Meet Boudin

(pronounced boo-dan for all you non-Cajuns)

The little ball of fur that has captured our family's heart the past week!  

Now in case you were wondering why on EARTH we decided to get a puppy during a move - we didn't.  Pat has been lobbying on behalf of the kids for the better part of a year to get a dog but I have been quite resistant.  I grew up with big dogs and all sorts of animals, but they were outside.  We certainly don't live in the country and the thought of a big dog living in our house with us, was a no-go for me.  Or a little yippy dog.  No way.  Then one day a friend posted on FB about their new dog.  So stinking cute!  So I inquired, did a little research and one evening in early January I casually mentioned to Pat that IF we ever got a dog, I would probably want something like this.  It was on!  

Boudin is a Shichon - a mix between a Shih-Tzu and Bichon.  Small, hypoallergenic (no shedding) and quiet!  The breeder is amazing!  Lillybits.  Check it out, even if only to ogle at the cuteness.

Long story long - my original plan was to get a puppy for the fall.  Maybe even Christmas.  But as luck would have it, a puppy was available in the litter that had been born days before our inquiry.  So we signed up and anxiously awaited our March baby!  And then - whammy!  Moving back to Louisiana.  

So while keeping the house in check on a daily basis while it's on the market has been challenging, very little work is due to Boudin.  He came to us completely crate and litter trained.  He barely ever whines and barks even less - only when he's playing with his toys.

The kids adore him and have generally been very good with him.  It's been a great learning experience for them - boundaries, responsibility and even language skills for Fletcher who has been in speech therapy for the past couple of months.  He's getting good at "here puppy", "go get it" and also "get puppy out" when he wants me to get the puppy out of his pen for some play.  Those two have so much fun - they just play chase non-stop.  It's exhausting to watch.  I'll post some fun videos later.

He has also caused some mischief.  From the kids.  Not him.

And this.  Too much puppy.  Too little sleep (that's another story).

He loves the yard and all the balls it offers.  

 These two still have some differences to work out.

 But overall, it's just pure love!

Ready...???

We're selling our house, moving back to Louisiana and getting a puppy!

Whew.  Get what I did there?  Band-aid... rrriiiipppp!!!!

I've been thinking about how I'd roll all these lovely announcements out in a slow and measured way.  And then it  just happened.  All at once.

Roughly 10 days ago we received notice of Pat's new job in Louisiana (still with Chevron at their office in Covington where we were previously).  His start date is May 1.  Oh dear.  Since that time, we've met with realtors in Houston, gotten our house on the market and I just returned from a whirlwind 3 day trip with Sydney to visit schools and look at homes in Louisiana.  I'm exhausted.  It's Wednesday.  And the madness has only just begun.

Tomorrow alone the movers come to take inventory of our belongings, handymen and others will be here for minor sprucing up of the place, photographer is coming to take the official pictures of our house - AND - we're getting a puppy.  Poor timing?  Maybe???

The move is very bitter sweet.  We absolutely love our home, our community and the amazing friends both we and the kids have made here.  We will be sad to leave that all behind.  But we're equally excited to get closer to our family, friends in Louisiana and for Pat's great career move.

I'll try to do better about keeping you posted on our newest adventures, the crazy house search I'm engaged in and much more about the precious puppy headed our way tomorrow that we're over-the-moon excited to bring into our family, despite the insanity that is to come.  Hey, if this pup is gonna hang with the Fraher's, better teach him to be flexible from the beginning, huh!