We got a dog . . .

. . . and it was more of an adjustment than I anticipated. I mistakenly believed that because I had brought  child home and survived, everything else would be a cake walk.

I was wrong.

Sleeping at my feet -- all the time. She loves me, and it is very gratifying to have someone love me simply for providing food and water.

Shea is a beautiful, obedient, sweet, loyal, intensely shy year and half old chocolate lab. And we love her. That being said, I was simply not prepared for the following:

1. Getting up as early as 4:30 am to let her out to go poo.

2. Convincing Packer not to play in her water or eat her food.

3. Also, 'Don't ride Shea' has become a common phrase in our house.

4. Hives on my face. (This may have been a stress reaction, as it has since gone away)

5. Jameson's insistence that any minor ailment, from aches to sneezes to mild headaches, is due to his allergies to Shea. These complaints come often and are more detailed than I have patience for. The kicker is that he actually probably deserves my sympathy.

Any and all suggestions to solve these or other problems are seriously appreciated.

Good Book to read: Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia by Carmen Bin Ladin. Yep, Bin Ladin. This was both terrifying and informative.

Our week in pictures:

Packer loves Shea, especially walking her. Fortunately, she is very obedient and doesn't go running off at all, so her can 'walk' her.

Climbed his first tree all by himself!!

Fashioned his own walking stick to navigate the treacherous leaf piles.