a  big thing.

I don’t feel defeated anymore.  I feel ready for the challenge.  And while what she did today are baby steps, she’s learning to trust us.  And I love that.  It’s going to take a lot of patience and time, but it’s going to be so rewarding to watch her turn into a more confident dog. 

And seriously, look at this face.  She’s so worth it:

Thank you Mama for your all your help today!  She loves her bear.  I really think it makes her feel more secure.  She’s snuggling with it on the couch beside Craig right now. 

Things like this make me smile.
Watching TV this week, Craig asked me to bring him a popsicle while I was in the kitchen.
A few minutes later…
“Look baby, I made you a K to add to your collection.”

Prancer came on the other night!
I had one of those moments where I resorted back to a five year old.
I love that movie!

We’re going to pick up the new addition to our family this afternoon.
Her name right now is Bridget.
Which we aren’t too crazy about, but it’s such an issue picking a name that we both like, that we may leave her name as is.
I love the name Piper, but Craig’s face gets all scrunched up every time I mention it. 
(I’ve already started writing down names for our child that Craig doesn’t immediately scrunch his nose up to.  I have them in a journal that I’ve been keeping of our first year of marriage.  Because I just don’t think 9 months is going to be enough time for us to agree on a name, when that time comes.  Which give us about 4 years to get a head start on it.  If it’s a maybe, I write it down.)
Anyways, back to our new puppy.
We’re meeting the people in Macon to pick her up. 
She’s a 5 month old Miniature Schnauzer. 
I feel like a little kid this morning.
I have knots in my stomach from being so excited. 

Got things to do to get ready.
Oh!  And I did get my hair did the other day (Miss Kitty) but I haven’t taken any pictures yet. 
I’ll post them the next time I do. 
Gotta Clairol #10 it today and then I’ll be good to go. 
But I love it!
It takes me 30 mintues less time to dry it and feels so much lighter.

Merry Christmas!!

I test drove a Nitro last night.  You would have thought that we bought it by how excited I look in the picture.  But with the perks of Craig working at the dealership, I got to bring it home with me this weekend.   It’s due back up to the dealership by Monday.  I love the new car smell!

This afternoon when Craig gets off of work we’re going to Newnan to see a dog.  Craig found her on Craiglist.  She’s a 4 month old Miniature Schnauzer.  We’ll see how it goes.  If everything goes well, we may be coming home with a dog.