Gratuitous Puppy Pictures

Some people are into cats.  I, however, am decidedly a dog lover.  Specifically, I like little dogs.  Consider these two examples:

Aren't they cute? 


The top photo is of Casper, a chihuahua.  He belongs to my aunt and her family.  Casper weighs 3.6lbs (1.6kg) but he doesn't let his small size slow him down a bit.  He thinks he's the biggest dog in the house.


Cole (9lbs, 4.1kg) is a papillon.  The name of the breed comes from their distinctive ears-- the size and shape of them resemble butterfly wings, and papillon is the French word for butterfly.  Cole is my sister's dog, but I've convinced him that he belongs to me.  He keeps me company throughout the day, and sleeps in my bed at night.  The only think I don't like about him is his long white hair that he sheds on everything.


There you go.  Dogs are one of my chief pleasures in life.  One of the best things about being home (as opposed to globetrotting) is being able to cuddle with the little guys.

Meet my niece and nephew

I'm totally ripping off my twin sister's blog, but I thought this was cute. She did these little bios and collages of her two dogs. Without further adieu, I present Cole and Lillie

Meet Lillie:
Tiger Lillie: the independent thinker
Breed: Papillon
Birthdate: 12/11/07
Weight: 8 lbs.
Likes: Balls, biting hair, ice, food, and pigs ears
Dislikes: Snuggling, getting in trouble, baths, and wind
Favorite Trick: Shake (AKA "paw")

Meet Cole:
Cole Bear: the little lover
Breed: Papillon
Birthdate: 12/11/07
Weight: 8 lbs.
Likes: Barking, soft fabric, Nylabones, cats, treats, and cuddling
Dislikes: Baths, yelling, the cold, and being alone
Special Ability: To make anyone love him

Full-time job

I must admit that this has not been an illustrious start to my very first blog. To be fair, I've never followed through with anything in my life-- except that which I was under supervision, or was required. I should say I've never voluntarily followed through with anything.

On Sunday, we went to church as a family-- mom, dad, sister, sister's husband, and niece-- for Easter to celebrate the risen Lord. Afterwards, mom cooked a delicious, albeit small-ish (for holiday fare) meal. We had ham with glaze; my green beans with almond slices and garlic; cauliflower with cheese; and my sister's strawberry, cream cheese, and pretzel concoction.

When my sister left to return to her house, she left something very precious behind: her 15-week old Papillon puppy. There are actually two puppies, but she thought it would be helpful if I took one for the week so that the twins can get individual attention. I, of course, took the cuter one (in my opinion). His name is Cole, and he's a really sweet teddy bear of a pup, except when he's keeping me up at all hours of the night with his insatiable need to go out. Like clockwork every night around 3am, I hear his little 5lb body stir, which means that I need to move fast, or there will be a mess for me to clean up. I've taken to sleeping with my coat and shoes on so that I, like Paul Revere, will be ready at a moment's notice. I'm also sleeping on the floor next to Cole's crate as he seems to really miss his sister, and whimpers unceasingly if he does not sense anyone is near. Individualized attention indeed!

I am exhausted, and unable to get much of anything done around the house. I am eager to get him back to his mother, which will be on Friday. During the day when he is sleeping, he seemingly has a halo placed above his head, but come nighttime, he begins to bare his teeth, and has enough energy for three. I am thankful to my parent's dachshund, Oscar, who keeps little Cole busy by tackling him and encouraging him to play chase.