introducing ...

DAISY!

Okay, I am sure that you all figured out our little surprise.  BUT, the kids didn't know until Friday afternoon.  We told LB just before we left for JW's baseball game ... just so she would be prepared (I'll explain why that was important in a little while).  We weren't sure that we would be able to get her on Friday night since we didn't know if the baseball game would get rained out or not.  The game didn't get rained out, but we decided to go ahead and get her after the game since the weather was supposed to be so bad today.  Anyway ... we told the boys what we were doing while driving from the game to pick her up.  Suffice it to say that excited doesn't really adequately explain the reaction we got from all three kids.

Here is another little surprise for those of you who know my daughter well:

Yes, that is the girl who has been known to climb up anything or anyone just to get away from a dog.  LB has been terrified of dogs (and other pets) since she was two and we were chased by a large, vicious dog while walking to a friend's house.  I have to admit that I was extremely scared at the time.  This event was life changing for her.  She'd never been around animals much before that happened and never wanted to be afterward.  To this day, her first question when we are going to a home we've never been to before is "Do they have dogs?".  The best thing I can think of to compare her fear to is my Mama and her claustrophobia.  It was this fear that prompted Ronnie and me to finally decide to get a dog and I think we may be on the right track!

Of course, this little girl is already living up to my friend Amy's dire predictions of my life never being the same.  First, she whined much of last night.  Fortunately, the kids slept through it, unfortunately, Ronnie and I didn't!  Second, the kids can't keep their hands off of her and are driving me crazy wanting to "play" with her even when she really just wants to be sleeping.  Hopefully, she will sleep better tonight and we have already told the kids that she can't go to church with us tomorrow.

She does have a skin problem that we didn't notice when we got her (it was extremely dark when we picked her up) and we are hoping that a trip to the vet will quickly solve this problem. (I'm sure some of you, who are experienced pet owners, will know all manner of terrible things this could be, but please don't comment - I'm nervous enough as it is!)  I've never owned a dog before, so this is all completely new to me.  We always had dogs when I was growing up, but they belonged to my brothers and all I ever did was play with them. 

We really want this to be a good experience for all of the kids.  They are still so excited and can't believe that they have a dog.  I guess that is why I am so hoping for things to go well with this little girl.  Soon, she'll have a nice new doghouse in the back yard and Ronnie will have fixed the small holes in our fence so that she can't get out.  Truly, I am hoping that once we get her set up in the back yard, the kids will settle down and enjoy her without obsessing over her like they are doing now.

I can't tell you what breed she is 'cause I really don't know.  I do know that the mama dog's owner said that she appears to be part lab and part some other breed that I had never heard of.  We are wondering if the daddy might have been a hound, since we have seen her lean her head back and howl a couple of times.

Here are a few more pictures from the night: 

D, right after he found out where we were headed ...

JW actually wanted us to choose a different girl, but he gave in to LB since she is the one trying to get over her fear ... I was very proud of my little gentleman!

Right this minute, I am wondering what on earth I have gotten myself into!